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.