Reflection: Week 8-14

Share and Voice- I really enjoyed the Share and Voice posts on our blogs. I liked the freedom of researching and blogging about topics that I was very interested in. I also enjoyed reading other classmates posts and seeing what they come up with for topics to write about. I wrote about zebra mussels in Minnesota lakes, my deer hunting experience, and the show "American Pickers" on the History Channel.

Advocacy Project- I did not enjoy blogging for this project. My topic was not very interesting and I do not have a great knowledge of politics. However, I did learn some things while researching and I learned how to write a letter to a politician to persuade them to vote a certain direction.

Junk Project- For my Junk project, I made a picture frame out of old wood hockey sticks. I

currently do not have a picture for it yet but am working of finding one. I found a few good websites I can use to find ideas for re-using items. I really enjoyed looking for ideas for this project online.

Photo Essay- For my photo essay I took pictures of things around my house that have been re-used or re-purposed. I had pictures of christmas decorations, a refinished cabinet, a recycled glass bowl, an old fruit box, and a rubber floor we re-used from a hockey arena.

I really enjoyed taking this class and have gained an awareness for the environment that I didn't have before I took this class. Hopefully I keep learning new ways to contribute to a healthier environment and continue the habits I learned in this class in the future. As for my blog I may keep updating it once and a while if I come across anything interesting that I would like to share. I actually liked my experience blogging so I may create a new blog for fun.

Share and Voice: History Channel

As I was trying to think of something to write about for this share and voice assignment, I had the t.v. on the History Channel. I was watching re-runs of a show called American Pickers. Basically there are two guys who travel around the U.S. looking for old or rare items to purchase from people. They dig through old barns, garages, houses, and other places cluttered with what looks like useless junk to most people. They buy items from these people and clean them up and re-use or re-sell them. It is interesting to see some of the items they find and use. Many of the items are just laying around and serving no purpose, so it is cool to see them bring items back to life. Even though the items look old and are sometimes in rough shape, many of them are as good as new once they are cleaned up a little. If you haven't seen this show before I suggest you check out an episode or two. You can also view episodes online on the History Channel.

There is also a show on the History Channel called "American Restoration" where they restore old items. I have only watched part of an episode before but it looks very interesting.

Advocacy Project: Letter to Elected Official

December 11, 2011

Senator Amy Klobuchar

302 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington D.C. 20510

Please vote “YES” to EH- 16.7- Inspect drinking water outlets for lead in Schools and S-875 Drinking Water Right to Know Act require additional monitoring of contaminants and for other purposes.

The only way to determine how much lead is present in the drinking water at your school is to have the water tested and documented. As a health educator, I believe increasing drinking water inspections in schools will result in healthier students, staff, and communities. This will ensure a safe drinking supply in Minnesota’s school systems.

Lead is rarely found in source water, but enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. The most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and fixtures, which can add significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water. With the amount of old school buildings still being used, monitoring the contaminants closely is critical to ensure safe drinking water.

Opponents may argue that the cost of increasing inspections is too high. However, by increasing the amount of inspections, we can save money on health care costs. High doses of lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and blood system and can even be lethal. It is particularly dangerous for babies and for small children because their bodies and brains are still growing and developing.

The health of students, staff, and community members is very important for the future of our state. Therefore, ensuring a drinking supply that is safe to consume is important for the health and development of our state. Please vote “Yes” to increase drinking water inspections in Minnesota’s schools. If I can provide any further information, feel free to contact me at 111-222-3333. By E-mail at Safewater@school.edu.

Colton Borwege

Advocacy Project: Fact Sheet

Lead in School's Drinking Water

S-875: Drinking Water Right to Know Act

A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require additional monitoring of certain contaminants, and for other purposes.

The Issue: Lead and other chemicals in school’s drinking water

What is Lead?
Lead is a toxic material known to be harmful to human health if ingested or inhaled. Lead in the body can damage the brain, kidneys, nervous system and red blood cells.

Who is affected by lead?
EVERYONE! However, children, infants, pregnant women and their unborn children are especially vulnerable to lead.

How does lead affect us?
In children, lead has been associated with impaired mental and physical development, as well as hearing problems. The harmful effects of lead in the body can be subtle and may occur without any obvious signs of lead poisoning.

How does lead get into the school’s drinking water?
Lead enters drinking water from a building’s plumbing system. Lead may be present in various parts of the plumbing system (such as lead solder, brass fixtures, and lead pipes) and is picked up by the water passing through the plumbing system. The amount of lead, if any, in a plumbing system will depend on the age of the system and the materials from which the system was constructed.

How do you know how much lead is in the drinking water?
The only way to determine how much lead is present in the drinking water at your school is to have the water tested. Each tap or fixture providing water for drinking or cooking purposes should be tested for lead at least every five years. Based on the results, action should be taken to replace or repair the water outlets or pipes.

For more information contact the Minnesota Department of Health

Minnesota Department of Health, Section of Drinking Water Protection, 651-215- 0770, www.health.state.mn.us

Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning, 651-582 -8748, www.cfl.state.mn.us

Sources:

Minnesota Department of Health and the United States Environmental Protection Agency