Reflection: Weeks 5-8

The past few weeks have informed me of a lot of issues I wasn't really aware of. Specifically, how terrible water bottles are for our environment. I'm not a big bottled water drinker, but I do however drink plenty of bottled sodas and juices. It makes me want to never buy anything bottled in plastic again! Knowing that these bottles aren't all being recycled and are killing animals due to the pollution is very disheartening. Also, I've heard about dangerous chemicals are leaching into our water from these plastics and can cause harmful effects.

In addition, reflecting from the movie "Green", seeing how much the refineries affect the famillies that have no choice in living there, made me feel really selfish. We all complain how high gas is getting and how we want all other products as low as we can get them, but all this comes at a cost. A cost were not paying for. The ones paying for it are the low income families that are developing cancer, asthma and other medical ailments because of these dangerous petrochemicals in the air they breathe. We need to find a way to get past this and fix it, human life is not worth cheap gas or any product for that matter.

On another note, I also found learning how to use Picnik not only fun but quite useful. I've used this program one or twice before a few years ago but I had kind of forgotten about it. Making our own headers for our blogs is just another way to personalize them and make them a little more interesting for other readers. 

From the cosmetic eye opener we did it really opened my eyes to looking into the ingredients in the products I am using. I found that my shampoo and face wash have been correlated with cancer and other diseases.Knowing products I apply directing to my skin, and seeps into my pores, can be so harmful for me makes me want to run home and throw them straight in the trash. I liked how the website gave examples of healthier alternatives.

Share & Voice : Tapped: Taking Action!

After watching the video in class Monday I really wanted to look into what else I could do to help fix this problem. Its hard because were each only one person but if we can get awareness out we can really make a difference. So, I went to the "Tapped" Website, here they have a tab "Take Action." Here they have ideas of how to help. Some include: Buying a reusable bottle, they recommend most is the "klean kanteen. It was one of the very first companies to put BPA free stainless steel bottles out on the market before it was "cool" to do so. Its a family owned corporation and donates 1% of its profits to non-profit organizations, mainly environmental causes. Also, write to your elected officials, buy a water filter, shorten your shower by a few minutes and save 150 gallons of water each month, and many many more. I encourage everyone to take a look at this site.

Eye Opener: Junk On The Brain

PART 1. Using a search engine, define the following terms (be sure to provide links to sites on which you find the information):

• antiques/antiquing: made in or typical of earlier times and valued for its age.
• Allouez Antiques 4101 E 2nd St Superior, WI 715-398-0529 http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Allouez.Antiques.Superior.WI.715-398-0529
• junk/junking: Discarded material, such as glass, rags, paper, or metal, some of which may be reused in some form.
• Pick-n-Pull: 866-302-7678 http://www.picknpull.com/
• f:lea market: an open-air street market for inexpensive or secondhand articles.
• Appleton Darboy Club Flea Market Appleton, WI 414-734-7010 http://www.iantiquesguide.com/staticpages/index.php?page=2004020920323439
• thrift shop: A shop which sells used goods (especially clothes) at low prices. 
• Salvation Army Thriftstore. 1621 Broadway St, Superior -
  (715) 394-5331 www.salvationarmy.org
• upcycling: Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.
• I couldn't find any local upcycling resources.
• resale shop: the act of selling again. 
• Platos Closet 5115 Burning Tree Road Duluth, Minnesota 55811
  (218) 733-9455. http://www.platoscloset.com/

PART 2: Answer the following questions:

1.  These terms are related to environmental health because it is reducing waste by reusing items. Things people want to throw away because they no longer have use for them, can sell them to others who want to use them for something else.
2. I do some of these things. I do admit I'm not big on antiques, but I do rummage sale every so often. My grandma goes every single Friday and knows where all the "good" sales are. She has a whole bedroom devoted to all her finds.

PART 3: Get your junk on!

• Visit JunkMarketStyle.com and find three junk projects that inspire you or that you simply find cool.
•  How to build a pumpkin person: I found this project cool and inspiring because it is just in time (or was) for Halloween. Making your own decorations is a good way to help the environment. 
• Santa Snow Globe: I found this project interesting because it is a good/cheap way to make gifts for family members. Some of my aunts collect snow globes so it would be a gift they would really appreciate. 
•  Simple Monday Floral Arrangement:  This seemed like a good project for me because I love flowers and having simple floral arrangements can be a good gift or even just simple decoration for your own home.