Share & Voice: How to Drink More Water

WATER WATER WATER, have you had your 8 glasses today?! 

Here are some Reasons to Drink Water: 
1. It helps up lose weight-- we often think we're hungry, when in reality we're just thirsty!
2. Lowers  the risk of a heart attack
3. Gives us energy
4. Relieves headaches-- dehydration can cause headaches 
5. Healthy skin
6. Helps with digestive system
7. Can reduce cancer risk of colon and bladder cancer
8. Cleanses body--clears out toxins and wastes
9. Better exercise

I found a website that gives some tips as to how you can succeed in getting your minimum of 8 glasses/day. CHECK IT OUT!

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/9-tips-how-to-drink-more-water-441417/

Read 'n' Seed 3: Second Quarter of "Harvest for Hope"

1. I read chapters 6-10, pages 82-158

2. The beginning chapters continued to cover topics of animal factories, or what some call "animal feeding operations." It describes the diets of cattle and what kind of diseases are spread through poor sanitation techniques. Growth hormones are linked to certain abnormalities in animals and humans. It then tells stories of the Niman Ranch, which has provided foods to chain stories such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. A few topics briefly cover the fish farms and the damage to the ocean and sea wildlife. It ends with describing what a vegetarian can do, and how we can reduce our into of animal products.

3. There were many new, interesting things that I learned, as well as some topics that I have already learned much about. I described earlier that animal factories are also known as "animal feeding operations." What is so wrong, because they are not even called FARMS! It just goes to show that animals that are raised in these factories are not being treated as a farm animal whatsoever, but as objects of profit. Not too long ago, cattle were fed ground up animal parts.. even of their own species!! Luckily this practice has been banned, but the thought of forcing animals to cannibalize so that they gain weight is so wrong. Also, cattle are fed genetically modified corn and soy, which eventually get into our own digestive systems. The dangerous bacterium, E.Coli and other food borne illnesses are spread through excessive amounts of cattle waste and sloppy slaughtering, in which the USDA does little to prevent.
     The growth hormones that they feed farm animals have been linked to buildup in estrogen,  in which some scientists believe explains the reason for early maturation in women, and sperm count reduction in males.
      I learned the new term Bushmeat, which refers to the meat of a terrestrial wild animal killed for commercial uses of subsistence. Some of these animals being chimpanzees, gorillas, guans and songbirds. Many species are becoming extinct because of trade worldwide and mass killings. Other aquatic animals are being killed by vast drift nets, trawling for shrimp, and lines that tear up the ocean reefs and the ocean floor. Aquaculture, or the farming of fish, has also almost wiped out the population of wild salmon. Just like farm animals, they are fed absurd diets and when dead, leak the toxins into the waters that kill off other natural breeds of salmon.

4. All of this affects us directly. The food that we buy from grocery stores that we eventually eat, the mass killings of species that some cultures are so dependent on, the waste that these factory raised animals produce that eventually spread dangerous bacteria and illnesses to humans. Jane Goodall suggests that if some are unwilling to become vegetarians, that they at least do something to stop this ongoing crisis "one thread at a time." By simply telling your local grocer to offer more organic foods, or to put a "genetically modified" label on their products, you are making progress. 

Share & Voice: Save Energy, Save Money!

So I am kind of a freak when it comes to saving energy, specially when I've lived in a house with 5 other students that do not have the same mentality as I do about the issue! And of course, I do anything I can to save money, being a broke college student and all. Soo, I found a website that gives some simple ideas for you to do, that will save energy... if you are trying to move towards a more environmental friendly mindset as well. Take a look through them and you'll be amazed with some of the tips. There are things you never thought you could do, that will benefit you and your next energy bill!
http://www.energy.gov/applianceselectronics.htm

Eye Opener: CSPI

I decided to Take a Tour of the Food Supply. I found it sickening to hear about how factory farms mistreat the animals. It should be against the law to house the animals the way they do. Cramming them in cages, never allowing some to see the light of day and de-beaking chickens without painkillers. It is animal cruelty, I don't understand how they are legal! I also didn't know that the food that is fed to the animals actually contributes to heart disease in humans. The consumption of animal meats, poultry, dairy and egg products are linked to a large sum of deaths. If we all just ate a little less of these products, we could save many animals from inhumane treatment AND it would be saving humans' lives as well. The cost of fertilizing and watering the fields to eventually feed the animals take up a lot of energy that could be used towards other more beneficial projects. 

Reflection: Weeks 1-4

Although all of this posting can tend to get a little excessive, I've actually enjoyed going on the web and searching up new topics to report on about the environment. I'm not usually UP on my news and this class has pushed me to look out there and actually see what's going on in the world, after all.... it IS what is affecting me, right?! 
I briefly learned about blogging when I was in a high school writing class, but technically, Environmental Health has taught me everything new about a blog: how to design the page, how to link the blog to a Gmail account, how to follow other users, how to look up/add gadgets etc. I never knew there were so many different fun links to share with other bloggers. 
The ecological footprint Eye Opener was a cool exercise that made me think a lot about how many resources I actually use. There are many things that I can do to try and reduce my energy consumption, and already I've tried to begin. One little thing that I've been doing, is making sure electronics aren't plugged in if they're not being used.
The class period where we learned about the Bagley Outdoor Classroom was my favorite. Everything from the bird protectors down to the wall panels were sustainable and ecologically friendly. It's amazing how much energy you can save in the long run even with such a smaller establishment. And in the winter, UMD might actually GET payed for their energy--just going to show how efficient the building is. 
I've learned a lot so far from this class, and can't wait to go further into the semester. This is knowledge that is important for everyone to know, because it directly effects them.

Read 'n' Seed 2: First Quarter of "Harvest for Hope"

1. I have read through chapter 5, pages 1-82.
2. There have been many topics covered throughout each chapter. Some of them being: Genetically modified crops and the use of pesticides, the inhumanities of animal factories, the celebration/rituals of certain cultures, the evolutionary characteristics of animals and the necessity of food for survival.
3. I found the topic particularly on Agribusiness to be very interesting. Agribusiness is just a generic term that is used in agriculture, that has to do with the businesses in food production. From the beginning days of farming, farmers would delicately tend to their crops, by allowing great variety and time for the soil to replenish so that each plant received enough nutrients. Now days, this important technique rarely exists, depleting our soil and vegetation from its nutrition in order to grow mass quantities as fast as can be grown.  Also, GM crops have been introduced, with the United States being their top producer. Genetically modified foods have coding that enables crops to become resistant to specific herbicides and pests. But the issue is, is that although there aren't many short term effects-- it is the long term cumulative effect that is of concern!!
4. This is a huge problem for society. GM crops are being spread globally, and it is hard to say how "organic" crops really can be these days. How are we supposed to stop seeds from catching wind and planting in organic fields? Or water run-offs? It is important that we find more data on this issue before releasing it to the world the way it has been-- specially for children, with them being more prone to such changes in diet. It is obviously difficult to know where ALL of your products from a grocery store are coming from, but that is why we need to start addressing this issue out loud. Ask your local grocery store if your produce is GM... if they do not have an adequate answer, you can request that this be done. Everyone can and should have an impact on this issue.