Reflection: Weeks 13 & 14 and Overall Course

WEEK 13

The Monday of week 13 we ended up having class at Goodwill.  It was awesome!!  I seriously loved the switch up of things, the tour, the group challenge of spending only $20, and everyone who worked there seemed so kind.  I never knew that Goodwill offered jobs for people with disabilities, I think that is great!  By employing people with special needs they actually get that work experience of working with people, being on time, and learn communication skills that they can use throughout the rest of their life.  I also enjoyed listening to the man who spoke to us and toured us around the building.  I could tell he loved his job and it was so nice to see the employers there wave to him as we were walking around.  This was probably my favorite day of class.

WEEK 14

This was the last day of class and unfortunatley I could not make it.  I ended up getting stuck up in the UP until Monday night, so that was kind of a bummer.  From the course calendar and other posts all the students brought in their junk projects and shared them to the class.  If you look at my previous post I shared mine through a blog post since I was unable to make it.  I also heard that I missed out on a delicious snack
:( bummer. 



OVERALL COURSE REFLECTION

I went into this course having no idea what environmental health was even about.  I am a psychology major, so it felt a little awkward to be in the beginning since I wasn't aware of much in the field.  I am so glad I decided to stick with it!  This class ended up being one of my favorites and I learned so much valuable information that I can relate back to for the rest of my life!

One big thing I learned was how to blog.  I heard of the term before, but I no idea how to create one or what I would even post about.  I now feel totally confident when using them and realize it could to a great tool to use for my future career.

I also loved the eco-chic lifestyle change!  I decided to get outdoors 3 times a week.  Overall, I reached my goal each week, with th exceptions of when I was very ill.  I realized that once you put enough energy into something and continue with a change, it eventually becomes second-nature and I can't even remember when I didn't work out.   I am very lucky to have had gotten this opportunity to make a lifestyle change that could benefit me.  Although, one thing I'm thinking about switching up is to bring a baggy along and pick up any trash I see while I am outside running (once the weather gets warmer of course). 

Overall I feel like I have gained so much knowledge from being in this course.  Now I realize how important it is to recycling/resuse, how critical it is to support no smoking campuses, that it's better to buy stuff in large quantities, buying local food betters our environment greatly, and that reusable bags rock.  Before I had the idea that I couldn't do much to better the environment, but now I realize it's the little things that matter!  Hope you all have a good break and good luck with finals everyone!

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

MALS RAIN FOREST ACTIVITY:  RELAY FOR LIFE

*This activity was great!  It made me aware of what Relay for Life is and how people can become partakers in this event.

Three Things I Learned...
1.)  This organization was created to help raise money for the American Cancer Society.  People come together who have had cancer affect their life in some way and show the world that they can fight back!
2.)  I thought it was the candles were a great sentimental aspect to add to the run--which represented the people who lost the battle with cancer.  It is pretty sad if you think about it, but on the bright side of things these deaths encourage people to engage in the walk and more research time dealing with cancer.
3.)  It's a 24 hour walk!  WHOA

MEDITERRANEAN MELISSA ACTIVITY:  WATER SCIENCE

*The purpose of this activity was to make aware the actually statistics dealing with water use around America.  We then visited a couple websites and entered our own information to figure out how much water I used.  I also then answered an opinion survey which was kind of cool because I got to see how others answered the questions around the country.  There was also a link that I visited that showed the current water quality around the state of MN. 

*I feel that this was such an engaging post and the sites had great information to them!

*I entered all of my information into "How much water you use in a day when you are at home all day..." and the results indicated I use about 90.3 gallons!!! That is isane holy cow!!  This makes me want to start limiting the amount of water I use. 

*Here are the numbers they used in their calculations:


Bath: 50 gallons
Shower: 2 gallons per minute
Teeth brushing: 1 gallon
Hands/face washing: 1 gallon
Face/leg shaving: 1 gallon
Dishwasher: 20 gallons/load
Dishwashing by hand: 5 gallons/load
Clothes washing (machine): : 10 gallons/load
Toilet flush: 3 gallons
Glasses of water drunk: 8 oz. per glass (1/16th of a gallon)



ASHLEY'S GREEN LILLY PAD ACTIVITY:  FLOURIDE AROUND YOU

*For this activity we read three different articles for this activity being the top ten facts of having fluoride, fluoride sources, and information on how much fluoride is in the community you reside in.  Very interesting articles and brand new information for me!

I decided to post a picture of the toothpaste I use daily.  Seems pretty obvious that this would have flouride in it, but it made sense to post it, since I use it two times a day.  I couldn't even imagine what my teeth would look like if I didn't use toothpaste.  I absoultely hate not brushing my teeth, so it'd be kinda tough for me to give up my toothpaste even if it had dangerous chemicals in it.  I guess I could always substitue to another toothpaste that is safer for my health...but idk...i really like my vivid white crest.

Share and Voice: Junk Project

Since I was unable to make it to class today I am now sharing my junk project through this post.  Over the weekend I went to a family Christmas party at my grandma's house and kept this project in mind.  My grandma has so much junk in her basement it's crazy, so I knew it wouldn't be hard to find some things she had laying around and put them to good use.  I took two items back home with  me...

This jar glass was sitting in a box in my grandma's basement about to go to the the town's thrift store.  Instead I decided to take it home with me to use as a change holder.  It was perfect, because just a couple weeks ago my other change bowl got knocked off my dresser and busted, so I had all my change in a zip lock baggy until now.

I found this vase in the same box, as well.  It was super dusty and didn't look that great, but I washed it off and it ended up looking brand new.  My grandma she said she got it around two years ago for her birthday, which held a boquet of flowers.  She didn't have any use for it, so she stored it---a ritual for her.  I thought it was cute, so I took it home and now I use it to hold my dry erase markers!

Advocacy Project: Concepts Relating to Obesity in America Learning Activity

PURPOSE:

To make aware ideas, concepts, and facts that correlate with obesity and to bring about the seriousness of the disease.  And also to comprehend the idea that the trend of obesity is steadily rising and something needs to be put into place to hault this trend.

BACKGROUND/REASONING/EVIDENCE: 

There is a vast amount of information known about obesity and the negative aspects that come along with it.  According to Down to Earth, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that obesity in adults have increased by 60% within the past twenty years and obesity in children have tripled in the past thirty years.  This is a crazy incline that needs to be turned around!  Unfortunealty, obesity-related deaths have increased to more than 300,000 a year, which is second to tobacco-related deaths.  Down to Earth states in their article that Native Hawaiians have the highest rate of obesity, being that 20% of Hawaiian children are overweight.

As the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry states, through techological advancement, America has found ways to produce food in large amounts, leading the quality of food to lessen drastically.  The highly processed foods are loaded with sugar and hydrogenated oils, which are not good for our bodies.  Another terrible statistic is that the average child sees more than 10,000 food ads on TV each year, most for high-fat, high-calorie, and high-sugar meals.  Children's socialization skills are also greatly hindered when they are overweight, as they usually are the ones at school to be made fun of, leading to these impairments.

Accoriding to ObesityinAmerican.org gives plenty of facts about obesity in America.  One being that a raging 33% of children in the USA are obese!  That means 1 out of 3 children are considered to be abnormally overweight!  It also brings about the fact that social economic status is greatly correlated with the risk of becoming obese.  It is also important to realize that obesity is a life long treatment, so it should be concerned as a serious issue.  There are many complications obese people face, such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high cholesterol, etc.  Some physical complications can results in difficulties breathing, walking or running, pain in knees and back, increased sweating, and gallstones.



Netdoctor suggests that there are a couple causes of obesity including: overeating, irregular meals, lack of daily physical activity, and hereditary genes.

INSTRUCTIONS:

I had originally planned to create a word find for these facts and definitions, but sadly this post would not let me copy and paste the puzzle I made into this document.....so here is plan B....

After reading the above summary of the reliable links and resources I found, please take the time to answer these seven questions dealing with obesity in America today, by referring to the above information (there is no need to click on the links, I summarized the articles for you).


1.)  Obesity can cause ________________ referred to as high blood pressure and can harm the arteries.

2.)  ______________ are highest at risk for obesity.

3.)  _____ percent of children in the US are considered obese.

4.)  Obesity is a _______   ________ treament.

5.)  Obese children's __________________ skills are greatly hindered, mainly due to the disease.

6.)  _________   ___________ is positively correlated with the risk of becoming obese.

7.)  Increased consumption of ____________ foods have assisted to rise the trend of obesity.

*If I can figure out how to get my word find puzzle on this post, you should try that out as well!

Read 'n' Seed 6: Final Review of "Eating Locally: 100 Mile Diet"

Since the next couple days are going to be very busy for me, I thought it would be best to write the final review of the "100 Mile Diet" today, instead of waiting until Friday.

OVERVIEW OF ENTIRE BOOK:

The "100 Mile Diet" is about a couple that decides to only eat food produced 100 miles of their Vancouver home for one year.  This book includes their detailed story as the authors connect with the people and places that produce what they can eat.  The narrators highlight the challenges the couple faced, the benefits they attained while engaging in this diet change, information about local food that they weren't aware of before, how large food corporations are steadily taking over, and goes in depth about stories and emotions they encountered throughout the year.


3 MOST SIGNIFICANT THINGS LEARNED:

1.)  Why is it important to eat locally?
     * Help flourish local economy
     * Locally grown foods are almost always better for you and also tastes better (no pesticides and chemicals!)
     * You help reduce global warming by eating locally (don't eat food that has to be shipped thousands of miles, just to reach your plate).
     * Local produce is much fresher
     * Better for air quality and pollution
     * More variety when eating local food
     *Local fruits and veggies have longer to ripen

2.)  People who buy from large food corporations do not have as much variety, in comparision with people who buy from local farmers markets.  I never recognized this issue until I read this book, but it seems so obvious to me now.  This is because large food industries want to make large quantities of food at a time (to make large profits), so they do not have the resources, money, or time to give their consumers the different options and varieties of the products.

3.)  By eating locally we avoid consuming processed foods, which in reality we are watching out for out health and reducing our chance of obesity and preventable health related diseases, such as heart disease and hypertension.  This foods produced by large companies do not have the same nutrious value as those products that come from a local market. 

*New terminology:  Locavore: a person who eats only locally grown food that is usually grown 50, 100, or 150 miles away from their home.



WHAT DOES THIS BOOK MEAN TO MYSELF AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT:

This book is so important for everyone to read, because it brings about the idea that there needs to be a collaborative effort to build more locally based and self-reliant food economies.  This needs to be done so we can flip the trend of large food corporations taking over and steadily gaining more power, every time a consumer purchases one of their items.  The people who manage the distribution of food should take into the considerations of air polluntion, water pollution, fossil fuels, global warming, and green house gases being released into our environment, while shipping food many, many miles.  Buying groceries from big corporations aren't only damaging our planet, but people should also be understand that there are drastic quaility characteristics in comparision to local markets.  This comes about because of the way the food is produced, leading to lesser quality of food coming from the large corporations.



DO YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK? WHY OR WHY NOT:

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to become more informed on the idea of eating locally.  I had no idea about organic food, local food, and large food industries until I got ahold of this book.  I now feel very informed on the choices of food I have, and realize that what I select that I am going to eat effects much more than myself.

Pictures of Farmer's Markets in Duluth MN!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10: Overall Project Reflection

My SMART goal:  To engage in an outdoor activity 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes at a time.  When the weather started getting chilly and rainy, I decided to switch up my goal: to get outside if the weather permited, and if it didn't then I would just workout at the UMD gym.

Successes and challenges:  I found that when I had few work hours for the week, the weather was nice and sunny out, and my school work load was not that heavy was when it was the easiest to get outside.  It also helped me out greatly to have a "buddy" to get outside with, such as my boyfriend or my roommate.  I also realized that I really enjoyed running and/or walking at night.  I found it to be challenging to get my butt out the door when it was cold and windy out, so I thought the best answer to this problem was to start working out at the UMD gym instead of outdoors.  I also recognized that getting outdoors worked as a great stress reliever for me and made me feel so refreshed and energized.

Benefits and what I learned:  After starting to get outside regularly I realized that I slept much better at night than I previously did.  I felt healthier, more alert, and more focused during the weeks I attained my lifestyle change.  I learned that if I gave my self a goal within limits, I could attain it if I tried my best.  I also realized that after I reached my lifestyle change, it became second nature to me.  Although, there were some bumps along the way and adjustments that were needed.  This lifestyle change was very fun and I was bettering my health at the same time.

How did others/environment benefit:  Umm.....well my boyfriend and roommate benefited because I ended up dragging them outdoors with me most weeks to exercise with me.  Also, maybe if people saw me running outdoors, it would give them the motiviation to get outside and enjoy the scenary of Duluth.  I don't see the environment benefitting much in the situation.  Maybe next time I get outdoors I could include picking up trash that I see while exercising.

Will I continue this behavior: I totally want to continue this behavior.  I plan to stick to my exercise program of 3 times a week.  I will plan to workout in a gym until we get enough snowfall to get outside to go sledding or ice skate or something.  This lifestyle change has improved my health and attitude.

Recommendations for others:  I feel that it is extremely important to make an attainable goal, but don't make it too easy to reach.  I would recommend doing something that will better your health and/or the environment.  If you are having difficulties on reaching your goal, make some modifications, just don't give up.

Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

December 6, 2009
Senator Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2304

Senator Amy Klobuchar,

I am writing to you to vote yes to the H.R. 3688 bill, which encourages programs of health promotion and disease prevention.  Obesity is a rising epedemic in the United States and I feel we need to make aware the risks of this deadly disease and promote health strategies, so people can avoid becoming a sufferer.  According to the Alliance for Health Reform, 130 million people are obese in America and 1 in every 3 children are considered to be obese.  This trend needs to be stopped and turned around and I feel this bill can help do such.

It is also essential to recognize that people who are most prone to obestity are people who have low economic status and those of Hispanic and American Indian decent.  This bill offers specific help for these people who cannot afford gym passes or the resources needed when becoming a healthier person.  Free gym use and  available gyms in areas where obesity is abundant will help impede this inclination.

It is also significant to understand how obese people are affected by their situation.  Obese people face damaging effects on their socialization skills, cardiovascular difficulties, hypertension, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, and the list goes on.  If a bill can help these people avoid those harmful concerns, why not we pass this bill and enhance our population to become healthier people?

I feel that it is extrememly important to put this bill into affect as soon as possible.  This bill will benefit society as a whole, by making exercising resources availble.  These available resources would incude improving or building gyms located in low income areas, free or very low cost gym passes, and gyms near bus lines.  By putting this bill into practice, the United States population's health will improve--both mentally and physically.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  I appreciate your time.


Sincerely,


Paige Jokinen
(Contact Information)