Carrie's Environment

Reflections Week 13 and 14

2009-12-18T15:41:00.000-06:00

Week 13

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Good Will adventure, due to being sick. I heard a lot of great things about it though and I'm glad the class had a good time!

Week 14

This was our last day of class. We took time to view each others junking projects which I found to be very beneficial. I got some great ideas for some new projects I can make around my house. For my project I used an empty fuze bottle, put some confetti strings in it along with a picture of me and my friends. I had a lot of fun with this project because it allowed me to show my creative side. Lastly, we talked about what we liked about the course. I have found that my SMART goal was very benefial and kept me motivated. I have also found that I saved a lot of money by not buying pop or plastic water bottles, which also helped the environment :).

Overall

This class was extremely beneficial and I could honestly say this was one of my favorite classes. I have learned so much not only about the environment, but about myself. Environmental Health was truly the class that I would find myself talking the most about. I have educated my family and friends on the information I found most interesting such as global warming and junking. I have also found my roommates being more eco-friendly which is awesome! I found the share and voice's to be really interesting, everyone had some great things to share! Overall, I thought this was a great class and I would strongly encourage people to take this course!

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

2009-12-16T16:22:00.000-06:00

Advocacy Project: How Safe Are Our Beaches?

By Danielle's Dandy Environment

INSTRUCTIONS: Read and analyze the three websites listed above and answer the following questions.

1. List at least 3 types of disease-causing germs that can be found in recreational waters.
Infectious diseases= Giardia, Campylobacter nd Shingella
2. Who monitors the bacteria at swimming beaches in Minnesota?
Minnesota Pollutoin Control Agency
3. What are some major causes of water pollution?
StormWater Pollution, sewage spills, natural resources
4. What are ways that we can do our part to prevent water pollution at beaches?
Do not swim when you hvae diarhea, do not swallow pool water, practice good hygiene, take kids on bathroom beaks and change diapers in the bathrom, wash child thoroughly with soap.
5. Reflect on what you thought about this subject and what it means to you.
I live on Lake Minnetonka so I have heard of these diseases. I have always known not to eat more than one fish ut of the lke per year because the fish in the lake have so much mercuty in them. I have also ben taught to take a shower after you get out of the lake. Danielle had some really great information and some very educational websites!

Advocacy Project: Inform, Crossword Puzzle, Act!

By Rita's Realm Instructions:First, read through the information I have gathered from different sources that I thought may get your attention due to this disease. Second, go through the crossword puzzle and see how much you learned. If you get stuck on a question, go to this link to help you. Third, take some action!!

ACROSS
4		Type of surgery that can result in weight gain afterwards
5		Classifications of this disease
7		Adulthood obesity

My Answers accross

4. Bariatric

5. Two

7. Hypertrophic

My Answers down:

1. Genetics

2. Hyperplastic

3. Baby Boomers

6. Obesity

My Reaction: I am very intersted in this topic so I really enjoyed reading Ritas post and completing her activity. Obesity is clearly a big problem in the United States and as health educators, it is our job to help educate these people on ways they can change their poor habits.

DOWN
1		Not the only determinant of this disease
2		Childhood obesity
3		This generation might be the first to outlive their children's generation
6		Epidemic in our society

Share and Voice: Tree Hugger

2009-12-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

So I just stumbled across this website and thought it was really cool! There are quizzes you can take such as a the "Are You a Green Gift Giver?" quiz and health quizzes. Also, there is a lot of great information on how to become more green. I strongly suggest you take one of the quizzes. I took the Green gift giver quiz and thought it was very interesting!!! Check it out :)

Main Site

Share and Voice: Arthritis

2009-12-14T20:38:00.001-06:00

I chose to do a share and voice on Arthritis because I feel it is a very important topic that many people are not familiar with. Before doing research on this topic I thought it was something that only elderly people got, but unfortunately that is not the case. Arthritis is the worlds most common cause of disability, even affecting children. People who are in any form of accident may also be affected by this disease. I saw these video's (posted below) and thought they would be great to share to get people aware of how serious it actually is. If we do not do anything to change this, the risks of getting this disease will rise. Most importantly, if you have any symptoms, make sure to check it out with a doctor, it's better to be safe than sorry!

What is Arthritis?

What are Ways to Prevent Arthritis?

Advocacy Project: Arthritis Learning Activity

2009-12-13T23:02:00.000-06:00

Purpose: To make others aware of the serious risks involved with Arthritis and to provide interesting information and statistics on the topic.

46 million Americans, including children are victims, to some form of arthritis, the worlds most common cause of disability. According to arthritis.org arthritis is a condition that affects the musculosketletal system specifically around the joints where the bones meet. This causes severe pain, inflammation and stiffness affecting the whole body, leading to weakness and instability. Athritis can affect every day basic activities such as typing on the computer, going up and down the stairs, walking, even brushing your teeth. This causes a lot of stress and frustration in patients because they are unable to complete simple tasks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) every year arthritis is the cause of 992,100 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatients, which results in $128 billion medical bills. Unfortunately these numbers are expected to rise to 67 million by 2030 if we do not take action. 50% of people with arthritis are not able to work within 10 years of their diagnosis. It can lead to joint deformity and even worse, premature death.

Genetics and family history increase the chance of developing arthrits. Fortunately, there are ways to help prevent arthritis. There is a lot of helpful information on the Arthritis Prevention site I found. There are ways to help prevent arthritis. First of all, if you notice any aches or pain during every day activities or recreation-related activities, do not ignore the signs. This will makes things worse in the long run. Make sure to excersise your joints. Excerise does not have to be strenuous, just make sure it is regular. It is important to eat healthy, over weight people are at a greater risk of this disease due to lack of exercise and unhealthy eating. It is also important to drink a lot of water. Coffee and pop black absorption of water. Lastly, yoga is great for your body because it increases muscle tone and gives off a range of motion to your joints.

After reading the summary, please answer the following questions:

1. True or Fale? Arthritis only affects people 65 years and older?________
2. True or False: Arthritis can affect every day activities such as brushing your teeth?__________
3. True or False: Obese people have a greater risk of Arthritis?________
4. Arthritis Affects the____________
5. True or False? Arthritis is the most common cause of disability?_________
6. True or False? Arthritis is expected to increase by the year 2030?__________
7. What helps prevent arthritis? a) Eating Healthy b) Exercising c) Yoga d) all of the above
8. What percent of people with arthritis are not able to work within 10 years of diagnosis? a) 10 b) 20 c) 0 d) 50

Read 'n' Seed 6: Final Review of "The Food Revolution"

2009-12-11T14:58:00.000-06:00

Overview
"The Food Revolution" was a great book with a lot of interesting information. The author, John Robbins, was raised in a wealthy environment and could have easily taken over his families ice cream company, Basken Robbins which would have lead him to a successful life. It is very inspiring to see that he chose his own path, moved to British Columbia, and lived financially unstable. He did this to stand up for what he believed in, which was to grow most of their food, learn the truth about food, and the process it goes though to get to our plates and teach the world about his findings. The book talks about diets, genetically modified foods and health effects.

Three Most Significant things I Learned
I learned about vegetarians. I learned that statistics show that blod cholesterol levels of vegetarians compaired to non vegetarians are 14% lower. Soy proteins hae been found to lower cholesterol levels and eating healthy reduces your risks of many diseases. It also lets you experience many levels of passion in your life.

The average U.S. kid sees 1,000 ads each week that promotes eating unhealthy. This includes retaurants such as McDonalds and Taco Bell. Most kids sgtart eating unhealthy at an early age which puts them on the path to bad habbits and obesity. More than 5,000 schools in the United States have contracts with fast food companies and suppl vending machines, this only supports unhealthy eating.

Lastly, I learned about slaughter houses and how farmers have been economically advantagous to raise their animals in conditions that are unnatural and unhealthy. Animals are stuck in cages, some cages are so small they cannot take a single step in their entire lifetime. 70% of U.S. pigs have pneumonia at the time of slaughter. Also, 90,000 cows and calves are slaughtered every 24 hours in the U.S. and 14,000 chickens are slaughtered every minute.

What Does it Mean to Me and Why is it Important?
This book was very beneficial for me to read. It completely changed the way I vew my foods, especially meats. Learing how the animals were tortured and what chemicals they put into our foods is making me re-think the foods I buy at the grocery store. I have also learned about certain diets and how most of them provide completely untrue information. Lastly, a shocking thing I read was that advertisement such as the milk mustache commercial provides false information. They say that drinking milk will decrease your risk of osteoporosis, when all they really wanted was to get their advertisement out so they could sell more of their product. It makes you think twice about what you buy and what is actually true.

Recommend?
I would definitely recommend this book. The author, John Robbins, is very passionate and "real" about what he is talking about. He is puts things into perspective so that everyone can understand the statistics. This book is very eye opening and provides a lot of benefical/shocking information! I suggest everyone read "The Food Revolution'!!!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10: Overall Project Reflection

2009-12-09T15:42:00.001-06:00

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

My SMART goal was to stop drinking pop and start drinking out of a reusable water bottle. Towards the end I decided to add on to my SMART goal to eat healthier.

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

I have always wanted to do something like this, but was never very motivated. When I started this goal I was really excited for it and was determined to be successful. When ever someone offered me a pop I made sure to stay strong and decline. Giving up pop for 10 whole weeks made me realize, I do not need it. Sure, I can have one once in a while, but I feel so much better and not so "sluggish" if I don't drink it.

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

This project has been very beneficial for me. I learned that I was drinking waaay too much pop and drinking out of non reusable water bottles. It's nice because I have learned that drinking out of a water bottle not only keeps me dehydrated (since I fill it all the time) but keeps me from drinking unhealthy fluids. I learned that I am way more "upbeat" when I drink healthier fluids.

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

I had my roommates try giving up pop for a week and they went through with it and actually bought reusable water bottles. They agreed that it was beneficial and they were not as sluggish either. The environment also benefited from my SMART goal because I was not using so much plastic. I thought it was really cool how me being healthy could benefit the environment!

Will you continue this behavior? Why or why not?

I will definitely continue this behavior. I love how I feel when I drink healthy fluids and it makes me want to eat healthier. Before this lifestyle change I was getting headaches because I was so dehydrated. After I started my SMART goal my headaches went away and I feel great!

What recommendations do you have for others about making a lifestyle change?

I would strongly recommend that they are motivated going into the change so they have motivation throughout the challenge. I would also tell them that it is definitely worth it and you feel more accomplished!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 10 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

2009-12-06T22:58:00.003-06:00

December 7, 2009
Senator Amy Klobuchar
United States Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2304

Honorable Senator Amy Klobuchar,

My name is Carrie Jones. I am a student at the University of Minnesota Duluth and am currently enrolled in Environmental Health. I was assigned to choose a topic that interested me and report back on my findings. I chose arthritis because I have watched too many people suffer from this disease.

More than 46 million people (of all ages) in America are victims to some form of arthritis, America’s most common cause of disability. This disease puts limitations on work and every day activities due to pain, aches and stiffness around the joints. I am strongly encouraging you to vote “yes” to H.R.1210: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for arthritis research and public health. This is a problem worldwide that needs to end. I strongly believe this bill is the path to success.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) every year arthritis is the cause of 992,100 hospitalizations and 44 million outpatients, which results in $128 billion medical bills. Unfortunately these numbers are expected to rise to 67 million by 2030 if we do not take action. I believe passing this bill will lower the rates of arthritis and get people more educated on the proper precautions to avoid the risk of getting the disease.

There are ways to address arthritis such as proper exercises and weight control but many people are either unaware of this, or they do not take the correct steps. One in every five children suffers with arthritis. This shows we need to do something about this problem and make sure everyone is educated, starting at an early age.

This bill has been introduced and referred to the House of Energy and Commerce committee but still has four steps to go in order to be signed by the president. I strongly encourage you vote “Yes” to H.R. 1210 so we can get on the proper path to success. If you have any questions, please, feel free to contact me. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Carrie Jones

(Contact information)

Reflections Week 11 and 12

2009-12-04T14:55:00.000-06:00

Week 11

During this week split up into three groups. Using our own words, we made up a definition that people who were not educated on the topic would understand. Then we watched a movie called "The Story of Stuff". The movie talked about where products are made and the process it goes through. Then it talks about where it all goes after.It made me realize that recycling does not always go through the proper process, which was pretty shocking to me. This movie and activity made me realize that when I am educating people for my career, I need to break it down into terms that is easy for them to understand. After the movie we split in to groups. Dr. V gave us a few different objects and it was our job to think of ways on what they could be used for. This was a fun activity and really made me realize a piece of "junk" can be turned into something useful if you use your imagination!

Week 12

During week 12 we learned how to blog hop. This was a really cool way of being able to see everyone's photo essay. Each one of us got up and talked about what we did for eye opener and what we learned from it. Everyone had great idea's and fun photos! Then, we did an activity where we split into two groups and discussed what are some good ideas to put into our advocacy project letter. This activity was very useful because it gave me some great ideas on what to put in my letter.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9: Weekly Update

2009-12-02T15:25:00.001-06:00

My SMART goal

My SMART goal is to give up pop and drink only healthy fluids out of a re-usable water bottle. This is to keep me healthier and more motivated by giving up pop.

Successes and Challenges

I went home for Thanksgiving. I was around a lot of junk food and just food in general. Even though I did not eat healthy like I planned to do, I still stuck to my SMART goal and used my waterbottle instead of drinking pop. I have been drinking a lot of tea which is caffinated so I mix the powder with water and put it into my waterbottle, which is how I get my engergy. I faced challenges because when I eat unhealthy foods, I tend to want to drink unhealthy liquids so that was a little difficult. I am glad I did not give in and only drank healthy liquids.

Feelings

Like I said, it was more difficult being home, eating things I would not usually eat up here at college. I set a goal which was to start eating healthier when I came back up to Duluth, which I have been doing a great job of and it feels excellent! I had a week at home to be lazy, but now that I am back in school I am more motivated to work out and eat/drink healthy.

What I learned

I learned a lot this week. I realized that there may be some weeks that you feel more sluggish and a little more unmotivated, and that's okay, sometimes your body needs a break. However, I learned how important it is get back on track and stick to your goals. Whenever I work out and eat healthy I feel a million times better. Sure it is great to have pizza now and then and to pig out once in a while, but you need to do that in moderation.

Plans for Next Week

I plan to eat/drink healthy, work out, and use my re-usable water bottle for next week. After I got back from Thanksgiving break I realized how important it is for me to get back on track. I feel a million times better when I stick to my goals!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 9 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Share and Voice: Super Star Blogger

2009-11-30T18:36:00.000-06:00

I received this award from Karly for my post Barack's View on Energy and the Environment

I will be passing this "Supperstar Blogger award" to Jordanne for her share and voice post Buy Nothing Day. I really liked this post because I am not a fan of Black Friday. It is just an excuse for people to go out and buy a ton of items. I loved the video that Jordanne posted of Jon Stewart making fun of Black Friday. He makes fun of the "holiday" but to me, it was all true. It is just a reason for people to get up super early and waste a bunch of money on "cheap" items. I really like the idea of Buy Nothing Day it confronts the economies money struggles and makes people focus on the Environment.

Award Instructions for the Award Winner(s)

Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award.
Within 1 week, create a Share and Voice post that says you've received the award and indicate who the award is from (be sure to hyperlink).
Also indicate to whom you are going to pass on the award and why. Be sure to hyperlink the blogger (use main blog URL) and the blog title (use the specific URL for that blog post).
Copy and paste these instructions at the bottom of your post. Be sure to include the Award in the post as well!
Publish the post.
Visit each blogger you've awarded and leave a comment telling them they've won.
Continue the process...

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

2009-11-29T22:49:00.002-06:00

For my photo essay I chose to report on my experience shopping at consignment stores and also at a furniture store that raises money for breast cancer.

The picture above illustrates a consignment store that I shopped at in Eden Prairie called Encore.

I went to three different stores, Encore (Eden Prairie), Nu Look and Fashion Avenue (Edina) and found great deals on mostly designer brand clothing. Everything was gently used clothing and accessories such as jewelry, purses and shoes. It was great to shop at these places because we have been learning in Environmental Health about re-using certain goods. While everyone else was shopping at the shopping malls for new items on black Friday, I was shopping for re-usable, yet fashionable clothing.

The picture above illustrates me shopping at Encore. I am proud to report back that I found a great pair of designer jeans that originally cost $160. I bought my pair of jeans for $58 (what a steal!).

Above is a picture of the "Hope Chest" located in Orono, MN. This is a very inspiring/unique store. They take donations and donated upscale furniture. All the money goes to women that are affected by breast cancer and to research in hopes of saving lives.

I was home two weeks ago. My Mom and Dad were talking about getting rid of our kitchen table because they found one they had liked better. Instead of throwing it away I suggested they bring it to the hope chest so we could donate to the cancer society. The picture above is a picture of me standing by the table that we donated! It was great to know that we are helping cancer patients by donating a simple table. I wish more stores were like this!

Reusing is very important these days. It helps not only the economy, but the land fills as well because we are not throwing away as much if we reuse. I definitely will shop at consignment stores more often. Not only is it cheaper, but healthier for our environment!

Read 'n' Seed 5: fourth quarter of "The Food Revolution"

2009-11-26T17:10:00.054-06:00

Chapters and Pages Covered:

For the fourth quarter of the book, "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins,I read pages 252 to 360 (Chapters 14 through 19) which finished the excellent/informative book.

Main Topics

Robbins covered a lot of important topics that I am really glad I have been informed of. Robbins did an excellent job at going into details about each of these topics. First of all, I read about tropical rainforests and how the vast majority are bring destroyed in order for hamburgers and other meats to be produced.

Another main topic is how 1.2 billion people are over-mal nourished and another 1.2 billion people are over mal-nourished. There are 6 billion people on this planet and 1 billion of these people do not have enough to eat which can lead to physical impairments.

I learned about grain and where it is all going.

It was interesting to read about the lack of fish in the ocean and how some fish are on their way to extinction.

Lastly, I learned about genetic engineering and how many products it affects.

Significant things I Learned

Tropical rain forests contain 80 percent of the worlds species of land vegetation and account for oxygen supply. They have so much beauty to them but unfortunately they are being destroyed at a very fast rate. I fount it very heartbreaking to read that every second an area,the size of a football field, is destroyed. In central America 55 square feet of the tropical rain forest is destroyed for every fast food hamburger made from rain forest beef. Not only are they slaughtering cows, they are destroying beautiful land. The truth is, we need our forests. They give off oxygen, purify our water, and they are home to our plants, trees, and animals.

Moving toward a more plant based-diet seems more out of the question these days because they are getting rid of a lot of our resources. Eating vegetables are helping our environment and even helping out the atmosphere because there would be less green house gasses filling the air.

Today, there are 6 billion people on our planet. Sadly, more than 1 billion of these people do not have enough to eat. 1/3 of our children do not get enough to eat and certainly not a all the nutrients needed which makes them more susceptible to infectious diseases which can cause physical impairments in their future.

40% of our worlds grain is fed to livestock. In reality, all of our grain is going hand in hand with out meat. Underfed people and overfed people have pretty much the same qualities because they are both malnourished. Over fed people are getting too much fatty foods and underfed people are not getting enough food to begin with. According to John Robbin's,"human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock is 1,400,000,000. However, they are being fed to animals in order for them to produce meat.

It is believed by any that it takes 12-16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. This, according to USDA is false. It actually takes 17 pounds for each pound of beef. Cows are kept in feedlots for 100 where they are fed about about 20 pounds of grain per day. During the 100 days the animals gain about 300 pounds so that they can produce more meat. Think of all the gain going to waste that billions of starving people could have and become more nourished.

Another interesting topic I read about was the lack of fish in the ocean. I learned that 34% of all fish species were in danger to extinction. Fishing ships have had to drop their nets deeper into the ocean in hopes of catching. Restaurants have been told to take sword fish off their menu in hopes of recovery. Some fishing ships take out 80,000 pounds of fish in a single netting. No wonder some fish are on their way to extinction.

I learned that genetic engineering involves, "the permanent alteration of the genetic blueprint of a seed". by doing this scientists hope the plant grown form the seed will have certain characteristics such as lasting longer in stores so the certain food does not go bad right away. However, there has been controversy about genetic engineering and whether it is safe or not. The same gene can produce different effects depending on the soil and chemicals/ I learned that two-thirds of the foods sold in the United States grocery stores contain genetically modified substances.

Implications of What I Read

I finished this book with a whole new perspective on meat, including fish. I cannot believe all the beautiful, perfectly good rain forests are being destroyed in order to slaughter animals to produce meat. I have found myself cutting back on eating meats while I have been reading,"The Food Revolution". If I can help save a perfectly good rain forest and help animals it would definitely be worth it. I was shocked when I fould out that 1.2 billion people on this plant are mal nourished. If we did not focus all of our attention on meat, we would have a lot more plant based meals, healhier land, not as many chemicals floating around in the air, and more grain to feed people.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 8: Weekly Update

2009-11-24T17:10:00.002-06:00

SMART Goal:

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop,drink out of a water bottle and drink healthy fluids out of it. I also added eating healthier foods to my goal because I have found that I feel more productive when I do so.

Successes and Challenges:

This past week has been more successful in the fact that I ate healthier foods and did not drink any pop. There were not really any challenges because I have realized that when I eat and drink healthy foods/fluids, I tend to be more productive and more motivated.

Feelings:

I felt very motivated this past week and loved the way I felt! I worked out three times and drank a lot of water and tea. I was proud of myself for keeping on track with my SMART goal and bringing my water bottle to each class.

What I Learned:
I have realized that I love the way I feel when I do not eat junk food. It may be delicious, but the end results are being sluggish.

Next Week:

Next week I plan to bring my water bottle to class, eat healthier, and not drink any pop. I liked how I felt this past week and I want to get back on the right track!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 8 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Share and Voice 8: Barack's View on Energy and the Environment

2009-11-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abGlr9sTdEg

I thought this was a good video to share because we have been talking about Global Warming in class and it is nice to see Barack's View on the topic. I thought it was good that he addressed how it is becoming a problem and if we do not change our lifestyles and try to live more eco-friendly, we may be fine, but our children and grandchildren could be in danger. He says that we have been talking about this issue for decades, but have not done anything about it. It may take time, but if we start to change, we will better our country.

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

2009-11-23T01:06:00.001-06:00

Introduction:

The topic I have chosen to cover is Arthritis. The issue is that people are unaware of how serious the risks involved with this disease are. There are ways to help prevent this disease and it is important more people get the proper education on how to prevent Arthritis before it is too late. The bill that has been proposed is called. H.R. 1210: Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2009.

Who is affected by Arthritis?
A common myth about Arthritis is that it only affects elderly people. Unfortunately, everyone is at risk, even children. According to this site 40 million people in the U.S. alone are affected by this chronic disease. Some risk factors that can not be modified and the people that are more likely to be diagnosed wtih Arthritis include: African Americans, Family history of having arthritis and men and women over the age of 45.
Risk factors that can be modified include: being over weight, and a history of injuries to your joints. reference

Who loses? People with lower socioeconomic statuses that do not have time to work out and exercise, and people that cannot pay for therapy or medications lose.

Who Wins? People with Higher socioeconomic statuses that can afford to pay for therapy to help them practice the correct exercises, pay for the proper medications and people that catch it in the early stage.

Consequences of Arthritis

Acccording to senior health the consequences can be quite devastating. 50% of people with arthritis are not able to work within 10 years of their diagnosis. It can lead to joint deformity and even worse, premature death.

Consequences for Families: The consequences for families can lead to very unfortunate situations. Income is a huge factor because if the patient is unable to work, they will not be able to have income from that individual.

Consequences for Society: Arthritis is the second cause of work disability right behind heart disease. This can cause high consequences for the society because many people are out of jobs and many companies are losing valued employers. senior health

Economic Impact of Arthritis:
According to CDC $80.8 billion came from indirect cost and $47 billion was from indirect for the cost of arthritis in 2003. This adds up to a total $127.8 billion in the United States alone. Direct and indirect costs were based on doctor-diagnosed arthritis costs for each state.

Economic benefits: There are a few economic benefits for arthritis. Living with arthritis does not always mean higher bills. Diagnosed-arthritis patients can apply for state benefits in order to help pay bills. There are corporations such as "Access to Work" which helps people be able to overcome any barriers. There is also a program called "Disability Living Allowance" which provides people with disabilities extra help.

Social Impact to Arthritis:
There is a company by the name of "Allsup Inc." that helps people, especially with arthritis conditions. Fortunately, Allsup Inc. has a 97% award rate and try to do their best in helping people live a more "normal" lifestyle and get the benefits that is necessary. They determine the severity of your condition and your age to see what benefits are needed.

Barriers
There are quite a few barriers when it comes to arthritis. If one is not diagnosed soon enough it can cause more problems down the road. Also, not having the proper resources can be a big problem. It is very important you stay active and physically fit. Most people with arthritis are limited to every day activities they are used to.

Educating people about the proper ways to deal with the disease and signs of arthritis is very important. Also, it is essential that one catches the signs at an early stage so they can get the proper care. If you feel any of the warning signs make sure to get things checked out (better safe than sorry). Working out and staying healthy is a key factor.

Resources
Resources that supply facts, studies, history, brochures and graphs are great ways to address the topic and provide valid information. These resources can be found in clinics, hospitals, and permissible website.

History
Arthritis was discovered in 4500 B.C. According to arthritisygoy

around 500 B.C. willow bark, also known as the "wonder drug" was seen as a miracle drug that relieved aches and pains. Later on, they found it to be poisonous. Now days, it is a much different story. There are medications one can take. However, the most important thing is to keep motivated, stay active and exercise in order to reduce the risk.

Allies and Opponents
People who would support the issue would be health educators, people with the disease, friends and families of the individuals, doctors, and anyone interested in helping or supporting the cause.

Who would oppose? Some people who have never had arthritis or who have never had a family member or friend be affected by the disease. Also, people who do not want to pay state cost.

My Recommendation
I want everyone to vote "YES!" to the H.R. 1210: Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2009 policy. It would help out a lot of amazing/innocent people who, unfortunately have been affected by Arthritis. As a country we need to help them stay strong and vote for what is right. Vote "YES!" for H.R.1210

Reflection: Week 9 and 10

2009-11-19T21:38:00.001-06:00

Week 9

During week 9 we discussed what advocacy was. We did a fun activity to understand it better. There were three groups, each had a topic relating to advocacy. My group did a short skit on what advocacy is/opposed to what is is not. I learned that helping people just out of the goodness of your heart is not advocacy but something such as standing in front of a bulldozer trying to stop it from destroying a house is advocacy. After the activity we went over our healthy people/THOMAS Advocacy project. I achieved my SMART goal for week 9 and was proud of myself for not giving in to drinking pop.

Week 10

This week I did pretty well with my SMART goal but I started to become more "sluggish". I decided I need to get back on track and eat healthy foods again. During class we watched the movie, "Unnatural Causes". I thought this was a very interesting movie. The movie talked about how health can be affected by your income. People living in nice neighborhoods have a higher life expectancy. The movie also talked about stress. I realized that an owner of a company may be stressed, but a janitor is more likely to be more stressed because there are other factors that go along with having a low budget. People with low incomes may be stressed when it comes to their job,but even worse, they are stressed because they are not making enough money to support their families. An owner of a company can take a vacation to relax but for people with very low paying jobs that is the last thing they can afford to do. The stress of not being able to support your fanily and work all the time can cause high blood pressure. I thought this was a huge eye opener and would definitely recommend this video.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7: Weekly Update

2009-11-18T15:56:00.001-06:00

Smart Goal
My SMART goal for the semester is to drink out of a reusable water bottle and stop drinking pop. By doing this, I am saving the environment. Little things like using a reusable water bottle can make a difference. :)

Successes and Challenges
I have been doing very well with my SMART goal. I have been bringing my water bottle to all my classes and have tried putting new liquids in it such as tea and apple cider. The only bad thing is I have not been eating as healthy as I have been the previous weeks so I have become more sluggish. I felt that drinking more water helped improve my work out and eating habbits so I would like to get back on that track.

Feelings
I feel good about my goal and am proud of myself for keeping it up. It is a little more tempting to say yes to a pop because like I said, I have not been eating as healthy. At least I am still bringing my water bottle to class and achieving my goal.

What I learned
I learned I feel much better when I drink water and eat less junk food. Not drinking any pop makes me feel healthier overall. Plus, I am spending less money by not buying it. :)

Next Week....

Next week I plan to bring my water bottle to each class and I plan to work out more and eat healthier so I don't feel so sluggish.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy.

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

2009-11-15T19:29:00.002-06:00

Healthy People Goal:

The healthy people 2010 goal I chose is Arthritis conditions. The objective is to reduce the number of adults who have limitations due to arthritis that effects their daily routines. The Progress Quotient Chart shows the 18 and older adults that limitations from arthritis. This is 33%.

Emerging Issues with Arthritis
Unfortunately, like other chronic diseases, Arthritis is due to aging. There are ways to help prevent this disease. Some strategries include physical activity and making sure you are at a healthy weight. Arthritis has some emerging issues which include an argument over non steroidal anti inflamatory drugs and heart diseases.

Opportunities and Challenges:
Health care providers are doign everything they can to try and improve the risk of arthritis. It is very important that people are informed with accurate information, and also that the word spreads so it can be prevented easier.

Progress

In the past objectieves had not been met. Now days, there has been progess. For my objective, couseling adults with arthritis for weight reduction helped them more toward their main objective.

Health Disparities
Disparities are common for many patients who have arthritis. Unemployment rates and lack of exercise are huge factors when it comes to arthritis. Studies show white patients with arthritis have the best rates for limitations.

H.R.1210 :

Title: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for arthritis research and public health, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] (introduced 2/26/2009) Cosponsors (145)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 2/26/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Recommendation: Vote yes for H.R.1210 for Public Health Service Act for Arthritis.

My Political Representatives: Senator Al Franken and Senator Amy Klobuchar

Read 'n' Seed 4: Third quarter of "The Food Revolution"

2009-11-13T15:22:00.000-06:00

Chapters and Pages Covered:
For the third quarter of the book, "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins, I read pages 168 to 252 which covered chapters 10 to 14. These chapters covered a lot of shocking information that I was glad to read about.

Main Topics

The main topics covered in chapters 10-14 are: how animals are being raised and the terrible conditions they are put through. Robbin talks about the slaughter houses and how some animals dont even see day light until they are taken to them. These chapters also cover how many animals are slaughtered each day/minute which is very shocking.

Significant Things I learned

Farmers have been economically advantagous to raise their animals in conditions that are completely unnatural and unhealthy. With the antibiotics mixed into each meal, the use of hormones, drugs, and biocides the animals can be kept a live so that the overcrowding becomes cost effective. The crazy thing is that the extreme crowding of animals incrases the rates of animal illnesses but their profits increase.

Many farm animals are chained in individual cages so small they cannot take a signle step ih their entire lifetime. There are non profit organizatinos such as PETA and HFA that educate the public of the realistics of factory farming. McDonalds was nominated for the prestigious Business Ethics award but the business Ethics magagzine decided not to give the award to McDonalds becacut they were concerned about the cruelty of McDonalds slaughter houses. PETA tried helping them out and offerered them other alternatives such as putting vegie burgers and more healthy choices on their menue. To date McDonalds has not attempted to require slaughterhouses to meet humane standards.

When most people think about chicken and hens they think of them as "stupid birds". Typically 7 or 8 are crammed into 18 inch by 20 inch cages. They cannot simply lie down or spread their wings. For pigs,million are raised for meat in the U.S. and 65 million are raised in total confinement factories where they never see the light until they are being brought to the slaughter houses. An eye opener is British pigs are not raised in total confinement factories. Also, 70% of U.S. pigs have pneumonia at the time of slaughter, which, to me does not sound healthy for humans one bit. Some very interesting information I read was every 24 hours in the U.S. 90,000 cows and calves are slaughtered and 14,000 of chickens are slaughtered every minute.

Implications of What I Read

John Robbins brought up some great points and had a lot of eye opening information. I now see why some people become vegetarians. It was very sad to read about animal cruelty and how they are confined to such little spaces. It broke my heart to read that some animals have never been able to take a step in their lifetime and some don't see light until they are being taken to the slaughterhouse. I was shocked at the numbers of how many animals were killed each day and each minute. I almost feel guilty for eating meat because those animals go through so much. I am glad I now know the facts about animal cruelty and it makes me re evaluate how much I should eat, if any at all.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6: Weekly Update

2009-11-10T22:02:00.002-06:00

My SMART Goal

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop and start using a re-usable water bottle.

Strategies to Being Successful

Last week I gave in and drank two diet cokes. Doing that made me realize I do not need to drink pop and there are other healthier alternatives I can lean on instead. There were not many challenges for me this week because I was determined to stick to my SMART goal. I am very proud of myself that I didn't give in to any temptations this week!

My Feelings

I felt great not only for denying pop, but I felt a lot healthier in general. I have been working out a lot instead of sitting on the couch and watching TV and I have felt a lot more motivated and better all around.

What Did I learn

My roommate and I have been working out a lot and trying to stay healthy. Giving up pop has been a huge factor in helping us stay healthy. Staying healthy to us means giving up things we used to drink/eat that have not always been the best for us such as chips and pop. Giving these things up has made us more determined to stay healthy and work out. After working out the last thing I think about is wanting a pop, which feel amazing!!

Plans for Next Week

I plan to keep up my good work and stay motivated. I have learned that if I come home after class and sit on the couch I become extremely lazy and unmotivated. Lately, I have gone on more adventures and walks in order to avoid the couch and I feel great!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 6 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy.

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

2009-11-09T02:06:00.002-06:00

City of Mound Mayor:Mark Hanus

4446 Denbigh Road

952-472-5480

mahanus@frontiernet.net

President of the United States: Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Comments? Call: 202-456-1111

Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Contact the White House

Minnesota Governor: Tim Pawlenty

130 State Capitol

75 Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

St. Paul, MN 55155

Telephone: (651) 296-3391
E-mail: tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us

Tim Pawlenty Site

U.S. Senator Al Franken

Democrat

320 Hart Senate office building

Washington DC 20510

DC Phone: 202-224-5641

MN Phone: 651-221-1016

Al Franken Site

U.S. Representative

Erik Paulsen
District 3
Republican Party
250 Prairie Center Drive, Suite 230
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
Phone: (952) 405-8510
Fax: (952) 405-8514

MEMBER PAGE

U.S. Senator

Amy Klobuchar
U.S. Senator
Democrat

302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Northwest and Central
Main Fax: 202-228-2186
MEMBER PAGE

State Representative

Steve Smith
District 33A
Republican Party
* 271 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
651-296-9188

MEMBER PAGE

State Senator

Gen Olson
District 33
Republican Party
Capitol Office: 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 119
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.296.1282

MEMBER PAGE

Share and Voice#7: Say No to Water Bottles

2009-11-08T13:41:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pi96KmeMZ8

I chose this video to share because giving up plastic water bottles is my SMART Goal. I was really interested in the statistics and it really opened my eyes to how plastic bottles have a huge effect on our environment. The video shows pictures of where water bottles are placed and it was unreal to see the landfills. This video makes me realize how important it is to get water out of the faucet and use a re-usable water bottle.

Reflections Week 7 and 8

2009-11-06T15:50:00.000-06:00

Week 7

The Environmental Working Group was a huge eye opener to me. I thought it was crazy how products we use on a daily basis can be so toxic. It is scary to me that we are putting those products on our face, it does not seem safe at all. We watched the movie "Green" which was an excellent film. I thought it was really cool how a grad student made the documentary. It was really sad to watch because showed how pollutants in the United States are causing diseases and are harmful to some places in the United States. It is so unreal to me that this is happening and the chemical plants seem to have a huge part in this problem.

Week 8

We started the week with an eye opener called Junk on the Brain. I was really facinated with what I found out. We defined terms such as upcycling, which I thought was really cool because it showed different objects that have been re-used and made into fun objects. I also looked up where shops such as thrift shops, flea markets, and antique shops are located in Duluth. This was a huge eye opener for me because I have thrown out a lot of "junk" that someone could have used.

We watched the movie "Thirst" which was about privatizing water in certain towns and people having to pay to use it. I thought this was crazy because water is a neccessity and you need it to live. You can't just not take that away from people. After the movie we talked about our blogs and what we can do to make them look better which was very helpful :).

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Weekly Update

2009-11-04T12:56:00.004-06:00

SMART GOAL

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop and start drinking healthier fluids out of a re-usable water bottle.

Successes and Challenges

The good news is I used my water bottle all week long and brought it to every class. The bad news is that I splurged this weekend and had two pops. It had not been too difficult for me the following weeks, but my friends all had a pop and so I gave in. :(

How I feel
I will admit, I am a little disappointed in myself. I had been doing very well and felt very healthy. When I think about it though, I used to drink pop all the time and me having 2 pops in about 4 weeks is actually very good for me.

What I Learned

After drinking two cokes it made me realize I am just fine without drinking pop, and I love how I feel drinking water. I have felt a lot healthier these past 4 weeks. I have been working out a lot and drinking lots of healthy fluids. I used to think I needed a pop every time I felt a little sluggish to wake me up. I have learned that is definitely not the case and there are other healthier drinks that will have the same affect.

Plans for Next Week
Next week I plan to not "give in" to any temptations and stay committed with my SMART goal. Overall I am proud of myself. I love how I feel when I do not drink pop and I want to stick with the original plan :).

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy.

Eye Opender: Junk on the Brain

2009-11-02T12:21:00.003-06:00

Part 1: Definitions

Antiques: a work of art, piece of furniture, or decorative object made at an earlier period, and according to many customs laws, at least 100 years ago. According to http://antiques.about.com/od/resourcesforbeginners/g/bldefantique.htm

According to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/junk, Junk/Junking is any old or discarded material, as metal, paper, or rags.

A Flea Market according to http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-flea-market.htm , A flea market is a large, traditionally open-air market where people sell a wide range of goods, typically used.

Thrift Shop: A shop that sells used articles, especially clothing, as to benefit a charitable organization.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thrift+shop

Wikipedia defines Upcycling as: Upcycling involves processing used materials into new products, or the re-use of a product with crippled functionality for alternative purposes, to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production, with the intent of creating a product of higher quality design and artistic value.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycle

Resale: the act of selling a second time.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/resale

Part 2: The words defined above all relate to environmental health. All of these places above make it so that articles of clothing, and other materials can be re-used instead of throwing them away. Some people throw clothes away because they do not fit, or throw away some sort of decoration they are not longer interested in. The environmentally friendly thing to do would be to bring those belongings to a shop that will take them and sell them for you so someone else can use them.

Local Resources:

Antique store: Canal Park Antique Mall
Address: Located in Canal Park. 310 Lake Ave. S.
Phone: 218-525-2596

Junk/Junking:There is a Junk Yard called Jadco Special Haulers
Located: 4011 Rehbein Rd, Duluth, MN
Phone: (218) 724-5538‎
E-mail: N/A, better to call

Flea Market:
I couldn't find one in Duluth but I found this website that showed a few locations in Minnesota that had them. The closest one I found is in Blaine MN

Address: 10980 Central Avenue NE, Highway 65, downtown
Phone: (612) 757-9906

Resale Shop: Plato's Closet
www.platoscloset.com
5115 Burning Tree Rd
Duluth, MN 55811-1876
(218) 733-9455

Thrift Shop: Goodwill
www.goodwill.org
Address:700 Garfield Ave
Duluth, MN 55802-2695
Phone:(218) 722-6351

Upcycling: I couldnt find anything about upcyling in Duluth, but here is an example and a fun idea :) http://www.moonbattery.com/upcycled-garbage.jpg

I have donated some of my clothes to the Salvation Army and Goodwill. I have also gone to rag stock to find things such as halloween costumes. I really like the idea of upcyling, it allows you to be creative. All of these stores help out the environment and I feel that it is important to use these stores more often :).

Part 3: http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/item/16914/button-necklace I thought this picture of the necklace was really cool. They used old buttons to make it, which was a smart idea and it looked pretty sweet! This is a great example of finding a certain object and putting it to use!

http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/item/16524/gas-lamp-to-candlestick-quick-easy-and-pretty-too

This was a pretty sweet idea. They used an old gas lamp and used buttons and an old necklace to decorate it. I thought it was a really fun idea. It's fun to see what you can put together :).

http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/item/16559/time-to-hit-the-sack

I thought this was an awesome idea! They used burlap sacks as door mats, signs, and poseters. Great for the environment, and different/creative thing!

Read 'n' Seed 3: First quarter of "The Food Revolution"

2009-10-30T12:15:00.000-05:00

I read pages 84 to 168 of, "The Food Revolution by John Robbin's and learned a lot of interesting information.

Main Topics
The main topics I learned about was: children eating unhealthy and contracts in schools with fast food companies/vending machines, the dairy industry making false advertises and making people believe milk cuts down the risk of osteoporosis. The book also talked about what is being most advertised in our economy is not necessarily healthy food choices, and lastly I learned about E coli.

Significant Things I learned/New Terminology

The average U.S. kid sees 1,000 ads each week that promotes eating unhealthy such as restaurants such as McDonald's and Taco Bell. Most kids that start eating unhealthy at an early age will eat unhealthy for the rest of their lives. More than 5,000 schools in the U.S. have contracts with fast food companies and supply vending machines. This only helps support bad habits and is not sending the right message about health to children. An interesting fact I read was that the amount spent annually by the dairy industry on milk ads is $190 million where as the amount spent on McDonald's advertising its products is $800 million. The amount spend annually by the National Cancer Institute promoting fruits and vegetables is $1 million. If the U.S. shifted more toward a plant based diet the majority of people would lead healthier lives, feel more energetic, and live longer.

I learned that the milk mustache commercials that promote milk to put the risk of osteoporosis is creating false information. There is no evidence according to the FDA that increased calcium intake from milk will lower the risk of osteoporosis. The Media called John Robbins, "the dairy industries public enemy number one" which is ironic because his father owned the largest ice cream company. John criticizes the dairy industry because they put ads out that are untrue and trick people into believing dairy products are necessary for a healthy diet. There was a study of more than 75,000 American nurses that found that women with the highest calcium consumption from dairy products actually had substantially more fractures than women who drank less milk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 200 people in the United States officially become sick every day from E coli and several die. Ironically, undercooked meat is more likely to result in cancer. Ecol i bacteria can be found in up to 50% of the US cattle carcasses.

Implications of What I Read

What I read has a huge impact on Americans. People are not getting properly educated on certain foods such as dairy products and E coli. Also, there are way too many ads on T.V. promoting unhealthy eating. People need to get educated on foods and realize what is actually healthy for them opposed to what is not.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

2009-10-28T08:00:00.005-05:00

SMART Goal- How I Achieved My Goal.

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop and start drinking out of a reusable water bottle.

Successes and Challenges

Week 4 went by really fast for me, yet very well. I am impressed with how well my SMART goal is working out for me! I went home last weekend. Home is usually where I drink the most pop because I like pop with home cooked meals (for some odd reason). My mom offered me one multiple times and I was very happy with myself when I turned it down.

Feelings I Experienced
I felt great when I turned down pop and choice a more healthy choice. It made me feel more determined to achieve my goal. Also, when I tell people I have given up pop for this semester people really respect it and think it is really cool.

What I learned This Week

I feel each week I have wanted pop less and less. I also got a new pink water bottle which I am pretty excited about. I have been filling that up multiple times a day to keep hydrated.

Next week I plan to put orange juice in my water bottle and bring it to my morning classes, then drink water the rest of the day :)

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

Share and Voice: Being Eco Friendly Can Pay Economically

2009-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

I found an article http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2005-08-14-ge_x.htm about companies being eco-friendly. Many Retailers are going green and consumers have been responding to it. Companies such as automakers have made hybrid vehicles mainstream which has had a great outcome. Even products such as cleaning supplies have had natural ingredients which has been a hit with consumers. The sales went up 250% since doing so. Going green has been a huge hit and companies are starting to realize this may boost sales. GO GREEN :)

Share and Voice: Fast Food and America

2009-10-26T08:00:00.021-05:00

I thought this YouTube Video was very inspirational. It shows a lot of obese kids and adults with many eye opening statistics. I am very interested in obesity in children so it was a good video for me to watch. It makes you realize, if children are taught to eat unhealthy/fast food they will more than likely be unhealthy in their future. The lyrics to the song say, "what have you done today to make you feel good?". I thought this was a great song choice because when you think about it, in the U.S. their is vast majority of people who sit on their couch, watch tv, go on the computer, or play video games instead of being productive. If we can get people to go outside, be more adventurous, and work out and eat healthier (starting at an early age) our obesity rates would go down.

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

2009-10-26T08:00:00.019-05:00

The cosmetic item I chose to evaluate is Victoria Secret's Dream Angels "Heavenly" perfume. I chose this product because it is something I use every day . I was a little shocked when I saw the results because I never really thought of perfume as being hazardous to the environment. I found out that the ingredients in this product are linked to developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and other concerns for ingredients used in the product such as neurotoxicity, enhance skin absorption, and occupational hazards. On a scale from 1 to 10 my perfume was ranked at a 5 which is considered to be a moderate hazard. It is crazy to think that our every day objects are hazardous to the environment.

Reflection: Weeks 5 & 6

2009-10-23T15:03:00.000-05:00

Week 5:

Our eye opener on CPSI that was due this week was a great learning experience. I toured the Food Supply and found out a lot interesting information. About 1,000 Americans die each year from food bourne illnesses linked to meat. Also, livestock manuer pollutes water ways with numerous pathogens that are harmful to human health. It is scary to me that simple things such as eating meat or drinking water could be harmful. I don't think humans should have to worry about whether the water we are drinking is safe. During class we watched a video called "The Future of Food" . This was a documentary that showed how a large corporation was trying to sue family famers. It was very upsetting to see innocent family famers go through so much. They did not know what they were doing was wrong and what they worked for their whole entire life was being taken away from them.

Week 6

This week we watched "Diet for a New America". I was very excited when I found out we were watching this movie that featured John Robbins because I am reading "The Food Revolution" by him. It was great to see the documentary because I got to see his story, as well as read it :). The video was very interesting to me. I thought it was crazy seeing a mans fat come out of his clogged artery. THAT made me realize I should start eating more fruits and vegetables. This video showed real life situations and I really admire John Robbins for sticking up for his beliefs and writing such an inspirational book.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

2009-10-20T18:38:00.004-05:00

My SMART goal is to stop drinking pop and start drinking more water in a re-usable water bottle. I must say week two was extremely successful and a piece of cake! I am very proud of myself!

Unfortunately, I, like everyone else, was sick last week so i was not in the mood for pop one bit. I brought my water bottle to each class and filled up an average of 5 times each day. My roommates were all sick as well so I brought them to the store to get re-usable water bottles.... gotta keep hydrated!

Besides the fact that I was sick, I felt really good since I have gone 2 weeks without drinking pop. It feels sooo good to finally be dehydrated!

This week I learned how important it is for your body to drink a lot of water and juice (which I filled up my re-usable water bottle with one day). My plans for next week will be to hopefully recover from my cold and keep staying dehydrated with a lot of healthy liquids. I will also try to make sure my roommates do this as well. :)

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

Share and Voice: Life Saving Health Food Tips

2009-10-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRJ71HLcKmI&feature=related I found this youtube video to be very relaxing, and informational. There are many foods that can help combat caner, control blood pressure, soothe your skin, and lower cholesterol. I checked out their actual website http://healthfitnesssite.com/ and found it to be very helpful as well. It shows the latest health and fitness news. It tells in detail why these fruits and vegetables are healthy for you. I learned a lot from this website, make sure to check it out :)

Share and Voice: Healthy Eating Tips

2009-10-19T09:00:00.038-05:00

I found this website http://helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm and found it to be very helpful. The thing I liked most about this website is that it is realistic in that fact that it explains that eating healthy does not have to be about a strict diet or setting unrealistic goals such as being extremely thin. It is more about feeling great, keeping yourself healthy, and having more energy.

Everyone's body works differently so they show the basic tips to eating healthy. You can learn about all the different food groups on this site and what is healthy opposed to what is not. There are tips on how to choose foods that improve your health and how to avoid foods that raise your risk for illnesses. Check it out :)

Read 'n' Seed 2: First quarter of "The Food Revolution"

2009-10-16T16:01:00.002-05:00

Chapters Covered and Main Topics
I am reading "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins. For the first quarter I read 80 pages of this book, which covered chapters 1-4.

I found these chapters to be very inspirational. So far "The Food Revolution" has brought up some great points that I was unaware of. John Robbins, son of Irv Robbins from the world’s largest ice cream company, Baskin Robbins had a lot of wealth in his family and could have easily taken over his father’s successful company. Instead, he chose his own path which was to move to a small island off the coast of British Columbia with his wife and live financially poor and grow most of their own food. Robbins wrote this book to provide solid information about our food choices and to get people aware of greater health choices in order to live a lifestyle you value. These chapters talked about how to lower your blood pressure, how to treat heart disease and which diets to look out for. For an example he brings up the Atkins Diet and talks about how we are told that is an amazing weight-loss plan and how you can enjoy a cheeseburger when you are hungry and you will be on your path to weight loss seeing amazing results in "14 days". Robbin's does a great job of explaining why these diets do not work. He calls them a "classic profile of a fad diet scam". Robbin's quotes, " leaving behind the standard American Meat is like breaking free from chains, to become, perhaps for the first time, truly free".

Significant Things I learned
"The Food Revolution" has made me learn many significant things thus far. Statistics show that blood cholesterol levels of vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians are 14% lower. Many people grew up believing animal protein is superior to plant protein and believe that we are risking our health if we do not eat animal protein. Soy proteins have actually been found to lower cholesterol levels. Although you cannot guarantee you will not become ill, eating healthy reduces your risk of many diseases and it opens the door to experiencing new levels of passion in your life. I learned about ketosis. The primary mechanisms by which the Atkins diet causes weight loss are caloric restriction and ketosis. According to Robbins "Ketosis occurs when there is an imbalance in fat metabolism which occurs in starvation. People eat fewer carbohydrates because that’s what diets such as the Atkins diet tell them to do. In reality, when people eat fewer carbohydrates, their bodies turn to fat for energy.

Implications of What I Read
This book has already taught me a lot of great information I was unaware of. I really liked how the author, John Robbins, displayed his information and I really respect him for doing what he loves instead of taking over his family’s business. I learned there are other ways to get protein instead of meat. Meat can cause health problems and raise blood pressure. I liked how Robbin's stated a lot of facts and never said people have to give up meat. Ending with a quote from John Robbins I found to be very inspirational, "This life we lead may be hard, may be downright agonizing at times, but it’s not about finding fault. It's about finding a way of life that honors your living spirit. It's not about blame. It's about coming to a deeper understanding of who you are, and of the love and power that lie within you. It's not about pointing fingers. It's about pointing the way, whenever possible, to a thriving, healthy, and compassionate life.”

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Chnage Week 2: Weekly Update

2009-10-13T22:32:00.003-05:00

My SMART Goal for this semester is to stop drinking pop and start drinking more water, while using a re-usable water bottle. It is already a little challenging because I have always drank a lot of pop, so it has been hard to give it up. However, I have been drinking a lot of water, which I had been lacking lately. Drinking more water made me feel a lot healthier and more "up beat".

Knowing that I am helping the planet by using a re-usable water bottle and helping myself be healhier is a huge fator is why I am staying motivated. I have been experiencing many feelings on this challenge. I have been frustrated when I have wanted to drink pop, yet, motivated most of the time and excited to see how I progress.

This week I have learned to stay strong and keep motivated in order to achieve my goal.

Next week I plan to do the same thing. I am trying to get my roommates to do this as well so that it will be easier to stay strong.

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

Share and Voice: Eco-Friendly Tips

2009-10-12T22:42:00.001-05:00

I searched for Eco Friendly tips and found this site. http://www.ecologyfund.com/ecology/res_tips.html. There are some of the basic things we already know such as conserve water and ride your bike instead of driving but there were good explanations on why we should do so. However, I thought there were a few tips I had never heard of such as leave your cat inside because cats kill about 1 billion small birds and animals each year. There were also tips such as, dispose old paint and chemicals. Not only does this site have tips, but it has the eco footprint and information we are learning about in class. Its a fun website, check it out :)

Share and Voice: Eco-Friendly Bathroom Products

2009-10-12T22:27:00.002-05:00

I found an interesting youtube video that shows how to choose eco-friendly bathroom products. This video shows how to cut your families risk for toxic chemicals, and also how to help the environment by choosing the proper products. For example, it is eco-friendly to get the highest percentage of post consumer content toilet paper you can find and without chlorine processing. Also, the average American uses 9 products a day which is about 120 chemicals spread among them. These are things I never would have thought about. Hope you enjoy the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pCe5KXwO2o

Eye Opener: CSPI

2009-10-12T08:24:00.000-05:00

CSPI, which stands for the Center for Science in the Public Interest is something I was not aware of until just now. The organization focuses on nutrition and health, the alchol policy, and food safety. I decided to Tour the Food Supply and found some shocking statistics.

I learned that in 2002 alone 140 million cattle, sheep, and pigs were slaughtered in the United States and 9 billion chickens and turkeys were killed. Statistics from http://www.cspinet.org/EatingGreen/tour.html show that this converts to 30 birds for every American. I also learned that diets rich in Dairy products and meat products have a greater obesity rate because it can make you have high blood pressure, an increase risk of having type 2 diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

A very shocking thing I found was that there are over 1,000 Americans that die each year from food bourne illnesses.Also, less than one quarter of americans eat the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables.

Another interesting statistic I found is that foods such as hamburgers, egg yolks, whole milk, and other fatty meat and dairy products can lead to some types of cancer and then saturated fats and cholesterol in these products 50,000 to 75,000 fatal heart attacks annually.

These are all shocking statistics I was unaware about. I am glad I am more educated on these topics and will continue looking at this page in my spare time. I realize it is important to "eat green". Organic foods can be pretty spendy, but I realize I should cut down on some meets. I learned how much the U.S. food supply is hurting our country and I feel it is an issue more people should be aware of.

Reflections week 3 and 4

2009-10-08T21:25:00.003-05:00

Week 3

I am finally starting to get the hang of blogging, just like Dr. V said we would. I have been having a lot of fun with it and I have been learning a lot of exciting things! We did not have class the third week of school. Instead we set up a 15 minute appointment with Steve, which was extremely helpful! Meeting with him made me feel on track and more comfortable about the work I was doing. He told me things I needed to work on such as the labels and following everyone in class. I am really happy with my blog so far :).

Week 4

We started out with a fun game that had to do with questions about blogging. I thought this was the perfect game because this way I could test my knowledge. I felt really comfortable with about 95% of the questions, which made me feel relieved. I got an easy question and had to answer if it was true or false to always comment on Dr. V's posts. This is true, you should always comment on her posts, along with your group members to give them feedback. We all got a prize for answering the question correctly. I, of course, got tampons. I thought that was really funny because I was not expecting that at all :P.

After the game, we watched a movie called, "The Inconvenient Truth". This movie definitely opened my eyes and made me realize how big of a problem global warming is. The video featured the United States 45th Vice President, Al Gore , speaking out about how global warming does in fact exist and how big of an impact is will have on our planet.

I did not realize how serious global warming was until I saw the Inconvenient Truth. Seeing the pictures of how the planet was years ago, and seeing how the same places have drastically changed is very scary to me. It has already affected a lot land, and also animals such as polar bears. Polar bears have been drowning because there is not enough ice for them to swim to. This movie made me realize even more how important it is to help out the environment as much as we possible. They say global warming may not effect us in our lifetime, but the truth is, it already has and it will continue to worsen for our children and grandchildren if we don't change our bad habits.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Chnage Week: 1 My SMART Goal

2009-10-07T13:00:00.013-05:00

My SMART lifestyle change goal is to give up drinking pop and start drinking 3 glasses of water a day in a re-usable water bottle. This lifesyle change is eco-chic because I will stop throwing away several plastic bottles per week, which I feel is great for the environment.

I chose to start using a re-usable water bottle because i started drinking way too much pop and not enough water, causing myself to become dehydrated often. By giving up pop I will hopefully feel more healthy, and also I will be doing the environment a favor by not throwing away multiple bottles per week.

I am very excited to start this process because I have wanted a reason to give up drinking pop. Now, I can help myself and the environment at the same tim. :)

Eye Opener: Ecological Footprints

2009-10-04T21:55:00.005-05:00

Before reading about Ecological footprints, I was not sure what it was. I went to wikipedia's ecological footprints and read what it was and found it to be very interesting. I learned that Ecological Footprints is a measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystem. According to, http://www.rprogress.org/ecological_footprint/footprint_FAQs.htm the Ecological Footprint measures the amount of natural resources an individual, a community, or a country consumes in a given year. Each person living on this planet has a huge impact on how this earth is today.

I took a quiz and thought it was extremely interesting. It asked me what country I lived in, how much meat I ate a week, what kind of house I lived in, how often I use my car and do I carpool, and how often do I fly each year. At the end, the results told me that if everyone lived a lifestyle like mine, we would need 5.4 planet earths to provide enough resources. This was a huge eye opener for me. I realized I should be more cautious to my everyday lifestyle choices such as what I eat and how much I drive.

After being in Environmental Health for a couple weeks I have already started to change some of my daily routines I felt I should change because of the environment. This quiz really made me realize its not just about recycling, its about driving, eating, flying, living in a house.

The Food Revolution

2009-10-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

The book I chose is called, "The Food Revolution" by John Robbins. This book is about acknowledging there is a problem with global warming, people with little to eat, and innocent animals being killed. Robbin's wants to inform people there are solutions and we can help. He has disturbing, however, true facts about slaughtering animals. After reading Robbins book, he wants people to be more aware of real situations we may have never thought of and he hopes people will change their ways so we can help save our planet.

I chose this book because it had topics I have been wanting to learn about. I have been wanting to eat more healthy and learn about organic foods.

About The Author, John Robbins
Book Review
Book Review #2
"The Food Revolution" book has 340 pages. I plan to divide it into 4 parts so I will read 85 pages for each assignment.

This book seems very interesting and I am excited to start reading! :)

Reflections week 1 and 2

2009-09-24T11:31:00.002-05:00

The first day of class was a lot of fun for me. I hadn't really heard how Environmental Health was from other students, so I wasn't very sure what to expect. The first activity we did with the rope was fun, and also an eye opener. When Dr. V kept removing the ropes and we all had to fit into one with both feet in the circle I wasn't sure how it would be done. This activity taught us to work as a team to come up with a sollution. The rope activity also taught us to always go into new experiences with an open mind to see what the different possibilities are. After the rope activity we worked on blogging, which, I am completely new to. It was cool to make my own blog and put whatever I want on it. Blogging seems a bit overwhelming right now, but I'm excited to see all the different options:). Week 2 started the class off with a few quotes. Dr. V. asked us what we thought the meaning of each one was. It was fun to hear what everyone said because this showed there are a bunch of different ways to interperet things. Each quote can be short and simple, but it can also be deep at the same time. We also talked about how the government relates to the environment. After watching a movie about global warming I was really shocked to learn that the government does not tell us some very important information. Global warming is becomming an even bigger issue, however, they arent telling us what they know about it. After the discussions we had a verrry good snack that keith brought in! His specialty, chocolate covered pretzels will definitely be tough to beat! After the snack, we learned more about blogging. I feel that I am starting to get the hang of it (slowly). I feel that it is really overwhelming, but once I get it done it seems fun!

2009-09-24T10:05:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Carrie's Environment

2009-09-21T16:32:00.022-05:00

Welcome to Carrie's Environment!

My name is Carrie Jones. I am a Junior at UMD with a Community Health major and a Psychology minor. I love to work out, hang out with family and friends, travel, and cruise around the lake. This is the second blog I have ever made, so I am still new to blogs. I have already learned a lot of new and exciting things. My blog is going to be about tdifferent things we can do to help the environment such as recycling everything that needs to be recycled, car pool, and use the reusable bags for the grocery store. My main goal is to start drinking a lot more water so I am going to buy a reusable water bottle instead of throwing the plastic ones away every day. :)

There are 6 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:

Advocacy Project
Eye Openers
Reflections
Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change
Read 'n' Seed
Share and Voice

If you notice at the bottom of this post, the categories will be listed as labels. This post is has been labeled with all five kinds of posts.

       1.Carrie http://carriesenviornment.blogspot.com/
       2. Kayla http://kaylasgreenland.blogspot.com/
       3. Danielle S http://daniellesdandyenvironment.blogspot.com/
       4. Rita http://ritasrealm.blogspot.com/

You can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscribe gadget in the gadget column. You can also follow my blog by clicking "Follow this Blog" in the gadget column. I am subscribed to all the blogs in my blog list gadget. You can see my complete profile and all the blogs I am following by clicking on "See Complete

I plan on learning a lot in Environmental Studies and I Know that my "bad habbits" will start to change very quickly and I will try to educate my friends, family, and other peers on what I can to help change the environment.

Blogged for the Welcome Linky Party hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

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