:: Reflections : Weeks 8-14 ::

We attend so many classes and most of the time, I don't feel as if I leave the class more knowledgeable than when the semester began. That is not the case with this class. I have learned so many things from this class. Not only about our environment, but I also learned more about myself and my impact on the world we live in. 

:: Are You a Good Advocate?  ::

During the last seven weeks, we again covered a variety of topics. Being an advocate for change was one of the biggest topics we worked on. While this was not my favorite (as is evident by my lack of post for the advocacy project), it was insightful to learn what goes into advocating for change. The bill I found to support using THOMAS fit with my Eco-Chic Lifestyle change from the first half of the semester. The bill, H.R. 1628 : Trash Reduction Act of 2011, puts a surcharge on plastic bags and starts a fund for businesses that start a plastic bag recycling program. As I dug deeper into the issue of plastic bag usage to create my fact sheet, I wasn't completely convinced that this was as great a bill as I first thought.

Truthfully, putting a tax on plastic bags puts a higher burden on those who are already strapped for cash. To some people, $0.05 per bag could make the difference when purchasing a necessary grocery item. Some people, who just go through life on auto-pilot, don't seem to care what happens to that plastic bag after they hurried get home to put the groceries (or other stuff) away. Plastic bags are simply a matter of convenience.

One of my biggest struggles is the fact that I can see so many sides to each issue. I can fight for either side on this issue. However, my heart feels that the one solution to the plastic bag issue is to completely stop producing them. As long as plastic bags are available to us, people will continue to use them. Even as we educate consumers as to why they are such a hazard, it won't be enough to stop people from using them.

My method of advocacy is changing a bit. I've discovered that i have a bigger challenge in my own household. I've been telling my children about how we can make a difference in our environment and the changes we need to make as a family…and have met with some resistance (twice this week my oldest has come home with a fist full of plastic bags). She fights with me that a reusable bag costs her precious dollars. I counter with how that plastic bag she HAS to use, because she's too cheap to purchase a reusable one, is costing her much more. I've informed her that plastic bags are made out of non-renewable resources, that they are not bio-degradable, and that when they do break down, they spread toxins into our soils. I guess my advocacy needs to start in my own house. I will continue to talk about the benefits of using reusable bags until my kids finally understand my view. From there, I can hope that my children will be role models to their friends and encourage their friends to do the same.

I realize that many of the things we did in this class were individual projects. I would have loved to take our advocacy project to a different level. Perhaps as a class, we could have picked one or two topics we all agreed on and made a difference as a collective whole.

:: Goodwill Industries ::
Learning about Goodwill Industries was an eye opening experience. To tour their facility was amazing. I didn't truly comprehend the amount of items they recycle until our tour. I'm so glad there are companies out there that are so concerned about our environment. Just thinking of the number of mattresses that are laying in land fills around the world is scary. It was astounding to see how an items so large can be recycled so many different ways (those little bales of springs were amazing). It was also great to hear that some of the items that don't have a home here in the states are sold to other countries. I can only hope that when those items have exceeded their usefulness in their new "home," that there are resources for recycling.

:: Water Rights ::
As the years proceed, I'll be keeping an eye on the water debate and who owns the water. The videos we watched (not just Tapped and Thirst, but all the videos we watched over the course of the semester), have certainly changed my opinion of certain companies and our governmental leaders. Water is a precious commodity that we ALL must have to survive. Water belongs to all of us. Companies should not come in and take ownership of that resource and expect people to pay more for the privilege of using it. I'm thankful at the moment that I have a well and am not dependent on a municipality for my water. If the issue of privatizing water comes to our area, you can bet I will be supporting the rights we all have to free water.
 
My view of the water debate goes beyond the water as well. The making of the plastic bottles really has me rethinking my shopping habits when I go into a store. Lately, whenever I go into the gas station to get something to drink, I look at all those coolers of bottles and think about the number of lives that have been lost because of the production of that bottle. In the end, I end up walking out of the store without anything to drink. I cannot support needless deaths for the production of a bottle or plastic container. I realize that I will not be perfect in not purchasing items in plastic bottles or containers, but I'm working hard at watching what  I do purchase. Seeing how people live in cancer alleys, that are located near petroleum factories, was heartbreaking. I will always have thoughts of how plastics affect more than just our environment. They effect our animals, our citizens, our air and our planet. 

:: Junking Project :: 
I had a blast with my junking project. I'm certainly glad that my dad saved a bunch of what I would have considered "crap" before this class. Who would have thought with a little imagination, some old deck wood and a tractor seat, you could have a chair to sit on around the camp fire. I'm lucky to know people who are handy when it comes to woodworking, as i would have cut my fingers off. LOL! I have five more seats and I think I will ask my handy woodworker to create a bench that I can put two or more seats on. I may change up the colors as I'm not sure I'm quite a fan of the John Deere colors…some would say they are Packer colors too. =) The junking project certainly makes a person stretch their imagination and see beyond the original use of the item into what it could be. Above you can see two pictures of my stool. Now….would summer come back so I can sit around the camp fire and roast marshmellows. YUMMY!!!

:: Conclusions ::  
The lessons from this class will stay with me for the rest of my life. I hope that I can set a positive example to others with my newly found environmental friendly habits (using reusable bags, purchasing all natural or organic, recycling more items, not purchasing plastic bottles). If I can talk the talk and walk the walk, then others will hear why these things are important to not just me…but our planet. We're in this together. Our planet needs us to make health choices for it.

We all need to do our part; we need to do our best for our world. I'm learning to truly appreciate the things I do have. I hope you have learned to appreciate your things too. Now let's go out and make a difference in the world. Even the littlest of change can make a huge impact.

:: Share N Voice :: Wrapping Dilemma ::

Merry Christmas!

How are you wrapping presents this year?

Presents

As this is our last Share-N-Voice posting of the semester, I'd like to start by wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. With Christmas being just a week away, I've still got shopping to finish and wrapping to do; groceries to purchase and food to prepare; a house to clean and miles to travel. 

The wrapping of presents is a daunting task for me. First off, I am always particular about the type of wrapping paper I purchase. Normally, I pick several different patterns, but they all have similar colors (except for Santa paper...Santa wraps in a totally different style/color paper in our house). I like to have a variety under my tree. One color is rather boring in my opinion. Secondly, I tend to go over-board purchasing presents for Christmas, which makes wrapping sessions tremendously long. I need oodles of wrapping paper, tape, boxes, tissue paper, time, patience, Christmas tunes and something hot to drink while spending hours upon hours wrapping all the presents.

Here's the bummer part.....I spend hours wrapping everything and in just a few short seconds, the wrapping paper has been ripped off and is laying all over the floor. While it is fun to watch the little kids that celebrate with us rip into their presents, it's a total waste of paper. We pick all the crumpled and shredded pieces of wrapping paper up and throw it in the garbage. It isn't something that is readily recyclable. Sure paper decomposes, but what effects do the decorative dyes have on the environment?

SOOOOOOOOOOO....this is where I need your help!!! I would really love if you could suggest some wrapping suggestions that don't require wrapping paper, tissue paper, tape, boxes, etc. I think I would not only save a small fortune from not purchasing wrapping paper, but I would also be helping the environment. I'd really like to keep this as minimalist and environmental friendly as possible, yet fun not only for me, but also for the one who is receiving the present at the same time.

Please post ideas and photos in the comment area below.  

:: Share 'N' Voice :: The Miniature Earth ::

Miniature Earth Project

For this week's Share 'N' Voice, I am going to share a video that I watched last year during my Human Diversity class with Chang'aa Mweti. The title of this youtube video is the Miniature Earth. It takes the demographics of our current population world-wide and puts it  into a community of just 100 people. This video was eye opening on many levels for me.

According to the US Census Bureau's World population clock, there are approximately 6,974,924,065 people living on this planet we call home. For me, this is a number that is truly hard to put into perspective.  Our planet is filled with such rich diversity; nationalities, religious beliefs, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, living conditions, etc. A Miniature Earth puts many of these things into a perspective I can comprehend. 

It deeply saddens me that within this community of 100, forty-three people live without basic sanitation and 18 live without an improved water source. I don't know about you...but these are two things I've always had the luxury of enjoying. It is hard to fathom not having those two items. I want to find a way to alleviate these problems. 

I am truly appreciative of the things I am fortunate to have. Now the goal is to do the best for the rest of the world. Will you join me in making our world a better place for all???? Little changes can make a big difference.

:: Advocacy Project : Fact Sheet ::

Battling the Love Affair of Plastic Bags 

ReuseIt

 A plastic bag may be convenient for a minute or two when there is a need to carry something  out of the store, but for the rest of the life of the bag (which is a long time) it is not just inconvenient, it is ugly, toxic and life-threatening.

Did You Know?

• Single-use plastic bags use up natural resources and energy. Plastic bags are made from polyethylene, which comes from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. During manufacturing, both paper and plastic bags emit global warming gases, create water pollution and use raw materials and energy.
  
• Plastic bags are indestructible. Plastic bags take between 20 and 1,000 years to break down in the environment. Even when they do break down, they are not really gone. Plastic bags do not biodegrade. They break apart into even smaller pieces, eventually forming "plastic dust." No matter their size, plastic bits are not digestible by any creature on land, in the air or in the sea. We are literally choking the planet with products, which cannot re-enter the life cycle.
  
• Plastic bags and packaging kill marine life. Plastic bags (which can resemble jellyfish or sponges) are mistaken for food or prey by seabirds, marine mammals, fish and sea turtles. More than one million birds, more than 100,000 whales, seals and turtles, and countless fish worldwide are killed by plastic rubbish every year. These deaths occur through entanglement, suffocation, and starvation by ingestion of plastics in our waterways.
  
• Plastic is getting into the food chain. Even the finest particles of plastic represent a threat to creatures at the lowest level of the food chain in the marine environment, the filter-feeders. Then, toxins in filter-feeders are passed up the food chain to fish and other marine animals, which humans then consume. 
  
• Plastic could over-run our planet if we don't stop. Estimates run as high as one million pieces of plastic per square kilometer floating in areas of the Pacific Ocean. 
  

Facts

• A million plastic bags are used every minute worldwide and the number is rising.
  
• The average family accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store.
  
• Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year.
  
• Only 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide.
  
• Phthalates are chemicals used in many plastics to make them soft or flexible, such as plastic bags. They have been banned in many European countries and Canada and will be banned in the U.S in many children's products by 2014 because of the potential health risks.
  
  

Successful Initiatives

• Ireland - In 2001, Ireland implemented a plastic tax, the first of its kind. This route acknowledges that people will still occasionally use plastic bags. Since 2002, plastic bag consumption has decreased by an estimated 90 percent.
  
• Washington D.C. - A five-cent levy on plastic bags back in January 2010, resulted in a decrease in plastic bag consumption from 22.5 million to 3 million bags in the first month alone.
  
• China - The "ban on free plastic bags," which was introduced in 2008 resulted in a reduction by two thirds.
  
• Wales - Since October 1, 2011, a 5-pence charge has been enforced on all plastic shopping bags.

References

Reuse It. (2011). Facts about the Plastic Bag Pandemic.
Environmentalism. (2007). Say no to plastic bags. The shocking facts about polyethylene bags.
Zero Waste San Diego. (2011). Plastic bag reduction strategies.

:: Eye Opener : Photo Essay ::

As I've read through other blogs, I realize that I was not the only one searching for the perfect subject matter. I happened to like the idea that Ruthanne had about looking around her parent's home in Wisconsin. When I started really looking, I was reminded of how talented my father, who has been deceased for 16 years, was at carpentry. He built many items out of wood that he found at auctions or cut down from our wooded 25 acres of land. Below you will find a sampling of his handy work and some of my step-mom's.

Many years ago, this garage had the usual purpose of housing vehicles. It isn't in the best shape.I'm sure my dad worried that sooner or later it may fall in and crush the car that was parked in it. He had it moved to a different part of the property and re-purposed it to be his wood working storeroom. As you can see in the two outer picturees, this garage is filled with planks of wood (with some extra stuff laying around). Much of the wood that you can see came from the deck that was on my house.

I look at this table each and every day and never thought of it as a re-purposed item until doing this assignment. The base of this table was a part of an old sewing machine. I couldn't tell you how old it is. My dad re-purposed it to be a table that my step-mom covers with flower pots every summer.

My dad liked a challenge. He never wanted to build just a plain building. He loved odd shapes. Growing up, we had a small hobby farm on our property. We had chickens, ducks, and geese. We ate the eggs that the chickens produced. I'm sure someone ate the chickens, ducks and geese...but it wasn't us. The building in these photos was the chicken coup. In the second photo, you can see the small door that the chickens used. Much like the garage, this building was moved to a different location on our property. It purpose now is a storage building. My step-mom stores many of her cermanic molds in this building. It is located right next to her studio "apartment."

At some point (much before my time), they built an addition onto the house. My room in the basement and the living room upstairs were the results of that addition. The photo on the left is the narrow hole in the former exterior wall that leads into my room. This "doorway" is much to small for a conventional door. My dad, knowing that I would want some privacy, built this door out of wood that was in the wood shop. It even has a really old door knob. The closet that is in my room is also made out of this wood.

The photo on the left is one of the many "buckets" my Dad made. As I said, he liked a challenge. He would spend many hours perfecting the art of making round things. The photo on the left is the original cabinets that were in my house. This one now resides in my step-mom's studio apartment.

I keep talking about my step-mom's studio apartment. The picture on the left is her home. My dad originally built this place (which is located 20 feet from my house) as a ceramic studio. For many years, my step-mom taught ceramic classes in the basement of our house. She quit teaching while she helped to raise me, but my Dad thought she needed to pick the hobby back up again after I moved out. When my Dad built it, it was a one-room "classroom" filled with with several tables, shelves and kilns. Ten years ago, when the big house next door became too much for her, we turned her little ceramic studio into a studio apartment for her instead of putting her in a senior housing unit. It works out great to be right next door to her. She watches us...we keep an eye on her. I'm thankful she is right next door. The pictures blow show how we changed this one room building into a livable space with a large bedroom and a large kitchen. She has everything she needs in this little space.

Obviously, my step-mom stopped teaching ceramic classes after we completed her studio makeover. She moved on to another hobby. She bought herself a fancy sewing machine and starting making tote bags. This is a sample of two of her tote bags. These two are made out of a pair of my jeans and a pair of my daughter's jeans. These are two of her favorites as she has decorated them up with all the pins as well.

Okay, I've been saving my FAVORITE re-purposing project for the very last on this page. My best friend's husband, Nate and my youngest daughter have been building a "cabin in the woods" for the past year. They have not purchased any materials for this fancy place. They have used wood from the wood shed, as we as from projects where others were getting rid of wood. They obtained window screens from a friend that was replacing his windows and are using those to vent the top of the cabin and to allow light in. They still have a ways to go on the "cabin in the woods," but I'm proud of them for reusing so many materials to build it. As you can see, they still have a roof to put up. Hopefully they finish this project next summer.

:: Share 'N' Voice :: America Recycles Day ::

Originally, I wanted to share a cool YouTube video with everyone this week (it will appear another week), but events in my Facebook feed on Tuesday made me change my mind. I now want to share a website with you. This past Tuesday, the 15th of November, was actually an important day (for me it was important in two ways...it was also my daughter's 13th birthday). On Tuesday, communities across the country celebrated America Recycles Day.

America Recycles Day, an initiative that has been around since 1997, is a day that is dedicated to encouraging people to recycle more at home, at work and on the go. It is the only nationally recognized day that is dedicated to the promotion of recycling. The national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful leads the celebration year after year. They provide resources and support to the activities of over 1,500 grassroots event organizers across the country. Keep America Beautiful (KAB) has a long history of forming public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving the environment that we all live in. Established in 1953, KAB is the largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. DID YOU READ THAT.....VOLUNTEER-BASED COMMUNITY ACTION!!!!! WOW!!!!! This work is carried out by a national network of over 1,000 affiliates and participating organizations, which address challenges such as litter prevention, recycling and waste reduction and beautification and community greening.

Keep America Beautiful

The sponsors and partners for America Recycles Day is impressive. Companies like Waste Management, Pepsico, Disney Friends for Change, LG, Nestle Waters, Glad, Johnson & Johnson and the EPA are just a sampling of the different companies. I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to see Nestle Waters and Pepsico included.  This stems from watching "Tapped" and thinking that these companies don't particular care about the overall cost of their 'bottles'. The recycling efforts of both of these companies (and others) is covered on the Sponsors and Partners page of the website.

Nearly sixty-five hundred people signed the pledge on the America Recycles Day webpage. The site asked people to take a pledge to learn about the recycling option in their communities, reduce their personal waste through recycling and to start recycling one new type of material in the next month. I took this pledge...I think you should too. =) I would like to find places where I can safely dispose of electronics, batteries and fluorescent light bulbs. I discovered in a cleaning spree the other day that I have a ton of fluorescent bulbs that need to be disposed of. I am attempting to eliminate them from my house. They provide the most light in my basement, but I realize how bad they are to my electric bill and the environment. Batteries are so easy to just throw in the garbage, but do we really realize the impact of that action? So instead they sit around collecting dust and taking up space in my house. Who will take these? Do you know????

Maybe someone reading this blog (like next year's ESG Leadership Team) will take the initiative to not only read more about the America Recycles Day, but will also start planning to host an America Recycles Day event here on campus (I would...but graduation will come first for me). The website provides helpful tips for celebrating recycling on campus. These tips provide not only ways to increase the visibility of the recycling program here on campus, but could also heighten waste reduction awareness and increase recycling participation among students, alumni and faculty. Above all an even on campus could increase the amount of materials recycled.

Even though America Recycles Day has passed, it is never too late to take the pledge to make our world a better place for ourselves and our future generations.

:: Advocacy Project : Healthy People/THOMAS ::

GoGreen50

After reviewing the six environmental health themes on the HealthyPeople website, I have decided that I would like to focus on toxic substances and hazardous wastes. The objective that I have chosen is EH-12 : Increase recycling of municipal solid waste. The current baseline is 33.2 percent of municipal solid wast was recycled in 2008. The target for this objective is 36.5 percent, which is a ten percent improvement. According to a fact sheet by the EPA, "municipal solid waste (MSW)  includes those materials that historically have been handled in the municipal solid waste stream–those materials from municipal sources, sent to municipal landfills. MSW includes wastes such as product packaging, newspapers, office and classroom papers, bottles and cans, boxes, wood pallets, food scraps, grass clippings, clothing, furniture, appliances, automobile tires, consumer electronics, and batteries." I don't think we completely realize what is considered to be waste. We carelessly throw everything away without giving a second thought to how that particular item may affect our environment. 

The bill that I found using THOMAS is:

H.R.1628

Trash Reduction Act of 2011 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require retailers to pay a $0.05 excise tax on each disposable carryout bag provided to a consumer. Defines "disposable carryout bag" to mean a bag of any material, commonly plastic or kraft paper, which is provided to a consumer at the point of sale to carry or cover purchases, merchandise, or items. Exempts reusable bags and certain other bags used for specified purposes from such tax. Allows a refund of such tax for retailers who establish a disposable carryout bag recycling program.

This bill also establishes in the Treasury the Disposable carryout bag Trust Fund to hold tax revenues generated by this Act. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make payments from such Trust Fund for the disposable carryout bag recycling program and for the land and water conservation fund established by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965.

Sponsor: Representative James P. Moran [VA-8] (introduced 4/15/2011)

Co-sponsor: Representative Eleanor Norton 

Latest Major Action: 4/22/2011 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

Recommendation: Vote Yes for H.R. 1628 :: Trash Reduction Act of 2011 (I feel that the only way people will stop using plastic bags to haul their groceries and other supplies home from the stores is by making them pay a fee. This fee is so nominal when you think of how much it really affects our environment.

My Political Representative(s): Chip Cravaack

I must admit to being slightly peeved that this bill has been sitting out there for since April and LITTLE has been done with it. This is how slow our government works???????

:: Share 'N' Voice :: Beyond the Viewfinder

This flower was found in Campo de Fiori in Rome, Italy

From the magnificent sights to the aroma of the flowers and fallen leaves, from the harmonies that sound from high on the trees to the caress of the waves upon the shores, nature is awe-inspiring! It's beauty never ceases to amaze me.

In our hurried lives, we sometimes fail to look at the beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis.  It is there for all of us to witness, we just need to take the time to see nature's small miracles. I love going on "camera adventures" and seeing how many ways nature presents itself to me. Sometimes I capture something I feel is amazing. Yet, there are times when what I see in the viewfinder is beyond words and the picture cannot clearly express the true beauty that was seen. When I find something I want to take a photo of, I do not really care what I need to do to capture that perfect image. I'm the type of person who will lay on the ground, climb out on a small cliff, or any other awkward position to capture the perfect image. 

A little bug taking time to check out these beautiful flowers.

I had the opportunity to go to Italy last May. Talk about a camera adventure. I was often the one running to catch up with our group because I was taking photos of everything that inspired me. The whole trip put me on sensory overload, but Italy's beauty is nearly indescribable. While traveling across Italy, I wrote a blog post that talked about the beauty that could be seen outside our bus windows. "Who knew there were so many shades of green. The trees and shrubs that cover these hillsides are such a dark green,  dotted with the occasional shade of yellowish-green. The horizon is filled with one tree covered mountain after another.  Workers can be seen working in the fields, be it planting or making hay." No camera could capture that view well enough. It truly was a moment where you had to be there to witness the beauty.

It saddens me to think of these beautiful views are so easily affected by our actions against the environment.  People throw their cigarette butts everywhere. We don't recycle nearly enough and those items not only fill our landfills, but also litter our daily environment. Our marine life is dealing with oil spills, polluted water, a diminishing water supply, exotic species that are destroying our fish, and many more issues. Our waterways are also being polluted by the farmers who over irrigate their fields where they used fertilizers and pesticides. If we don't start making some serious changes we will not be able to enjoy these magnificent sights.

The two flowers pictures that are in this post were taken in Italy, as were the following five photos. Picture locations include the Forum, Villa Borghese, Banfi Winery, along the Tiber River and finally the fire hydrant picture was taken in Venice. If you look carefully, on the sidewalk next to the hydrant is a nasty cigarette butt. Those things pollute our landscapes. The other photos were taken in the Grand Marias area. I love to not only walk along the shore, but also get lost in the woods where you never know what you'll find.

Please enjoy the beauty that I found in my viewfinder. 

:: Advocacy Project :: My Political Representatives ::

For our first advocacy project, we have been asked to identify the following individuals :: the President, our congresspeople, the governor of our state, and the state legislators who represent my district. Below I will be providing their names, addresses, political affiliation and a link to their website. 

Representative Murphy

Representative Mary Murphy (DFL)
I'm going to start off with my favorite state legislator. Mary Murphy is the DFL House Representative for District 06B. Not only is Representative Murphy a friend to all, but I am fortunate enough to call her one of my personal friends. I have sat in Mary's office many times during annual trips to the State Capital for Firefighter Day at the Capital. She is one of the most sincere state representatives I know. She truly cares for her constituents and listens to their views. She is willing to dig to the bottom of an issue to find a solution, even if it means compromising. She is currently serving her 18th term in office.

343 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
651.296.2676 or 800.890.5428

Email :: Website
 

Senator Bakk

Senator Thomas M. Bakk (DFL)
Whereas I adore Representative Murphy, I am not a fan of Senator Bakk. Never once in my visits on Firefighter Day at the Capital did he deem it important to meet with us, the fire service leaders of the 06 District. He always gives off the impression that he is above his constituents and doesn't have the time to listen to their concerns. He was first elected to the Senate in 2002. Prior to serving in the Senate, he served as the House Representative for the 6A District  Currently, Senator Bakk serves as the Minority Leader, as well as serves on Rules and Administration and Taxes Committees. 

147 State Office Building

100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

  St. Paul, MN 55155

651.296.8881

Email :: Website

Governor Dayton

Governor Mark Dayton (DFL)
Governor Mark Dayton is the state's 40th governor He took his oath of office on January 3, 2011. He has served Minnesotans for the past 34 years in varying capacities. Governor Dayton has been the Commissioner of the Minnesota Departments of Economic Development and of Energy and Economic Development, the Minnesota State Auditor, and has also served as a U.S Senator. He has worked throughout our state to help businesses locate or expand and create jobs, to improve local government services, to better fund our public schools, to support our servicemen and women, to help Minnesotans get the health care they need and deserve.

130 State Capitol

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd

St. Paul,  MN  55155

651.201.3400

Blog :: Email :: Website

Congressman Cravaack

Congressman Chip Cravaack (R)
Congressman Cravaack represents the 8th District here in Minnesota. He was elected to office in January of 2011. Congressman Cravaack currently sits on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Homeland Security Committee and the Science, Technology and Space Committee.

DC Office: 508 Cannon HOB :: Washington, DC 20515

202.225.6211

Duluth Office : Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building and United States Courthouse
515 West First Street - Room 235 :: Duluth, MN 55802
218.740.7803

Email :: Website

Senator Klobuhar

Senator Amy Klobuhar (DFL)
The first elected female senator from Minnesota, Senator Klobuhar took office in 2006. She replaced then Senator Dayton, who opted to not seek re-election. According to her website, Senator Klobuhar took the lead to pass the most significant consumer product safety legislation in a generation, keeping foreign toxic products off our shores and out of our stores, and helped push through a new law to protect children from unsafe swimming pools. She also authored a bipartisan law to establish national health standards for formaldehyde in composite wood products, protecting public health and ensuring an even playing field between domestic wood products and foreign imports. She serves on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Judiciary Committee, and the Joint Economic Committee. One of the issues that Senator Klobuhar focuses on is homegrown energy, environment and natural resources.  She has a list of her priorities when it comes to this issue listed on her webpage.I feel she has some great priorities when it comes to our environmental health. Check it out.

DC Office: 302 Hart Senate Office Building :: Washington, DC 20510
202.224.3244

Northeast Minnesota Office: Olcott Plaza, Room 105 - 820 9th Street North - Virginia, MN 55792

218.741.9690

Email :: Website

Senator Franken

Senator Al Franken (DFL)
Once a comedian on Saturday Night Live, Senator Franken assumed office in July of 2009 after a debated election battle with former Senator Norm Coleman.  He currently serves on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Indian Affairs Committee, and Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  Senator Franken's ideas on energy and environmental issues is not as extensive as Senator Klobuhar's, but he does focus on creating policies to help Minnesota's production of wind power, biomass and biofuels. 

DC Office: 309 Hart Senate Office Building :: Washington, DC 20510

202.224-5641

Duluth Office: 515 W 1st St - Suite 104 :: Duluth, MN 55802

218.722.2390

Email :: Website

President Barack Obama (Democrat)

President Obama was elected in November of 2008. He was sworn in on January 20, 2009. He is the 44th President of the United States and is also the first African-American President. Our President is working to build the foundation for a clean energy economy, tackling climate change and is interested in finding a solid way to protect our environment. Check out his views on these issues here.

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Comments: 202.456.1111
Switchboard: 202.456.1414

Blog :: Email :: Website

:: Reflections of the first seven weeks ::

Before taking this class, I had heard from fellow health education majors that Environmental Health would be a life changing experience. Now, I'm an older student....seriously, how life changing can it get????? But WOW...this class truly is life altering...and we are only seven weeks into the semester. I am looking forward to the continued eye opening documentaries and activities that are associated with this class.

We all want to believe that the government is doing the right things for us, it's citizens. Stories of how elected officials get zillions of dollars from BIG corporations in return for their support on a specific item make me ill. It angers me that some officials in high places (such as FDA, CDC, Dept. of Public Health) worked for some of the BIG corporations before being hired by the government. They are using their power (and money) to skew the view of how our environment is being treated. They don't see how what their previous employer is treating the environment. They make it perfectly legal for these big corporations to pollute and damage our environment. This makes me angry.

The other item that makes me angry is that some of these federal agencies force their employees to keep quiet about the damage being done to the environment. The video from 60 Minutes that we watched entitled "Rewriting the Science" showed us that the government is essentially covering up (and censoring what we read) many of the problems that are country is battling environmentally, such as global warming. It takes people like James Hansen (from the 60 Minutes video), to take a stand against his employer and let the general population know exactly what the government is covering up. If we cannot believe our own government...the people we elect into office in some cases...who can we believe? Who will tell us the truth? How can we truly know the extent of damage we have done to our environment. How serious is global warming? What is the correct answer to these questions?

Watching the documentary "Tapped" certainly changed my views on bottled water and companies such as Nestea, Coke and Pepsi. How can these companies think it is perfectly okay to come into a community and take the ground water without giving taking into consideration the members of the community and the water levels. I am amazed that the FDA has no regulations on ground water...yet tap water is highly regulated.

But it goes so much deeper than just the ground water. It goes as far as what the plastic water bottle is made from and the number of lives that are affected by those petroleum products. All those people that live in cancer alleys across America. These people cannot easily afford to move, as it is likely that no one would purchase their house. So basically, the price we pay for one little water bottle (normally less than $2 a bottle) seems like nothing until you start factoring in the number of human lives that the production of said water bottle affects.

I no longer even want to purchase pop in bottles. They talk about how bad it is to drink water from these bottle....shouldn't that mean that it is just as bad to drink soda out of the bottles? I'm not a big soda drinker, so it shouldn't affect me too much.

As I was cooking dinner the other night, I pulled frozen veggies. As I examined the bag, I was wondering why anyone would want to steam their frozen veggies in the "steam in the PLASTIC bag" that they have created to make life simpler. That plastic bag is also made out of petroleum products. Have you ever actually steamed your veggies in one of these bags and felt how the texture of the bag changes after it's been in the microwave? You cannot tell me that the chemicals in the packaging do not somehow get into the food that is "steaming" in the bag. GROSS!!!!!!

Okay...I'll get off my rant now. This class seriously has opened my eyes to the fact that our environment is being hurt by the things WE do. We need to stop and think about the things we are doing and how they are harming not only our environment, but our bodies. We also need to realize that the effects of our actions go beyond our own communities. Our actions harm people across the world. It harms the wildlife that we are so lucky to be surrounded with.

I've already started making some changes in my own life. They may seem like just little things, but in the long run they can become much bigger changes. Since starting this class, I've switched to using reusable bags for my purchases at the grocery store and Wal-Mart. I've changed some of the lighting in my house. In my basement, I have a bunch of fluorescent lights.  I am determined to not use these lights anymore. I have purchased two desk lamps with energy efficient light bulbs. I'm quickly discovering that these two lamps are not anywhere near enough light to replace my fluorescent light...but I'll figure out some other alternatives to go along with my desk lamps. I've also changed some of the ways I eat. Each time I go to the grocery store, I really think about how much processed foods I purchase. In the past few weeks, I have switched to purchasing organic milk and have purchased all natural meats from the meat department. I think the best comment I've heard out of my daughter regarding the milk was that she REALLY liked it. These are just small ways that I intend to continue doing to better the environment for myself, my children and the rest of the world.

We need to lead by example. We need to teach others why it is important to change their habits now before we completely destroy the environment we live in.

:: Eye Opener : Junk on the Brain ::

This week's eye opener activity was rather fun to investigate as I never knew exactly how many of these resources we had in the Duluth/Superior area.  

Photo from Seller's Auction

Antique/Antiquing :: According to the Merriam-Webster website, antique has two different definitions. It can be defined as a relic or object of ancient times. The second definition has two parts. An antique is a work of art, piece of furniture, or decorative object made at an earlier period and according to various customs laws at least 100 years ago or a manufactured product from an earlier period. They use the example of an automobile as a manufactured item. Antiquing means to finish or refinish in antique style, giving the appearance of age. It can also mean to shop around for antiques.

I know there are plenty of antique places around town and all along the North Shore. I think one of my favorite spots to stop on my travels to Grand Marias is Bay Antiques, which is located right on Hwy 61 (1008 Main St. - Beaver Bay - 218.226.4626). It has oodles of dishes outside in a wide array of colors and textures. Once inside there is even more stuff from swords to jewelery.  There is hardly any room to move inside the small store...but I regress.

I discovered through a Google search, that right here in our own Duluth backyard, we have a company that specializes in business liquidations, antiques and collectables, estates, and inventory reductions. Seller's Auction has everything from new and used furniture, coins, jewelry, power and hand tools. Every Monday at 4:30 PM, they have an auction. In fact...on Monday November 5, they are having an antique auction. The auction is taking place at the place of business (2103 1/2 W 3rd Street). Seller's Auction not only hold auctions, but they also have an Estate Mall that is open Thursdays and Fridays, noon-5 PM and on Saturdays from 10 AM - 4 PM. This is also located at the address previously listed. Col. Brent Loberg and Col. Gary Lepisto are the two main auctioneers with Sellers Auction. If you need to contact Sellers Auction, you can call them at 218.722.3360.
 

Junk/Junking :: I would consider my house to be filled with a lot of junk. Merriam-Webster defines junk as old iron, glass, paper or other wast that may be used again in some form and secondhand, worn or discarded articles. Most of the time junk can be something of little meaning, worth or significance to the person who has it, but could be a perfect item for someone else. My favorite synonym listed is clutter. Junking is simply defined as : to get rid of as worthless ... scrap!

Photo from Johnny the Junkman

It seems that when you do a search for junk in Minnesota, a lot of salvage yards come up. These are great places to junk your old car or to pick up used parts off of a car that has already been junked for your current car. I live fairly close to Hwy 210 Auto Parts. They have plenty of old cars that have been junked and are an eye sore to drive past. When searching for junking places, I came along the Johnny the Junkman website. While it may not be a local establishment, it does seem like it would be a good place to junk your old car. How it works is quite simple. First call "Johnny" at 866.727.6629 (or through email) for an instant CASH offer.....who doesn't like cash?????? Once you accept the offer, Johnny then dispatches a truck from one of his nationwide network of tow trucks. This service is provided free to you (although realistically, I'm sure the towing fee is figured in the price they offer you on your junk car). A time is arranged for the pick up of your junk vehicle, whether it be a junk car, damaged, wrecked, or just plain old...running or not!  They will also take RVs. Once they arrive, you get the cash and your piece of junk car/truck goes away. I could not find a specific home address of the company. They do provide email and a toll-free number everywhere on the website. They only service the following states: California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia. I'd actually like to find out more about what they do with the cars once they have them. 

A flea market :: Photo from Wikipedia

Flea Market :: A usually open-air market for secondhand articles and antiques is how Merriam-Webster defines flea market. Wikipedia has a much more extensive definition, which states "a flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent. The flea-market vendors may range from a family that is renting a table for the first time to sell a few unwanted household items to a commercial operation including a large variety of new or used merchandise, including scouts who rove the region buying items for sale from garage sales and other flea markets, and several staff watching the stalls." A flea market reminds me of a LARGE rummage sale...another place to pick up someone's junk that they are getting rid of. While good finds can be found at these, I sometimes see these are just moving junk from one house to another.

Hmmmm....I love searching for events that I didn't know occurred. I discovered that the Studebaker Drivers Club holds a swap meet flea market and classic car show annually on the second Sunday in August at Lake Superior College. The description says there is everything from antiques to junk, plus over 100 automobiles. There is a number listed (218.722.8533) and an email address to obtain more information regarding the event. This would probably be a cool event to attend..just to see all the classic cars. =) 

Photo from Goodwill Industries

Thrift Shop :: Wikipedia tells us that a thrift shop is a retail establishment run by a charitable organization to raise money. They sell mainly second-hand goods which have been donated by the public. Most thrift shops (such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army) are run by volunteers. I think the following statement on the Wikipedia definitions is who one should really look at the Thrift shop atmosphere :: "Environmentalists may prefer buying second-hand goods as this uses fewer natural resources and would appear do less damage to the environment than by buying new goods would, in part because the goods are usually collected locally. In addition, reusing second-hand items is a form of recycling, and thus reduces the amount of waste going to landfill sites.


At first, I had originally put Ragstock under the Thrift Shop category, but as I do more research Goodwill and Salvation Army fit much better under this category. Ragstock is a resale shop. Goodwill Industries, which can be found here in Duluth at 700 Garfield Avenue, is an amazing company. They serve the community in a variety of ways. They provide vocational training and employment services to people who have a disability or other employment, as well as job placement and counseling. They also offer commercial services such as janitorial and lawn care to businesses in the Duluth area. Their recycling business is HUGE! Reading the information provided on their recycling website is amazing. They've come up with secondary ways of recycling items that would potentially end up in a landfill. WAY to GO GOODWILL!!!! Thank you for all you do!!!


The retail store hours for the Goodwill located on Garfield are 9 AM - 7 PM Monday-Friday and 9 AM - 6 PM on Saturdays. If you have questions, you can call 218.722.3050. There are also stores available in Superior, Hermantown, Cloquet, Hibbing, Virginia and a few other places in the northeast region of the state.

Laptop Bag from Rebagz

Upcycling :: I found a definition for upcycling on the Naturally Savvy website. The easiest way to define upcycling is taking something that you would otherwise throw out and finding a way to make it into something else. It isn't like recycling. Upcycling maintains or improves the quality of the materials.

Upcycling places are difficult to find in the Duluth area. Thanks to the Naturally Savvy website, I was able to come up with two great places to find upcycled products. The first one is for those of us ladies that need to carry a purse. Rebagz is a company based out of California that makes handbags out of recycled products. They use coated recycled paper, reycled PET plastic, recycled juice packs, and recycled rice sacks to make their handbags. Not only do they have eco-friendly purses, but they also have bags for your cell phone and laptops. They donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their bags to organizations such as Greenpeace, the KIND Campaign, the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund and the Global Exchange. Sounds like a fabulous company to work for. They even have a blog that you can check out. I am by no means a purse girl...but they do have some wonderfully designed bags on their site. Go check them out on their website, call them at 877.905.9359 or email them. 

Photo from Ragstock

Resale Shop :: According to the Free Dictionary website, the word resale can mean the act of selling again or the selling again of something purchased. Another way to look at it might be consignment shop or a store that offer used goods, at a lower cost than new. Ragstock is a popular choice for second-hand clothing in the Duluth area. They are located at 7 West Superior Street. Their phone number is 218.722.1201. Their hours of operation are 10 AM-9 PM Monday through Friday, 10 AM-7PM on Saturdays and 11 AM-6 PM on Sundays. According to their own website, Ragstock carries an eclectic mix of premium recycled and reasonably priced trendy new clothing. The one little tidbit of information that I did find quite interesting was that Ragstock opened for business in 1954 importing and exporting used clothing and fabric to and from many different countries across the world. I was thinking it had opened in the 80s and there were only a few stores, but they have locations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan.


PART II
The terms listed above all play an important role in the environmental health of our planet. If we did not recycle our household items, such as pots, pans, mattress, lamps...these items would end up in a landfill and would become pollutants to our soils and our waters. I think it is absolutely amazing that someone is recycling juice packs to make purses. I think about how many juice packs my kids went through as kids. I wish now I had know that they were recyclable, then I could have starting reducing my ecological footprint.


I'll admit that I am not a user of ANY of the places that I found above. I prefer purchasing new stuff. However, when my kids clothes no longer fit, I do either donate them to friends who have kids or to Savers. My step-mom loves to go shopping at Savers (not that she needs any more JUNK in her house). I feel awkward wearing something that someone else has worn. I've never been a fan of heading off to rummage through something someone else is trying to get rid of. Why would I want someone else's junk, when I already have enough of my own? I do grasp the concept of reduce, reuse and recycle and see how these seemingly simple things can alter our planet for the better.


PART III

I'm amazed at the creativity people have in their projects. I'm not sure I could ever be this creative with junk. One project that I particularly liked was the Candle Holder 101. I always have candles going. This is an adorable way to accentuate candles. It also seems fairly fire safe...unless it tips over. It's like a mini locker for just candles.

Another project that I like and thought of as a potential gift for my step-mom was the Reel Bird Feeder. She has oodles of birds in her yard. I've purchased bird feeders for her in the past, but this one is down right adorable. It would be very easy for her to fill as well. I just love the old movie reel. I probably have the little bowls available in my house to use for something like that. The birds that would have gotten the yummy food shown in the picture would be very, very lucky. I'm not sure my step-mom would treat the billions of birds in her yard as well.

Lastly, I absolutely LOVE the Steam Punk Lighting project. I love cool lamps. Floor lamps, desk lamps, hanging lamps that are manufactured today are all so boring and mundane. This not only lights up a room, but it has that cool reflection that it puts out. I think it would look awesome over my dining room table where it never seems like there is enough "fun" lights to eat by. It would be fun to find the materials to create this masterpiece.