Reflection: Weeks 11 & 12

WEEK 11

On Monday we had our Advocacy Issue Overview due.  I completed mine on a bill that wants to decrease the amount of children and adolescents that are overweight and obese.  The assignment took a lot of time, but it was very interesting going through the questions and finding related information on the internet.  During class on Monday we got into small groups and went through an exercise where we were given an object and had to think of some creative idea of what the object could be reused as.  It was very fun and quite amusing listening to the groups' ideas.  On Wednesday we had our Eco-Chic lifestyle post due as usual and on Friday we had our fourth quarter of our Reed 'n' Seed posts due.  I loved the book I read, but it was nice to finish it, since my homework load is getting heavy, as the semester is coming to an end.

WEEK 12

On Monday we had our Photo Essays due at the beginning of class.  Everyone then hooked up to MckLinkey hop on Dr. V's blog, then we took turns sharing our essays infront of the class.  I found this to be very interesting and eye opening.  I never knew so many people are actually junking when they don't even realize it!  Such as my dad--the Craig's List fanatic.  It was a very fun project.  On Wednesday, as always, we had our Eco-Chic Lifestyle update and unfortuneatly the Thanksgiving holiday got to me and I did not reach my goal as I intended to...bummer!!  But I am hoping this coming week will be better.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9: Weekly Update

My SMART Goal:  is to exercise 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes, preferably engaging in an outside activity, but if the weather does not permit, then indoors.

Successes and Challenges:  This week I did not stick to my SMART goal as I intended to.  I was planning on exercising at least three times this week for thirty minutes a time, but I only went to the gym once.  This is the worst I have ever done with my SMART goal, what a shame.  A big challenge I faced was that it was Thanksgiving break for most of this week, which usually consists of eating lots, being lazy lots, sleeping lots, and shopping lots.  I thought I would at least get to the gym two or three times with my sister when I went back home for break, but we only ended up going once.  Although, if you count shopping for 8 hours straight (4AM to Noon) as a work-out, then you can add one more exercise onto the week.  My feet were so sore after and I totally passed out on the couch when I got home.  There were plenty of times when I could have went outside for a twenty minute run or went on a walk with my dog, but I was really pretty unmotivated since I was on vacation.

Feelings Experienced:  I felt like a bum basically all Thanksgiving break.  I ate too much and laid around too much, but it was awesome.  Although, getting to the gym on Sunday with my sister was a good switch up of things and ended up being very refreshing.  If shopping counts as exercise, I got 8 hours worth on Black Friday, but not sure if that is considered a work-out or not.

What I Learned:  That I should have incorporated a walk or two into my Thanksgiving break, because I had plenty of time to do so, and instead I just ended up laying on the couch most of the time and visiting with family.  It would have been better to go for a walk with my mom, dad, sisters, and cousins, instead of just sitting on our butts and chatting.

Plans for Next Week:  Next week is an extremely busy week school work wise.  I have two huge papers to complete, a take home final exam to start, two presentations, and a test!! Ah I'm getting stressed out just thinking about it.  Anyways, I plan to run or walk for at least twenty minutes three times next week.  I feel that this is important to do even though it is such a busy week, because exercising works as a stress reliever for me and it will be a nice break from working on school work.  I am hoping I do better this coming week!!

Share and Voice: Tips for Reducing Waste During the Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays

http://www.epa.gov/osw/wycd/funfacts/fall.htm


I couldn't believe how much trash my family produced at Thanksgiving dinner and there was only 12 of us!  I couldn't imagine how much trash the entire United States produced over the break.  EcoWorld states that since 1995 our winter holiday wastes have increased 20%.  Another interesting statistic found by EcoWorld was that if every family in the U.S. decreased their gas consumption by one gallon, 6.5 million tons of climate-changing carbon dioxide would be prevented from entering the air.  I thought it would be beneficial to learn some ways how to reduce waste during the Thanksgiving and winter holidays.  Some tips listed as:

*Make a committment to recyle-by doing so you are lessening the waste that accumulates in landfills
*Use grass clippings or shredded leaves for mulch.  You then can pile them around your shrubbery and pile degradable produce and food into the mix.
*Avoid plastic throw away dinner ware and paper napkins!!!  Use cloth napkins and a dinning set if you are hosting a party.  If there are decorations involved, save them and use them for next year.
*Save leftovers!!  Do not toss food that is not spoiled.  This saves you money and your time to prepare your meals.
*If the amount of left overs is small, compost these food scraps.
*Be sure to actually take the time to show your guests where to put the recylcing (paper, plastic, etc).  If they do not know where to recycle their item, it is far more likely that they will just toss it in the trash.
*Fill your dishwaster to capacity before running it--if you do not do so, it is a waste of water
*It is important to wash and reuse items that are brought to the party by guests.  Such as:  jars, cookie tins, dairy tubs, etc.  You can use these to place your leftovers in or use them as pen holders or decor for the house.
*Avoid putting food down the disposal that could clog the drain.  If not avoided, this could lead to damage of the pipes and send parts of your sink to the dump before their time.
*Buy food in bulks!!
*If you are traveling for the holidays be sure to turn down the thermostat and shut off all lights

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

I went back home to Plymouth over this Thanksgiving break and was trying to come up with a theme for this photo essay post.  My mom and I came up with the idea of going around the house and posting pictures of everything my dad has gotten from Craig's List.  I knew my dad was a big fan of sales off of Craig's List, but I didn't realize how much stuff he has bought or gotten for free off there!

Craig's List offers local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, personals, services, local community, and events through an online website.















Here are some items my dad purchased (or got for free) off Craig's List...

My dad found a posting of free brand-new carpet.  He went to go pick it up, not knowing what to expect, and luckily it was in mint condition.  I guess the guy ordered too much when he was building his new house and wanted to get rid of it fast.  My dad put this carpet all throughout the first level of my parent's house, saving close to $1000!

A working dishwasher purchased for $50 dollars! 

When my dad went to go pick up the dishwasher, I guess the lady was in the process of remodeling and my dad saw this towel-holder in her trash.  He brought it home and my mom added the dragon fly designs and blue dots.  And I always thought it was from Target or something!

My mom found this really expensive mirror that she wanted to buy and hang over the couch, but my dad said it'd be a waste of money and that he can find something just as good, on the one and only, Craig's List.  This mirror was only $15 bucks, rather than the $200 mirror my mom wanted to buy!

Chair off Craig's List for $30 bucks

Four snow tires for $75 bucks...if purchased from a tire store it would have been around $320.  Sure, they aren't brand spanking new, but they work!

Found and bought on Craig's List.  Spent $5,100 on this 2002 Subaru Impreza wrx, instead of a new 2009 Subaru Impreza wrx anywhere from $24,995-27,995.

This post shows that "one man's junk is another man's treasure."  Sure, all of these items have been used before, but why not use them again? By doing so you are helping our planet and your wallet.  It is so important to reuse items instead of buying them new, because you are keeping useable goods and materials out of the dump, you are lessening the waste that is piling up on Earth, decreasing the number of fossil fuels produced when the new products are made, lowering air and water pollution,  and you are saving your money!