Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

1. I chose objective 8-2: Increase use of alternative modes of transportation to reduce motor vehicle emissions and improve the Nation’s air quality. Targets to meet were measured by use of bicycles, walking and transit use. According to the Progress Quotient Chart, we have moved 11% AWAY from the bicycling target, 59% TOWARDS the walking target, and 11% AWAY from the transit target.


2. The walking section (8b) made progress towards its target. However, the bicycling and transit targets were not met. There were no disparities available for objective 8-2. It was found challenging to measure the improvement in outdoor air quality. The FDA and CDC use a market-based approach that encourages newer forms of technology to control pollution. Unfortunately, a few issues make it difficult to accurately measure levels. Extreme weather conditions such as heat waves and hurricanes can alter the annual summary statistic, and not all countries have monitoring stations- so not all populations are accounted for.


3.

 H.R. 3271: Green Routes to Work Act (introduced in House)

Title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve commuting and transportation options.

Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] (introduced 7/21/2009) Cosponsors (16)

Latest Major Action: 7/21/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Recommendation: Vote YES for H.R. 3271: Green Routes to Work Act

My Political Representative: Mike Opat

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1: My SMART Goal

1. I will drink 64 ounces (2 full Nalgene water bottles) of tap water every day, 5 days a week.


2. This goal is eco-chic because I am going to be measuring my water intake with my BPA-free water bottle and I will be drinking tap water, which both reduce the amount of plastic bottles being used and wasted. Not to mention, it is pushing me to consume the daily recommended amount of water needed.


3. I chose this SMART goal because I feel as if I am dehydrated a lot, and am not getting a sufficient amount of water in my diet. Water is essential to life and our state of functioning, and I think it will really benefit me. I think that by carrying my Nalgene with me to school every day, I can reach my goal and will hopefully see results soon. 


 "Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain." 

Share & Voice: egg farming: Industrial VS. organic

I found this video on the CNN website and found it kind of fascinating. It talks about the fact that BOTH industrial and organic eggs have the potential of containing salmonella, merely because chickens pick it up from outside (wildlife, feces) and have that chance of getting infected. I have heard of misconceptions that organic products don't contain such infections, but this video says it how it is.


But what I really was happy to hear, was the very end segment. In California, they plan on forbidding small-cage chicken farms... which could just as well be the start of many other states afterwards. Maybe we WILL see change soon



http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/24/egg.safety.debate/index.html

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

President Barack Obama.Democrat
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Congressperson of the SENATE
Al Franken. Democrat
320 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
Congressperson of the HOUSE
John Kline. Republican 
101 West Burnsville Parkway, Suite 201
Burnsville, MN 55337
Phone: (952) 808-1213
Governor Tim Pawlenty. Republican
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
State Legislator of SENATE
David Hann. Republican
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 
State Office Building, Room 127 
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206 
651.296.1749
State Legislator of HOUSE
Erik Paulsen. Republican
PO Box 44369
Eden Prairie 55344
(952) 934.8999
County Board President
Mike Opat. Democratic

300 S. 6th St.

A2400 Government Center

Minneapolis,  MN  55487-0241

Phone: 612-348-7881

Mayor of Minnetonka

Terry Schneider. Democratic  

15333 Boulder Creek Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55345

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!