Reflection: Weeks 5-8

Already halfway over with this semester, it's amazing how quickly each Monday comes!! The last few weeks we've been watching a lot of movies, we've learned about junking, and we learned  how to add/make our own header for our blog pages (which I really enjoyed since I love playing around on Picnik). The movies covered topics such as genetically modified crops, animal factory farms, water and the effects of the plastic companies etc.
The movie that stuck out to me the most was "Fresh." It told a story of an organization called Growing Power, with a man that owned a greenhouse where all of the plants were grown organically and from his own compost filled with worms that produced nutrient-rich soil. It talks about how food that is made in such a way is so much more nutritious and tasty, while the other genetically modified crops end up losing much of the needed nutrient content. I thought it was so inspirational to see some of those farmers put so much care and work into their crops, and to share the movement with others. It also went into the scene of a farmer that raises his cattle and animals the natural way. The land and animals give back to each other, and that is the way it's meant to be. It is so wrong to see how they raise animals in factory farms. It is unnatural and the conditions are abusive.
I also thought that learning about "junking" was awesome. I've never heard about the term before, and now when I see all of the creativity that some people put into recycling and reusing items, it makes me inspired to do more of that myself. I'm excited for our junking project!

Share & Voice: Electronic recycling

Upon reading the Sunday newspaper, I found a little flyer called The Waste Paper. It pertains to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, and includes tips and information on our sanitary system around our area. I found an article named Electronics Recycling and it urges everyone to recycle any unwanted electronics such as video players, TVs, monitors, computers and other small electronics like phones, mp3 players and digital cameras. Electronics contain materials that are hazardous to humans and the environment, and there is actually a law that requires that they be recycled. You can recycle them at the WLSSD Materials Recovery Center. Start cleaning out your closets you pack-rats, and start recycling!

Eye Opener: Junk on The Brain

antiques/antiquing : a shopping activity (Kindred Closet, 2818 Piedmont Ave #2, 218-722-2115)
junk/junking: discarded material such as glass, rags, paper or metal, some of which may be reused in some form. (Chesney Auto Salvage, 6250 Beaver River Rd. 800-826-2941)
flea market: a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered (Studebaker Drivers Club, 2101 Trinity Rd)
thrift shop: a shop that sells used articles, especially clothing, as to benefit a charitable organization.  (Good Will, 700 Garfield Ave #1, 218-722-6351)
upcycling: the process of converting waste material or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value ( I could not find a local resource for upcycling)
resale: the act of selling something secondhand (Dannie Duluth consignment, 932 E. 4th St., 218-724-8507)

All of these terms have to do with recycling or reusing items. This way, they all have to do with environmental health because people don't have to go out and buy brand new items that contribute to pollution and other hazardous outcomes.

I shop at thrift shops a lot, and it's great to know that the money goes towards a charitable organization. I hate spending money on new clothes that are so expensive, when you can just buy gently used clothes from a thrift shop.

PART 3

I thought this junk frame was a cool idea. It's an old window with twine wrapped around it. It gives it a rustic look, and is very simple to make.

I really like this candle box. It's a simple wood frame, but by adding the candle and the rocks that it rests in, it really spices it up! This also has a rustic touch, which I'm really into. It looks like something that could be used indoors or outdoors!

These look like some wooden blocks with newspaper pasted over them. You can just look through some old magazines and newspapers and make the blocks say whatever you want! I like doing little crafts and this would be such a quick, artsy project.