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

Reflection: Weeks 9-12

With only a couple of weeks left in this semester (I cant believe this) here is a recap of the last 4 weeks throughout our journey in Environmental Health.

Week 9: I completed an advocacy project identifying all of my political representatives ranging from the president, to state and local legislature, and even my hometown mayor.  We then discussed the meaning of advocacy and participated in an exercise with the whole class.  The final portion of class was devoted to developing our own personal Eco-chic lifestyle change that we will be monitoring and reporting on for the remainder for the semester and developed a SMART Goal for this change.

Week 10: This week began with an assignment identifying a particular bill that interested us and doing a bit of research of on it as part of our advocacy project.  We then watched a video titled "Unnatural Causes" and described the bill we had chosen to the class.  To round out class we discusses a what entailed a photo essay as an intro to an upcoming assignment.  Finally we had our first weekly update on our Eco-chic lifestyle change, mine being that I will eat at least 4 servings (1/2 cup) of fruits or vegetables (or a mix) every day for the next 10 weeks.

Week 11: We once again had another advocacy project due, this time we did an issue overview of our bill and how it impacts different populations and different types of people.  In class we watched a video called "Story of Stuff" and discussed our upcoming junking projects.  To round out this week we had another weekly update on our lifestyle goal due, where we once again monitored our progress of attaining our goal.

Week 12: To begin class this week we each presented our photo essays briefly to the class and discussed   our reasons for doing them, we then were introduced to Blog Hops and how they work.  We then discussed how to communicate with decision makers and the media.  Also we lead in to our letter & fact sheet assignment for our advocacy project due the following week.  To finish up this week we posted another weekly update on our lifestyle change and discussed our next class meeting at Goodwill.

With only a couple weeks left in this semester I can't believe the amount I have leaned, I can't wait to see what is to come in these next few weeks and I am looking forward to my junking project.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

Image Courtesy of Google Images

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.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Share & Voice: Venison Recipes

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Since both the Wisconsin and Minnesota gun deer hunting seasons have come to a close, I decided that it would be a good time to share a pretty neat website (Broken Arrow Ranch) I found containing a lot of ideas for healthy ways to prepare venison.  This website is not only limited to venison recipes however, it also contains numerous recipes for antelope, wild boar, and even exotic wild game.  I understand that we all may not hunt nor enjoy hunting, or even consume meat for that matter; but I am an avid outdoorsman and hunting is one of my passions so I figured I would share these interesting recipes with everyone.

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Triple Valley Farms

For my photo essay I have choose to share some photos I had taken this fall on my grandparents farm.  Since we have already discussed organic farming and the issues surrounding farming in general, I thought it would pertain to this class very well.

All of the crops on the farm are raised and harvested organically, and maintained independently by my grandfather and other family members.

The farm covers between about 400 acres, and is located just outside Pigeon Falls, Wisconsin.

The acreage on this farm does not only include crop land, it is also plus in hardwoods and provides an excellent for wildlife.

All of the crops harvested are fertilized by the cattle on the farm, these cattle are raised from birth on the farm and fed only a natural diet containing zero hormonally enhanced food.

The farm has been in the family for well over 100 years and has been the livelihood for my grandparents and their parents before them.  A majority of my childhood has been spent here as well, whether it was hunting, family gatherings, or just helping out.  The farm is without a doubt my favorite place to be, and I consider it my own little getaway.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

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.
• I once again fell short of my goal for this week, however I have not been eating unhealthy snacks I just haven’t been eating as many fruits and vegetables

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

• I have been back home since Friday and I am limited to what is here at my parent’s house and at my grandparent’s farm. Since I have been deer hunting for the past 5 days I really don’t spend much time at home and kind of disregard what I have been eating.
• I have been trying to bring fruits and vegetables with me hunting and keeping them in the car, however I have still fallen short of my goal 3 days.

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

• I really haven’t felt any different this week; other than being tired all of the time. Feeling tired isn’t a result of my diet change it is due to my sleep schedule.

4. What did you learn this week?

• I learned that this goal is still attainable, I just need to make a better attempt to eat fruits and vegetables. I feel like I have been a bit lazy over this week in trying to make this gal a reality.

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 continues to be the fact that I will be deer hunting until Sunday. Also with thanksgiving approaching fast I will have the temptations of a plethora of tasty deserts and snacks. It will be interesting to see how this next week plays out, but all in all I need to become more responsible for attaining this goal.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction

• What is the issue/problem?
• Increase use of alternative modes of transportation to reduce motor vehicle emissions and improve the Nation’s air quality (trips made by walking). 
• What current legislation has been proposed to address this? (Identify bill # and name)
• H.R.2724 National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009

Who is affected by the issue?

• Who is affected the most?
• Individuals who work in the automobile industry and the oil industry
• Who loses, and what do they lose?
• People in the automotive industry stand to lose hours at work and potentially their jobs if cars are not at as high of a demand as usual. And individuals within the oil industry stand to lose incredible amounts of money from the decline in gas consumed by Americans.
• Who gains, and what do they gain?
• People living in metropolitan areas stand to gain the most from this because the air they breathe will be cleaner as well as they will be saving money on fuel and other driving related costs.

What are the consequences of the issue?

• For the individuals mostly affected?
• The consequences of this issue would be effects to our economy by the reduction of automobiles being produced and the amount of oil being used. Also as a result we could end up with more individuals jobless and living in less fortunate conditions.
• For their families?
• People who work in the automobile industry could become jobless and their families would then suffer because they would be forced to transition into a different lifestyle.
• For society?
• Our society would be impacted by more unemployed individuals and have to find a means to provide these people with what they need.

What is the economic impact of the issue?

• What are the economic costs of the issue, and who bears these costs?
• The economic costs of providing for more unemployed individuals would be directed upon those who remain employed and pay taxes.
• What are the economic benefits of the issue, and who benefits?
• The economic benefits include, less money to be put into roads since they will be traveled less, and also by people walking we could see lower health care costs because individuals will be participating in more exercise. Also with people consuming less oil, fuel prices may decline and in turn when driving is absolutely necessary it will not be such a burden because of gas prices.

What is the social impact of the issue?

• What are the social costs of the issue, and who bears these costs?
• The social costs of this will be reflected on taxpayers because they will have to pay to support more individuals who are jobless and seeking employment.
• What are the social benefits of the issue, and who benefits?
• The benefits of this issue are that people will be interacting in more physical activity and in turn more likely to seek other forms of physical activity, resulting in group exercise increasing in popularity.

What are the barriers?

• What are the barriers to addressing this issue?
• The barriers of this are that the automobile industry will fight until its last breath I order to not loose its profit from car sales. Not only is the sales of automobiles important to the industry, it is the lively hood for many individuals.
• How can they be overcome?
• Individuals my have to resort to more manual labor jobs to maintain the size of a workforce and lesson machine use. With less automobiles being created there will be less need for individual workers within the industry.

What are the resources?

• What resources will we need to address this issue?
• Individuals who strongly support air quality and environmental health are very strong resources who will support this issue, such as the EPA.
• Where and how can they be tapped?
• Strong evidence based data will need to be provided to insure that theses resources are not just jumping into the situation blind, and they will also need a lot of support within specific communities.

What is the history of this issue?

• What is the history of the issue in the community?
• Air quality has been steadily decreasing for a number of years, and the amount to pollution linked to automobiles continues to increase rapidly.
• What past efforts were made to address it?
• The EPA has started multiple campaigns to address this issue and increase the number of individuals who resort to walking and only drive when necessary.
• What were the results?
• Results are pretty minimal, but continue to improve and progress. The busy hustle-and-bustle lifestyle we as Americans life makes it inconvenient to walk somewhere because it takes time and we feel like that is something we don’t have.

Allies & Opponents

• Who would support this issue?
• Groups and organizations that strongly support environmental health and increasing air quality.
• Who would oppose this issue?
• People who work within the automobile industry and individuals who work in the oil industry will strongly oppose this issue because it is a means of living for them and their families
• How can you involve allies and opponents in advocacy efforts? (What common ground can you share? How can you create a win-win for your allies and your opponents?)
• They can find a common ground on building a healthier, cleaner environment for us all to live in. They can also involve efforts toward supporting fuel-efficient and eco-friendly cars.

Your Recommendation

• How do you want policy-makers to vote on this proposed policy?
• I recommend that policy makers vote yes to this specific policy. Not only does it lower emissions and improve air quality, but it also increased the amount of physical activity people participate in. To me this policy has noting but an up side, it may result in the automobile industry taking a hit, but in the long run we are preserving our plant. Our generations will not be directly impacted by this change but it is about preserving our planet for generations to come.

Share & Voice: Green Uses for Vodka

Image from thedailygreen.com

I was poking around this Daily Green website to find some interesting recipes for green cleaning products and stumbled upon a heading that read "10 Weird Uses for Vodka" so I had to check it out.  I found it really interesting and useful, although very random, and it brought to my attention a few easier ways to live a greener lifestyle.

Here are the 10 Uses (in no particular order)

Treat Poison Ivy
Freshen Laundry
Shine Your Fixtures
Preserve Flowers
Repel Insects
Soothe Jellyfish Stings
Get Great Shiny Hair
Clean Away Mold
Make a Soothing Lavender Tincture
Ease a Toothache

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

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. 
• I nearly achieved my goal throughout the first week, I managed to hit a couple of snags throughout the weekend.

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

• At the beginning of the week I went grocery shopping and purchased a good amount of fresh fruits and vegetables so I would have them readily accessible throughout the week.
• I varied the different types of fruits and vegetables I ate throughout the week so I would not be overwhelmed with one thing so early on in my change.
• Challenges: This weekend I ran out of fruit and with my girlfriend being up for the weekend I never made an attempt to run and get more.  So Saturday and Sunday I fell about 2 servings short of my goal.

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

• I felt a lot better after only a few days of eating fresh fruits and vegetables.  I felt less full throughout the day, I found myself with less of an urge to snack, and I had more energy.

4. What did you learn this week?

• I learned that this goal is very attainable for myself, I just have to stick to my plan and be committed.  I cannot find myself falling outside of the pattern I have developed and by making fruits and vegetables easily available when I am at home will make this goal much more attainable.

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 will be about the same as the last.  I will be going home for Wisconsin gun hunting, so I will have fruits and vegetables easily available  at my parents house.  The one problem that I might run into is the amount of time I will be spending in the woods and short amount of time I will have for meals.  I am going to pack fruits in my vehicle and make those my first priority of a snack through the nine day deer hunting season ahead.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Share & Voice: Obey Clothing

Image from Google Images

I was looking at the tags of some clothing I purchased the other day and I came across something really neat.  I have purchased Obey Clothing for quite a while and never realized that proceeds from the clothing go directly to the Obey Awareness program.  This program supports emerging issues and all profits generated from the item sold go directly to supporting these causes.  Some of the causes supported include: Surfrider, Haiti, Adopt-a-Pet, Hope Campaign, 180 degrees South, 11th Hour, and Rock the Vote.

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

1. The area of Healthy People 2010 that I have chosen to focus on for Advocacy Project is Environmental Health

Screenshot from healthypeople.gov

8-2. Increase use of alternative modes of transportation to reduce motor vehicle emissions and improve the Nation’s air quality.
      8-2b. Trips made by walking

Screenshot from healthypeople.gov

Thus far through this sub-objective (8-2b.) is  about 59% complete, and progress is continuing to me made towards the target goal. Shown in the product quotient chart

2.

Progress:  Tracking data is available and progress has been made for alternative forms of transportation regarding walking. Also the number of trips made by walking is steadily increasing.

Disparities: No real disparities were highlighted for the transportation of the environmental aspect of Healthy People 2010.

Opportunities & Challenges:  The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has been making a continuing attempt to improve outdoor air quality.  As part of this effort they are targeting whole industries or sources of this pollution, such as power plants and motorized vehicles.  The three key air pollutants they are targeting are nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. As well as aiming to reduce smog, acid rain, fine particles, visibility impairment, and mercury deposition.

Emerging Issues:  The first major issue surrounding air measuring progress for this objective is the weather. The weather may vary quite a bit and short term statistics my not account for the weather change. The second issues is that not all counties have monitoring stations and cannot accurately account for the amount of air pollution in a specific area.

3.

Bill From: Thomas

H.R.2724
Title: National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009
Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 6/4/2009)   Cosponsors (32)
Latest Major Action: 6/5/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

Recommended Vote:
Vote 'YES' for the "National Transportation Objectives Act" to promote energy efficiency and clean outdoor air.

My Political Representative:
Ron J. Kind (D)
Eau Claire Office
131 S. Barstow St.
Suite 301
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm
(715) 831-9214
Fax: (715) 831-9272

Share & Voice: Sunchip Bags

Image courtesy of Google Images

ABC News Article
I am sure most of you have either consumed or at least seen the Eco-friendly biodegradable bags that Frito Lay designed for their product Sunchips.  Well, in recent news consumers of Sunchips are upset because the bags are too loud.  This effort to be Eco-friendly and create a bag that, even if littered, would break down over the course of a couple weeks into nothing has been shut down by our society who disliked it because it was "too loud."  If you ask me this does not seem like such an inconvenience that we need to discontinue producing a completely biodegradable product because it makes a little noise.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1: My 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.

Image Courtesy of Google Images

How is this change is Eco-Chic?

This change is Eco-Chic because it not only is beneficial for my personal health and nutrition, but it also reduces the amount of processed food and trash I create from eating packaged food items.  Also, I am going to do my best to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Why I chose this behavior?

I chose this specific behavior because I realize that I do not consume nearly enough fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.  I constantly find myself eating what ever is quick and easy, primarily during the day, in order to continue through my busy schedule.  I also realize that eating these packaged food items contributes to the negative food production that we have been covering in class as well as creating way more waste than I should be as a environmentally aware citizen.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

President:
Barrack Obama (D)
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
202-456-1111

Congress:
Senate:
Russ Feingold (D)
La Crosse Office
425 State St., Room 225
La Crosse, WI 54601-3341
(608) 782-5585
Fax (608) 782-5802
Hours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Herbert H.Kohl (D)
Eau Claire Office
402 Graham Ave., Suite 206
Eau Claire WI 54701
(715) 832-8424
Fax: (715) 832-8492

House:
Ron J. Kind (D)
Eau Claire Office
131 S. Barstow St.
Suite 301
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm
(715) 831-9214
Fax: (715) 831-9272

Governor:
Jim Doyle (D)
Madison Office
P.O. Box 7863
Madison, WI 53707
608-266-1212

State Legislator:
State Senate:
Kathleen Vinehout (D)
Madison Office
Room 104 South
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707

State Assembly:
Chris Danou (D)
Madison Office
Room 303 West
State Capitol
P.O. Box 8952
Madison, WI 53708

County Board President:
District 11 Representitive
Olin Femreite
36087 Sheila Blvd
Whitehall, WI 54773

District 12 Represtntitive
John Aasen
W15478 Aasen Ln
Whitehall, WI 54773

City Mayor:
Rod Moen (n/a)
P.O. Box 215
Whitehall, WI  54773-0215

**I provided the location of each individuals office closest to my hometown, because multiple office locations were listed

Reflection: Weeks 5-8

It is hard to believe that we are already over half way through this semester, and I can honestly say that I have learned a ton and never thought that I would be so into environmental health.

Week 5: I completed an eye opener called, Eating Green Calculator. Following the completion of the eye opener I took a deeper look at my results and realized they were based upon the consumption of purchased meat and such products. However all of the beef I consume is from my family farm and all other meat product I harvest by hunting. It was very alarming though to see what purchasing meat form the store can amount to, actually it was rather scary.

Week 6: We watched a film called “FRESH” which I found really alarming and eye opening. Also, we created a graphical header for our blog using Picnik. It was really neat to see how easy it is to create a very professional looking blog heading. Throughout this week I also completed the ‘Read n’ Seed’ for the third quarter of my book "Exposed."

Week 7: This week was almost overwhelming to me; it began by researching a cosmetic product we use on a daily basis on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Guide. This database provides a ranking from one to ten of how hazardous specific cosmetic products are, it was incredible how many items people in the class had looked up that claimed to be ‘natural’ that actually contained some very hazardous ingredients. Also, we finished up our books and it was extremely interesting to read everyone’s final take on their book.

Week 8: We watched a movie called “Tapped” which was all about the problems that bottled water have caused in the United States along with the toxicity of the plastic in the bottles themselves. We also had to do an eye opener called “Junk on the Brain” it took a look at junking, antiquing, thrift stores, flea markets, and upcycling. We were instructed to investigate the Junk Market Style website and find interesting things that other people had junked. Soon we will be completing our own junking project!

Well, that is weeks 5-8 in a nutshell, I cant wait to see what else is in store for the upcoming weeks. Also, we have been split into new blog groups and I can not wait to see what my new group members have to say!

Eye Opener: Junk on The Brain

Part I
Antiques/Antiquing: In the tradition, fashion, or style of an earlier period; old-fashioned; antiquated.
Junk/Junking: Any old or discarded material, as metal, paper, or rags.
Flea Market: a market, often outdoors, consisting of a number of individual stalls selling old or used articles, curios and antiques, cut-rate merchandise, etc.
Thrift Shop: A retail store that sells secondhand goods at reduced prices.
Upcycling: The process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.
Resale Shop: The act of selling again.

Part II

Each of the previous term have to do with the reuse of items.  They pertain primarily to the use of one person's discarded belongings, wether obtained directly or purchased, by another person as if the item is new to them.  These items completely sum up what it means to say, "One mans trash is another mans treasure." The reuse of someones belongings allows that item to be used in a new and innovative way, and helps cut down on the amount of items being sent to dump sites and the rising problem we have with trash in this country.

Local Resources:

Antiques/Antiquing
Father Time Antiques
395 S Lake Ave # 1, Duluth, MN 55802-2311
(218) 625-2379 ‎

Junk/Junking
Andy's Auto Recycling
1040 State Highway 45 Old, Carlton, MN 55718-9225
(218) 384-3930

Flea Market
Downtown Hinckley Fleamarket
100 Old Hwy 61, Hinckley, MN 55037
(320) 384-6938 ‎

Thrift Shop
Savers
1740 Mall Dr, Duluth, MN 55811-3839
(218) 722-1894 ‎

Upcycling
I could not find anything on upcycling in Duluth or the surrounding area.

Resale Shop
Plato's Closet
5115 Burning Tree Road, Duluth, Minnesota
(218) 733-9455

I have used a few of these before, I have been to savers multiple times and also shop at resale shops like T.J. Maxx.  Also, I have always brought used clothing to Goodwill and Savers since as long as I can remember.  These other types of stores and venues have really caught my attention as well, I am going to look further into these and hopefully familiarize myself with them even more.

Part III

Here is a satellite that was turned into a sun screen, I thought this was a really neat idea and it reminds me a lot of all of the old satellites I used to see in peoples yards.  It also makes me wonder what was done with all of them because I used to think they were one of he coolest things.

Here is an apron window valence, I thought this was extremely clever and a really neat way to use these old aprons that are still fully functional.  It also reminds me of something that my grandmother would have at her house!

This one is very simple, however I loved it and it reminds me a lot of my childhood.  My mom has used a lot of "Farm Junk" for yard decorations around our house, plus I love the Scarecrow.

Share & Voice: Wellness Walk

This past summer I was given the opportunity to complete a portion of my internship at the YMCA in Eau Claire, WI.  Through this opportunity I developed their employee wellness program and worked along side the Health & Wellness Director at the YMCA along with may other individuals from community organizations.

This flyer, sent to all area businesses, advertises a campaign that our staff at the YMCA along with the Public Affairs Director for to Eau Clair Area Chamber of Commerce to promote walking during lunch break for employees along the route.  This event was staged as a promotion to kick off a total program that the chamber is going to implement starting late next spring.

Read 'n' Seed 5: Fourth Quarter and Final Review of "Exposed"

 

Image compliments of flavorpill.com

After completing the final three chapters of Exposed, I have once a gain been opened up to another realm suspicious events occurring within out own government. The final three chapters titled: Chemical Revolution, Transpacific Drift, and The New Diplomats; really summed up the purpose of this book and continued to reiterate the message that the author has been portraying.

Ch 7: Chemical Revolution

This chapter is broken into five categories, Human Test Dummies, Fall & Rise of the Environmental Mohicans, Chemical Reaction, Making of a Transatlantic Lobby, and American Missionary in Brussels. This first looks at the amount of toxic chemicals found in grandmothers and grand daughters and looks at the amount to toxic chemicals we as citizens are exposed do. The next section discusses REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals) and the Europeans effort to make this common practice. Making of a Transatlantic Lobby discusses the fact that the European Union’s biggest opposition is the United States and their huge contingent of lobbyist that represent major chemical companies and seem to always be standing in the way of what the EU is attempting to complete

Ch 8: Transpacific Drift

Through this chapter the main theme was ‘China and the Next Big Thing’ and how if the European Union is to make REACH work, the manufacturing powerhouses throughout the globe would have to be on board. The chapter discusses how China’s vast economic and ecological footprint are not only reshaping the global economy but also reshaping global climate. Since China is second only to the United States in Greenhouse Gas emotions, and the EU has pretty much given up on the U.S., the primary focus of environmental health throughout the world has now been shifted to china. The chapter concludes by stating how China was faced with the decision to go one way or the other with its environmental process and they chose to follow the path of Europe, once again leaving the U.S. with a lot of catching up to do

Ch 9: The New Diplomats

The final chapter of this book looks at how the United States used to play a groundbreaking role in the conservation of our environment. A professor at Brown University who was interviewed for the book states, “my students have no memory of U.S. environmental leadership. When I talk about how the United States was a pioneer of global environment standards, they look stunned, like I’m some kind of crazy Apologist for the U.S. government.” The remainder of this chapter continues to discuss how the U.S. used play a significant role in the preservation of the environment throughout our world, but some where along the line morals and value were traded for money and greed.

Overview:

After reading this book I was truly amazed at the amount of information I gathered. I assumed that it would be a lot more vanilla than it really was and the fact that it went hand-in-hand for some of the course work we have been doing helped out greatly. The three most significant things I learned would have to be the impact that the European Union has had on the safety of the entire world, the openness that every other country except for the United States has had to following the research and ideas of the EU, and finally the absolute blind-eye that the U.S. turns to certain issues, especially those that effect its citizens in severely hazardous ways. This book opened my eyes to see what truly is going on in ‘Corporate America’ and educated me to become more informed about the things I am not only putting into and on my body, but to all of the products that I encounter on a daily basis and what goes in to creating them.

As a whole I would recommend this book to others because of its educational purpose, but also because it cultures you to realize that other countries do truly care about their citizens and the appropriate measures are being taken to protect people in this world.

I found this review on Amazon.com, and I think it reflects my feelings on this book in almost an identical way:

I had not realized till I read this book that Europe seems more interested in health than corporate profits, as evidenced by how closely they watch modern products. The US used to be a leader in this regard, but now govt agencies are tools of big business. It's sad, but the hope is that the standards that the Europeans set (and by osmosis, Japan and China) will gradually improve the safety of products in the US. No company likes having two versions of a product.

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

The product that I looked up on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Guide was Old Spice Hair & Body Wash.  The products on this website are rated on a scale from 1-10 (10 being the most hazardous) the scale represented 0-2 as low hazard items, 3-6 as moderate items, and 7-10 as high hazard items; here is what I gathered from my results:

My product was ranked a 5/10 and said to have a moderate hazard, with the ingredients being primarily linked to allergies/immunotoxicity.  The site stated that 60% of body wash/cleansers have lower concerns, along with 43% of shampoos having lower concerns as well.  The primary ingredient that had the highest hazard score was FRAGRANCE and it scored an 8/10 and was a high hazard. Nearly all of the hazardous ingredients in my product were linked to allergies and skin irritation and were in the low hazard to moderate hazard range.

As for my feelings on these findings, I have somewhat of mixed emotions.  I have been using this product for quite a while and never suffered any side effects from it, which is saying alot for a person who has allergy problems and has had issues with very dry skin.  However, it is making me reconsider alot of products I use on a daily basis and after researching one of them I can see myself looking them all up

Read 'n' Seed 4: Third Quarter of "Exposed"

Through this section of “Exposed” I am now 105 pages into the book and have completed two more chapters; Chapter Five “Genetic Boomerang” and Chapter Six “Rise and Fall of the Machine.”
Once again this book seems to hold strong to the same trends that it has in the previous four chapters. That being the United States’ lack of recognition for that other countries (namely Europe) have done to take action in protecting their citizens. Chapter Five primarily discusses Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and the ways it has significantly impacted not only farmers through the U.S., but also our countries environment as a whole. I find it very interesting how this book seems to be lagging by about one chapter from what we have been discussing in class; it helps me truly understand these issues. This chapter continued to discuss further the effects of GMO’s , such as the economical impact it has for our country as well as the dangers. As we learned in class when we reduce a specific product to just one or two simple strains in order to become resistant to certain hazards (pests, insects, disease), the product becomes resistant to some and more dangerous risks begin to evolve. Once again much of the world as began to follow the European Union’s lead and implemented regulations on this type of chemical alteration. Over thirty countries have imposed high restrictions on these GMO crops and even refuse to accept donated crops from the United States, including the African Union who used to receive donations through an aid program.

Chapter Six brings to life the reality of what we as U.S. citizens deal with regarding electronic devices. It takes a look at how convenient our devices are and how they have become essential for us in our everyday lives, but then breaks down the reality that things break and quit working and then what do you do with them? This chapter breaks down the importance of properly disposing of our electronic devices and no just sending them off to some land fill or local dump, where the chemicals inside further release and impact our environment. It surprised me that even Europe, who is supposed to be our cornerstone for this whole environmental health topic, had considerable trouble dealing with their electronic waste issue as well. However unlike the United States, they are taking a very proactive approach to this issue and trying to stop even bigger problems before they start. Further through the reading of this chapter It also provided an informative way to recycle certain household items such as electronic devices, this surprisingly went along with a field trip I had just taken for Community Health to Western Lake Superior Sanitation District (WLSSD). Towards the end of the chapter the author also looked briefly into the manufacturing of cars, mainly the production of more efficient automobiles and how it has impacted some of the major companies throughout the U.S. It provides insight from both spectrums on how cars are being developed, and the guidelines that are to be followed in their production. One thing that stood out to me was the Global Automotive Declarable Substance List (GADSL), this list was created by the Auto Industry Action Group. The GADSL is a list that provides a glimpse into the chemical insides of an automobile, and a sense of how absent the U.S. has been in regulating them.

Once again this book never ceases to surprise me on how slow the United States is to react to these extremely important and dangerous issues. It seems a bit pathetic to me that other countries can kick back and know they are protecting their citizens, while the United States (who is supposed to be the most powerful of all) does nothing to protect their people, but rather continues to chase the almighty dollar.

Share & Voice: Duluth Community Garden

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Today in class we briefly discussed community gardens, in regards to the movie Fresh we watched in class.  Community gardens are developed to promote healthy communities and provide food security for many low income persons. as well as strengthen community bonds, provide food, and create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for a community. In addition, they can also promote environmental awareness and provide community education. 

LOCATIONS OF DULUTH COMMUNITY GARDENS

Apple Tree Circle
Bertha's
Chester Creek
Cook Home
Emerson
Hannah House
Hillside
Liliput
Riverside
Rooftop
Sixth Street
St. Scholastica
Stony Ground
Strawberry Hill

New Blog Header

Here is the new blog header I have created using Picnik, and a sample photo that was already on my computer.  It is extremly fast and easy to use, I hope you all enjoy!

Read 'n' Seed 3: Second Quarter of "Exposed"

As I have continued my reading of "Exposed" I am now 83 pages into the book and have completed two additional chapters, chapter 3 "Sex & Plastic" and chapter 4 "Two Houses of Risk."

For this portion of my reading the same trends appear to remain pretty constant, that being the U.S. always being the last to act and the first to question these policies that seem to be common sense to the outside eye. Chapter 3 discusses a chemical in plastics called phthalates. This is not an essential part of the chemical structure of plastic, but instead is an additive used to make hard plastics soft. Throughout an average home these phthalates are all over, including shower curtains, shampoo bottles, and raincoats. However it makes its greatest impact in those items used by children, such as chew toys and other items used by infants. The most widely used phthalates is called dis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP. This phthalate has been discovered to lead “feminism” in boys due to the way it lowers the levels of testosterone produced by infant boys. Once again the EU has banned this chemical and has done so based on the research completed primarily by scientists in the United States. Yet the U.S. has refused to pass this ban and remains one of the only countries to do so, although the research and promotion of this ban originated in our country. The major toy companies lobbied against the ban and argued the findings by the researchers that they themselves had haired. There are certain companies that are stationed in both the U.S. and Europe that make the same exact toys but with different ingredients in order to abide by these specific standards.

Chapter 4 went almost hand in hand with the “Future of Food” video we watched in class on Monday, only with different chemical additives. These chemicals are included on the POPS (Persistent Organic Pollutants) list and once again remain banned from certain countries throughout the world. Many conference and international negotiations have taken place regarding this POPS list as well, and once again the United States is last to act and last to become involved. A majority of this chapter coincides with the video we viewed so we all understand the scandalous nature that our government goes about dealing with issues of this matter.

These issues significantly impact us as citizens of this country because the facts and research are there, and they all suggest that these chemicals negatively impact humans. The thing that irritates me personally the most about all of this is that there are safe alternatives to all of these chemicals and even if they may not impact us significantly in the long run, why take the chance!!