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.

Share & Voice: Tapping the Earth's Heat

I was searching up topics on the National Geographic website and came across an article on Geothermal Energy. It is energy that can be extracted from under the Earth's crust. The reservoirs of hot water and steam can be used to heat buildings and homes! I think it's amazing how many different ways there are to produce energy, but we're still so reliant on oil even though it is so hazardous to the environment. If you want to read on this, here is the link!!!

Geothermal Energy

Read 'n' Seed 5: 4th quarter & Final Review of "Harvest for Hope"

1. I read chapters 15-19, pages 218-286
2. Some of the topics it covered was obesity/fast food chains, wasting of water
3. I learned a new term "hotel families,"which was more of a made-up slang term rather than an actual definition. However, it refers to families that live in the same home but rarely talk, spend time or eat a meal together. This has to do with the fact that making time to eat healthy meals together has decreased significantly, which has contributed to fast food and unhealthy meals. Kids are also being deprived of being offered nutritious meals at schools, with fast food being offered in its place. Luckily, some schools in California created a program called Edible Schoolyard, which gives credit to students for taking a class that teaches them how to prepared nutritious meals, and how and where the food initially comes from. Surprisingly there is a HIGH rate of kids that do not even know that vegetables are grown in the ground. 
The epidemic of obesity has traces back in history. In medieval days, wealthy Monks stuffed themselves to the point of obesity. Even animals are programmed to overindulge in food if given the opportunity. It is instinct to fill up on food, since many may not be eating for a few days depending on the food availability. Now, advertising larger and larger portions have been directed at humans at cheap prices. 
Along with over-consumption, we also deal with the issue of wasting what we have. According to the World Resources Institute, "a person living in an industrialized country consumes, on average, twice as much grain, three times as much meat, 9 times as much paper, and 11 times as much gasoline as someone in a developing country." Water is also a resource that we waste. We use large quantities to crop corn and soy, which in turn feed the cattle in factory farms. We deplete our aquifers, and the number of dams and reservoirs have decreased. 
4. What we CAN do to stop this wastefulness is to start asking for smaller portions, or compost the excess food that we do not eat. Some use vermiculture , which is using worms to compost for you. We can stop our over-usage of water by watering gardens after the hottest part of the day, and by making sure the use of ice is not abused. Overall, there are many things we can do to stop this unhealthy revolution and waste.


SUMMARY
1. Overall, this book covered a vast range of topics. From organic farming, genetically modified crops and use of hormones in animal products, to the obesity epidemic, water waste and use of fossil fuels.
2. The 3 most significant things that I learned from reading this book, probably would have to be: 

• every organic product that you purchase makes a difference--it is one more step towards our markets selling more locally.
• we need to significantly reduce the amount of resources that we use. Rainforests and other natural land is being destroyed at a rapid pace
• the food that is normally sold in markets has traveled many miles and wasted fossil fuel getting there.

3. All of which was mentioned in this book pertains to me. Everything that goes on, regardless of how close, affects other parts of the world. By becoming more informed on these issues, I can start to do my part in trying to change them. Knowledge and voice are the key, and in order for change to occur i need to start thinking of the outcomes and how I am apart of it.
4. Yes, I would recommend this book. Though it touched topics that many already have heard about, it goes into detail and stories that make you think of the issues in different ways. It is easy to read and understand, and gives recommendations of how you can do your part.

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

I decided to check out what my Burt's Bees honey lip balm was made of. It turns out that it is considered a number 3 hazard level item, which is moderate. Ingredients included have been linked to allergic reactions and immunotoxicity The flavor and Lanolin are the ingredients have the biggest hazard level. Overall, my lip balm does not seem to be very harmful. It is a pretty natural item, and I plan on continuing to use it.