Reflection: Weeks 13-14 & Overall Course

I cant believe that the semester is already behind us.  I literally watched myself grow as a health educator over the course of this semester, and I have to say that this class contributed a huge part to that.  Here is a recap of the past two weeks of this course as well as my overall reflection.

Week 13
We began this week by having an Advocacy Project due where we wrote a letter to an elected official about the bill we had chosen earlier, and also created a fact sheet to support our argument.  This was a very unique experience for myself because I had never done anything like this before.  Also, we met as a class at Goodwill Industries to learn about their mission and how things were really operated there.  It was interesting to learn how they are not about production, instead they are about placing their employees within the community and providing the with steady work.  To finish up this day of class we all participated in a wedding activity at Goodwill and were given time to look for items for our upcoming junking projects.  The final item on the agenda for this week was our final weekly reflection and overall reflection of our Eco-Chic Lifestyle change.  It was very interesting to see how everyone progressed through their goal and their success along the way.

Week 14
To begin our final week of class, we had yet another Advocacy Project due.  This was an online lesson created individually regarding the bill we had previously chosen.  My project was based primarily around educating our class about automobile emissions and how to reduce our impact.  Later in the week we completed each online lesson for all of the members of our blog group, it was pretty cool to see the interesting things everyone came up with.  Also during class on monday we all presented our "Junking" projects, this was an extremely neat way to end the class.  It was great to see everyones wonderful ideas and how much time and effort they had put into their personal projects.  The creativity of our class never ceases to amaze me, and these projects definitely impressed me more than I thought.

My Junking Project was an old oil heater that i had found laying around at my grandparents.

My Junking Project

My Junking Project

Overall Course
Where can I really start with this course, I never imagined that I would take so much away from this class.  This class opened up my eyes so much to issues that I never even realized existed.  An example of this would be the terrible things that go into processing the meat we buy in the U.S.  I guess you could say I was a bit sheltered with that because I have always eaten beef directly from our family farm, wild turkey we have harvested, pork and chicken from the farms of family friends, and wild game like venison and bear that we harvest ourselves.  Seeing the terrible things they do to these animals and the ways they cut corners just to increase production and make a bit more money make me pretty sick.

I could go on all day talking about things that greatly impacted me throughout this class, such as "Tapped," "Fresh," "Future of Food," our lifestyle changes, junking, and even blogging.  I would like to take a second however to discuss how much this class has made me grow and mature.  I honestly think this class has made a huge impact on me as a health educator and opened my eyes to so many more issues than I ever even knew about.  Going into this class I had no idea what to really expect, but walking away from it I know that the information and knowledge I am taking away will stick with me forever. The amount of information and experience that I gained from this class definitely made me much more well rounded as both a student and a professional.

Eye Opener: Understanding Emissions

Tackling Transportation

1. The three places I picked were school (SpHC), the mall, and Holiday on Woodland Ave.  I am usually at the school so I did not have three places that I go to consistently.
2. I always walk to school and when I go to the mall I drive.  However whenever I go to the gas station it is usually for gas so I am kind of obligated to drive there.
3. The most convenient way for me to get to the school is walking which takes about 8 min. The most convent way to get to the gas station would also be walking, taking about 10 min.  And the most convenient way for me would be driving myself because taking the bus there would result in about an hour of travel.
4. The route to school is exactly the same as now, the route to the gas station would just be walking instead of driving, and the route to the mall is completely different.  It usually takes me about 10-12 min to get to the mall, and I don't go there much, so waiting an hour on the bus would be very frustrating.
5. The commute to school is already identical to my current route, I could amend my gas station trip but I only really go there when I need fuel, and the trip to the mass seems like a lot of waiting around wasting time.
6. I plan to try and walk to the gas station when I do not need gas, however the other two routes will remain the same as I currently take

Childhood Lead Poisoning

CDC Web Site

1. Moroccan Tea Glasses, on the market for 4 months before recalled.
2. Boys and Girls Belts, on the market for a year before recalled.
3. All-Star Basketball Chair and Ottoman Sets, on the market for 14 months before recalled.

EPA Web Site

1. Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty or dusty areas.
2. Clean or remove shoes before entering your home to avoid tracking in lead from soil.
3. If you rent, notify your landlord of peeling or chipping paint.

Water Vocabulary Match

We were asked to play the matching game memory with vocabulary terms.

The Effects of Smoking

We were asked to complete a survey on the effects of smoking from the readings in the lesson.

What You Want to Know About Asthma and Allergies

1. Annual expenditures for health and lost productivity due to asthma are estimated at over $20 billion, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
2. Asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 15
3. Asthma accounts for nearly 17 million physician office and hospital visits, 4 and nearly 2 million emergency department visits each year.

Breathe-Freeville Mystery

1. Suspect (name of air pollutant): Fossil Phil (Carbon Dioxide)
2. Cause (where does pollutant come from): Carbon dioxide is emitted into the air when fossil fuels are burned to release energy in power plants, homes, factories and vehicles. Carbon dioxide in its sold form is dry ice. It is also used in fire extinguishers.
3. Crime (what health effects is it having on citizens/environment):Carbon dioxide is emitted into the air when fossil fuels are burned to release energy in power plants, homes, factories and vehicles. As CO2, a greenhouse gas, has built up in the Earth's atmosphere, it has contributed to global climate change.
4. Lock 'Em Up (Alternative resources we could use/do to replace/reduce the pollutant): Carbon-free energy sources include solar power, wind power, geothermal energy, low-head hydropower, hydrokinetics (e.g., wave and tidal power), and nuclear power. Alternatively, switching from high-carbon fuels like coal and oil, to reduced-carbon fuels such as natural gas, will also result in reduced carbon dioxide emissions.
5. Case File (what did you learn from this activity): I learned that there were a lot more alternative forms of fuel to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions than just solar and wind power.  It is crazy how accessible these forms are to us as well.

Occupational Hazard Crossword

1. Inhalation
2. Decades
3. Lead
4. Wash
5. Blood
6. Symptoms
7. Work

Share & Voice: Under Armour Green

I was looking at some stuff online, mostly christmas shopping for family members, and I came across this new line of clothing that Under Armour has launched.  This clothing line is recycled and have also developed a mission statement for this line, "Under Armour is committed to building performance gear with a lighter environmental impact."

Advocacy Project: Understanding Emissions

Motor vehicle emissions are composed of the by-products that come from the exhaust systems of automobiles or other emissions such as gasoline evaporation. These emissions contribute to air pollution and are a major ingredient in the creation of smog in some larger cities.

Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is to increase awareness regarding the hazards of motor vehicle emissions, and the benefits of walking on our environment.  The facts and details provided will not only increase an understanding of the negative impact of motor vehicle emissions, but they will also provide an understanding of the positive steps we can take to protect our environment.

Aside from the benefits of walking we have been exposed to from a health standpoint, the environmental benefits are just as important.

A fact sheet highlighting the positive impact of walking on the environment

Walkable Communities Video:

Calculate your vehicle pollution impact

A few fact sheets from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:

• Buying A Cleaner Car
• Causes of Motor Vehicle Pollution
• Challenge Your Notions About Commuting
• Health Effects of Motor Vehicle Pollution  

Now that you have read the information provided, you should have an increased understanding of motor vehicle emissions and the steps we need to take to reduce them.  It is easy to see that the steps we can take to protect not only ourselves, but our environment as well are not too far "out of the box."  To finish this activity, please comment on 2-3 things you learned from this information that you did not know before.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Final Weekly Review & Overall Project Reflection

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Weekly Overview
1. What was your SMART goal? How did you do in achieving your SMART goal?

• My SMART goal: I will eat at least 4 servings (1/2 cup) of fruits or vegetables (or a mix) every day for the next 10 weeks.
• This was my best week yet falling short only once, and it was primarily because I really wasn’t that hungry and didn’t want to eat another serving of vegetables or fruit on top of my large dinner.

2. Address successes & challenges. What strategies helped you to be successful? What challenges did you face? How did you deal with them?

• I have found a really good system of balancing my servings throughout the day, starting with a good breakfast in the morning. I am usually not very hungry in the morning so I usually just eat some fruit before I begin my day.
• The only real challenge I faced was eating too big of meals and not wanting to add a serving of fruits or vegetables to simply meet my goal.

3. What feelings did you experience? When did you feel them?

• I am still feeling about the same as the weeks prior, minus the stresses of the semester winding to an end. However instead of surrounding myself with comfort food this time around, I am instead going to resort to fruit!!

4. What did you learn this week?

• I learned that this goal is very attainable, I have also learned some neat ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into the types of meals that I usually eat.

5. What are your plans for next week? Will you continue with the change as is? Will you modify to make it more achievable or more challenging?

• My challenges for this upcoming week are actually beginning to decrease because I am back in the swing-of-things with school. I now have some time to prepare meals and snacks the night before so I can receive the proper amount to fruit and vegetables that I am shooting for. For this week I plan to continue to do what I am doing and if all goes well, even exceed my goal.

Overview of Project

1. What was your SMART goal? Did it change at all during the project? Explain.

• My SMART goal: I will eat at least 4 servings (1/2 cup) of fruits or vegetables (or a mix) every day for the next 10 weeks.
• My smart goal remained the same throughout this project, the only exception was that I did not stop once I achieved my goal, I allowed myself to exceed it.

2. What helped you be successful? What things got in your way? How can you address these in the future?

• The things that made me successful throughout this process were making fruits and vegetables easily available to myself. When I had them attainable, I found myself snacking on them instead of junk food with out even realizing it
• The biggest thing that got in the way was, in the beginning I didn’t do a very good job of keeping fruits and vegetables around the house and I ran out on a regular basis. Also, Thanksgiving and the Wisconsin deer-hunting season provided a few bumps in the road as well.
• I am going to continue to keep fresh fruits and vegetables around the house and easily accessible as healthy snacks. I believe this is a behavior that can become a habit in no time at all

3. How did you benefit from this project? What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about behavior change?

• In the beginning I felt like I had a bet more energy during the day and slept a bit better at night, I then kind of hit a plateau and the feeling felt natural. However now I am tired and a bit irritated, but I think that is to be expected with the semester winding down.
• Through this process I learned that I can definitely change a personal behavior as long as I completely buy into it. By supporting the behavior and surrounding myself with the means of achieving this goal it was pretty easy for me to continue my path of success.
• I learned that behavior change is completely about truly embracing the change and doing your absolute best to support that change by surrounding yourself with a positive environment.

4. How did others and/or the environment benefit from you changing this behavior?

• I’m not quite sure how others benefited from my behavior change; maybe I was a bit less irritable. But as for the environment, I believe this change can make a significant impact because it greatly reduced the amount of garbage I produced by lowering the amount of processed and packaged foods I consumed. I also could use the remains of my excess fruits and vegetables as compost.

5. Will you continue this behavior? Why or why not?
What recommendations do you have for others about making a lifestyle change?

• I will continue this behavior because there are nothing but positives that surround it. It is beneficial both from a health aspect and from an environmental aspect.
• I recommend to others seeking to make a lifestyle change, to completely buy into this change and want to make it for themselves before they decide to begin. This is so because without the support of yourself this change will continue to be nothing but a personal battle.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Share & Voice: Superior McDonalds

Image Courtsy of Google Images

I was listening to the radio this morning and this topic came up in conversation.  Superior City Council member Greg Mertzig proposed this ban in accordance with a previous motion made in San Francisco regarding toys given out with fast food.  This motion would ban the Superior McDonalds to give away toys with any happy meal or kids meal containing over 600 calories and 10 percent or more of fat.  Although McDonalds is in no way healthy, I thought this was a unique effort to combat our obesity problem in the United States.  It is exceptionally appealing to me because it targets children, and with our steadily rising obesity rate among youth is considered by some to be our biggest problem area regarding those with weight issues.

Advocacy Project: Letter and Fact Sheet

December 4, 2010

Ron J. Kind
House of Representatives
131 S. Barstow St.
Suite 301
Eau Claire, WI 54701

VOTE YES ON H.R.2724 Title: National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009


The proposed nationwide objectives for transportation will have a significant impact on the overall environmental health and safety of our entire nation. As a health education student at the University of Minnesota Duluth, I believe that setting national transportation performance targets will result in overwhelming positive outcomes for our communities both urban and rural. This will set a standard by which we as Americans must meet and abide by.

This bill seeks to not reduce vehicle emissions as well as promote alternate forms of transportation as a way to lower traffic congestion and reduce traffic accidents. The national transportation targets developed by this bill include reducing per capita vehicle miles traveled by 16% and transportation-generated carbon dioxide levels by 40%, triple walking, biking, and public transportation use, increase freight transportation provided by railroad and intermodal services by 20%, and improve public safety.

Opponents to this bill may argue that this act may impact the automobile industry, however this is the opposite of the truth. By establishing performance targets and objectives that must be met will make the automobile industry more competitive. By mandating manufactures to follow the framework developed by this act the innovations in safety and efficiency that will result are almost endless. These guidelines are set as a means for reducing vehicle emissions but as a result create a new competitive edge within the industry.

We appreciate your past support of the bill protecting our environment and reducing automobile emissions. By supporting alternate forms of transportation we are not only promoting cleaner air, we are lessening cluttered roadways and decreasing traffic accidents as well. Vote Yes to H.R.2724 National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009.

Adam

Fact Sheet

• Ten percent of all vehicles cause 90% of the mobile-source pollution.
• Cheaters tamper with their cars. About 10% of all vehicles have some form of tampering, but over 40% of gross emitters have been tampered with.
• It’s not only the old cars that cause pollution. Both new and old cars can be gross emitters. Only timely maintenance prevents one from attaining the “status” of a gross emitter. New car technology, while helpful, is expensive and will malfunction over time.

How much to Automobiles contribute to global warming?

• Automobiles are America's biggest reason for oil dependence, and represent the single largest piece of our global warming problem. A gallon of gasoline weighs 6 pounds but when burned and combined with oxygen in the air, the resulting compound weighs nearly 20 pounds. Chrysler’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, which weighs just under two tons, emits over three times its body weight in CO2 per year.
• One-third of the United States’ carbon emissions are transportation-related. If American cars and light trucks were a nation, they would be the world’s fifth-largest carbon emitter.
• SUV fuel efficiency has remained virtually unchanged over the last decade; the typical SUV has a rated fuel economy of 20 m.p.g. (29 percent lower than that of the average car), and a consequent CO2 emissions rate of 6.2 metric tons per year (40 percent higher than passenger cars).

How much does the U.S. contribute to CO2 Emissions?

• The United States has the highest rate of carbon emissions in the world, with close to 1,600 million metric tons of carbon released annually (or about 25 percent of the world’s total). Our country’s total output is double that of the next largest polluter, China.
• U.S. carbon emissions are linked to our uncontrolled consumption of fossil fuels, especially oil. The United States is the world's largest "oil burner," with petroleum products accounting for 42% of U.S. global warming

What if Automobile Fuel Economy standards were higher?

• If fuel economy were improved by 5 m.p.g., American consumers would save 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, more than half of what the U.S. imports from the Middle East.
• Cars and light trucks could achieve a combined Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard of 40 m.p.g. if automakers made the best use of available technology over the next ten years. Reaching such a standard would cut global warming pollution by 133 million metric tons per year in 2020, and cut America’s oil demand by 3.6 million barrels per day.

What can be done to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases?

• The most important step is making the political commitment to put a cap on oil demand and global warming pollution, using improved technology to cut fossil fuel use without shifting the size or performance of the vehicles we drive.
• California’s landmark law to regulate greenhouse gases from cars and light trucks is a crucial start. Extending this approach to other states and the nation would be the single biggest advance Americans can take to stop global warming.

For more information visit the EPA or Environmental Defense