Reflection: Weeks 15 and 16

Image from http://www.junkmarketstyle.com/

Week 15

We had the pleasure of having a guest speaker come into class on Tuesday. Her name is Sue Whitney. She presented to our class different ways we can turn "junk" into a new form of use, like making it into a candle holder or a lamp fixture for some thing that was going to get trashed can now be used for something. She talked about a sink she has that cost $200.00 to be installed that if were bought new would be around $12,000.00 as it is an old antique style sink. That was a most impressive idea about "junking" the ability to save money. And my most favorite part of the day was getting to eat Subway. The cookies they had were sooooo good.

For an asignment we did an Advocacy project: Online Environmental Learning Activity. What my subject was to cover Urban Sprawl. I had everyone read articles from sprawlcity.org, and then take a 6 question test on what they learned using the website quizyourfriends.com.

For Thursday we went outside and had a class discussion on how the semester went. Each person in class got to speak their mind on what they liked, or didn't like. We all seemed to agree that the blogging component of the class was a great feature once you get used to how it works.

Week 16

This is finals week, and for our last assignment in this class we did an Eye Opener blog that gives an overview about each web group member's Online Environmental Learning Activity and how we did on their quiz, or what we did on their teaching game. It was a very fun week for me this week as I got done with all of my classes on Monday. So, I get to workout everyday this week and make money working 6 hours a day which is double what I usually work during the semester. It is finally here I can say that I have completed my undergraduate degree as a Health Educator. Bye everybody...you might see me if you visit San Diego, CA assuming I get a job ther, but that is my number one place of interest to move to.

Thanks everybody for reading my blog.

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

DP- Keepin it Green
Clean Water Activity
With this acitivity we were to read through his educational resources from the Environmental Protection Agency on Safewater, and Needs Factsheet.

I scored an 60% on this test, it is one I should read up on as it could help us til the year 2030.


Going Green With Jayme
Air Quality Index
This had a series of questions aimed for youth to answer based on when can they play outside based on a color chart that represents levels of safe environmental air to breathe.

My score on this activity was an 85%.

Sara Loves Health
Kids Health Activity
With this activity we were to go to a website with an interactive feature aimed for a child. The section we are instructed to go to is the "movies and games" section which has quizzes for us to take. Her topic for the advocacy project was health and so this activity follows that by having us go to http://kidshealth.org.

I learned a lot with my doiing the "Time for Bed" quiz which teaches and quizes you on how many hours of sleep humans need, and various animals need per day.

Share and Voice: Our Earth Website

From their website in the "About Us" section

"OurEarth.org, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit environmental organization based in Baltimore, Maryland. The organization was founded in 2006 by several recent graduates of Johns Hopkins University and today, OurEarth.org is led by an all-volunteer team of graduate and medical students as well as environmental experts and leaders from around the country."


Topics they cover are listed below

Topic: Recycling

Sub-section:
Curbside and local programs
National Programs
Recycling News
Special Collection Events

Topic: Energy

Sub-section:
Local Rebate Programs
Energy Efficient Devices
Federal Tax Credits
Energy News

Topic: Water

Sub-Section:
Home Conservation Guide
Water-Efficient Products
Pollution News


There is also a Green Tips guide with a top ten easy ways to be green

Some tips I liked are numbers 8 through 10.

8. Computer Power Management
9. Properlay Dispose of Hazordous Waste
10. Fresh, Local, Organic foods


Check this website out for your self to get some clarification on ways to be more environmentally friendly.

My Quiz from QuizYourFriends.com

Urban Sprawl 1) Current political leadership across the country has primarily allowed... Low-density population, auto-dependant housing developments. Medium-denseity population, non-auto dependant housing developments. High-density population, non-dependant on automobiles new housing developments.

Powered By: QUIZYOURFRIENDS.com Make A Quiz - Take This Quiz - View Scoreboard

Advocacy Project: Online Learning Activity

title: Urban Sprawl- How does it affect you?

Instructions: Take a look at facts from the "Take Action" section of http://www.sprawlcity.org/



The questions will refer to sub-sections of the Take Action area of study. They are the "Getting Started" pdf file, and the "Shaping Decisions" pdf file. (I shoud note that this author is from Canada and his lobbying notes are based on the Canadian parliment).


Once you have read these links take the quiz I have posted from quizyourfriends.com

***This is an important topic because it effects many of the large cities that are growing so big that they are big contributors to air pollution from being dependant on automoblies. Spreading cities take up land that is quickly depleting animals' resources and natural habitat.

Reflection weeks 13 and 14

We have only two weeks left in the semester as I write this on April 30, 2009. My finals week is basically next week with all of the presentations I have to do and projects to turn in. Finals week leaves me with one test and then will have to kill time in Duluth unitil May 16 for commencment ceremony.



What Week 13 has to offer

We started off the week with watching a video called "Story of Stuff". The video will explain where the stuff we throw away comes from and goes after we use it and throw it away. Quotes I like from the video.
"We are running out of limits, we are running out of stuff (natural materials)."
"Less than 4% of the USA's original forestry is still intact."
"If everyone consumed at the US rates we would need 4 to 5 planets to give everyone the things they need and waste."

The video gives a 20 minute explanation of how we are creating toxic substances and taking up resources at an amazing fast rate, and not replacing the resources. So, the earth will not be able to sustain itself as we are taking more than it can give without losing something like animal species for example.

Now Thursday's event was to go to Bagley Nature area. We were instructed by two Outdoor Education majors on how to navigate through the woods using a compase and destination points. We also learned how to "leap frog". What this means is that you find the point at which you need to travel and then send your partner ahead of you and tell them to go in the direction the compase is pointing. You find you main focus point and tell them to stop, then you count the paces they went by walking up to them. Note: a pace is two full steps. My group was Jayme, Randy, and Abbey. We all did exceptionally well at our compase skills.

I also should note the Advocacy Project we did which was "Issue Overview". We took from our last assignment and expanded on it. The bill and its issue were to be discussed and explained in full detail. This was a very important task to do to lead up to week 14's advocacy project assignment "Write a letter to an official".

What Week 14 has to offer

I would first like to start off by talking about the advocacy assignment of writing a letter to your public government official or letter to an editor. This was a very fun assignment for me as I could really see myself doing this in the near future. It makes me feel very American to do something like this. My letter was about urging my state senator to write a bill that stops Urban Sprawl an issue not really talked about. This issue could help keep the cost of living down by keeping the city more condensed which will mean less dependence on your cars for travel. We can walk to the grocery store rather than having to drive over 3 miles to get to one. Traffic will go down by living and working in the same general area. It is a very real concern of mine.

The next part of week 14 I would like to talk about is the guest speaker we had. The guest is apart of the masters program here at UMD with Environmental Health and Safety Master's Program. The guest told us about his experience as a Sustainablity work. This means that he finds ways to educate the public about how to keep wastes down and other ways on how to be more energy and waste efficient to save the environment.

On Thursday we were able to have some un-ordinary fun by participating in a "Junk Competition". We got together in our web groups and had to come up with interesting ways we can re-use a piece of junk. With the items being a glass jar (Fish Bowl), yellow plastic thing (bicylce basket), cup cake metal molds (wind chims pieces, or nut holder for a party), metal rack (Back scratcher), and an old sprinkler (pizza try holder). I believe these ideas won them all and blew all the other web groups away.

Now we wait for the end of the semseter and my college undergraduate career will soon be over. Hurray for May 16, please come as fast as possible.

Share and Voice: Ecological Solutions

Here is my website I found called Ecological Solutions.

It is a company that helps arcitetcs create "Green" certified buildings.


From their website

If your goal is to earn LEED certification for your project, or simply to reduce your building’s overall operating costs and environmental impact, EcoLogical Building Solutions has the glass, coatings and paint products you need, all from a proven, innovative company you can trust.
USGBC LEED Program
United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program is a voluntary market-driven building rating system designed to accelerate the development and implementation of green building practices.
PPG manufacturers a variety of Glass, Paint & Coating Products that can help architects earn LEED certification credits for their projects.
Information on LEED can be found on PPG’s web-site and at the USGBC web-site: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19