Reflections: Weeks 9-12

This quarter, like the ones before, has opened my eyes to a lot of issues that are currently detrimental to our world.

WEEK 9
This week, we started our Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change SMART goals. My goal was to spend at least 50% of my total bill on organic products at the grocery store.  We also started our advocacy project and looked up who the representatives are in our area. This was really interesting to see how many people are involved in legislature.

WEEK 10
This week in class we watched a documentary called Unnatural Causes. This showcased the issue of social class and it's effects. This also taught us how to find the root of a problem which will benefit and the advocacy project. For my Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change, I was successful with reaching just above 50% which I was very happy with although it was no easy task.

WEEK 11
The documentary "Story of Stuff" was shown which taught us about the actual cost of making products. It was actually quite shocking and sad. We also did a junking activity in class which taught us how to think outside of the box. I'll use this concept for my junking project in the future to come up with something original. I fell a bit short of my SMART goal for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change but was still pleased with myself for trying. Failing isn't always a complete failure is what it taught me.

WEEK 12
In class, we had a lot of fun reading a story together about junking/reusing items. Then, we came up with our own alternate ending which was pretty comical. We also went over the photo essays we posted to our blogs in class. For mine, I went through the good, the bad, and the ugly environmental aspects of my house. It really showed me what things I need to start changing within my own house before I tackle the rest of the world. It neat to see what everyone else found, too. For my 3rd week of trying out my SMART goal, I did better with spending about 50% of my grocery bill on organic products. I have found that this is becoming easier for me to do which shows me that I have really changed the way I think and look at products. I think I'll continue to buy organic products in the future as well.

CONCLUSION
These last 4 weeks has made me realize what a real difference I can make on my own through advocacy and my own personal goals. Right now, I'm more comfortable acting as an advocate through my family and friends as well as coaching myself to do better. In the future, however, I'd really like to fight for our planet and try to change somethings that really need it. For instance, my small town doesn't have very good means or incentives to recycle and this is something I would be interested in changing. I've really loved this class so far and I'm anxious to see what Dr. V has in store for us for the rest of the semester. I'm also excited to see everyone's junking projects!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

SMART Goal: I will buy organic products to equal at least 50% of my total bill when grocery shopping 1 time per week (Sunday) for the next 10 weeks.

SUCCESSES

This week I met my goal by spending 51% of my bill on organic products. This was an improvement of about 10% from last week so I was really happy about that. I made sure a lot more of my products were organic.

CHALLENGES

Since I wanted to improve from last week, I tired to buy a few more things to reach my goal. I bought a couple of things that I wouldn't normally buy. This caused me to spend a little more but it also made me try a few things that I wouldn't normally buy so it was OK in the end.

FEELINGS

I felt better this week having reached my goal and spending a little extra money to try a few more products. Overall, I feel better not contributing to the mass productions of other products and knowing that I am putting good products into my body.

WHAT I LEARNED

This week I learned that spending a little extra money (if you can) on organic and new products is kind of fun and a good way to explore what else you like and don't like. I also noticed that I am able to through the store faster as I am getting more used to the organic products and what to look for.

NEXT WEEK

Since I wasn't able to make it to a new store this week, I might save the last week for the best and go to... drum roll please.... WHOLE FOODS CO-OP!!

Blogged for Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4 Hosted by Amy @ Amy in the Rain

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

The American Home

I took pictures of my family's home documenting the good, the bad, and the ugly environmental habits that my family has.

My family used to buy a lot of bottled water but now we drink the free filtered water from our fridge.

 Since I'm moving home next month, I'm going to start making my family recycle. We do, however, recycle our cans and have for years!

 Sometimes, I can regretfully say that I forget to dust my room which can be very unhealthy. I have started to do it more often now though since we have this new Norwex mitt that makes dusting really easy and is chemical free.

Instead of using dryer sheets, we use these anti-cling dryer balls that roll around in your clothes. They are environmentally safe and much better for you with no chemicals.

I read in my Read 'n' Seed book that it is unsafe to store your chemicals (not that they should be used at all) under the sink. This is something that I am going to get my family to change once I move back home.

My family also uses a lot of plastic bags. We are really good about reusing them but we still have too many. I plan to get my family some canvas bags for Christmas that they can use instead.

This was a really fun project to do as it really made me think about some of the things I can change in my own home. I assume that most people's houses are much like this and I thought this would be a good way to point out some things that can be changed rather easily. If these changes were made, it could lead to a big impact if everyone were to make them. It could lead to a much healthier planet.

Share and Voice: Great Lakes Science Center Wind Turbine

I was in Ohio this week for Thanksgiving break and spent one of the days in Cleveland. This is the wind turbine that is set in front of the Great Lakes Science Center. It is also by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Brown's Stadium. According to the website, the wind turbine provides about 7% of the science centers annual energy usage. Although it doesn't provide a substantial amount of energy for the facility, it does help. It is also useful in promoting renewable energy in the city and even acts as a sun dial. As well as using the wind turbine, the facility also has several solar panels. I thought this was really interesting and neat to see a facility so proactive on the topic. It definitely stands out and is easily noticed!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

SMART Goal: I will buy organic products to equal at least 50% of my total bill when grocery shopping 1 time per week (Sunday) for the next 10 weeks.

The second with of the lifestyle change didn't turn out quite as successfully as the first week. I spent $7.53 on organic products out of the $18.93 total spent. This accounted for 41% of the spending.

SUCCESSES

This week, even though I didn't meet my goal of spending 50% of my total grocery bill on organic products, I still feel that I was somewhat successful. This is because a) I was relatively close to reaching my goal and b) the organic products I bought were produce items, which I feel, are the best items to buy organically. Like week one, I spent a lot of time looking at different items and ingredients and thinking about how I would spend my money without going over a budget.

CHALLENGES

Some of the same challenges I faced were the price of organic products. There were somethings I was not prepared to budge on in changing to buy organic products because of this. I focused on buying what I felt like were the most important items to buy organically like produce. These seem to be most reasonably priced compared to other products like cereal, milk, and soup.

FEELINGS

For the first two weeks of this process, I have noticed some changes in my emotions when I'm eating. When I'm eating organic foods, I feel a sense of pride that I am fueling my body with the best foods possible. It has also inspired me to take action in other areas such as recycling and getting my family involved in environmental acts as well.

WHAT I LEARNED

This week, I learned that just because you don't make your intended goal doesn't mean that you failed. I still feel accomplished and have confidence that I will be able to achieve my goal in the future.  I've also learned what foods are a priority to buy organically than others.

 NEXT WEEK

Next week, I will try to buy other unique and new organic items that I haven't tried before. I will also try another store to continue to compare prices of other facilities to find a place that has the best deal.

http://amyintherain.blogspot.com/2010/11/keep-that-eco-chicness-going-over.html

Share and Voice: How to Go Green



I was searching the Internet looking for ways to "go green" and I came across this website. Treehugger gives examples for several situations in which you can go green such as: funerals, spring break, wedding, and even drinking beer! I thought this was a very informational and humorous site because I never thought of these situations as ones you can make more green. I think you should all check the website out and let me know what you think! Hopefully you'll get some good ideas from it.

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction

·         What is the issue/problem? The problem is that too many people in the workplace are showing higher blood levels of lead than is thought to be healthy. This is due to a lack of precautions taken by both the employee and the workplace stemming from a potential need for knowledge on the subject.

·         What current legislation has been proposed to address this? (Identify bill # and name) H.RES.375 Supporting the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day in order to honor and remember the workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace. This bill was written to not only honor those workers killed or injured in the workplace but to use the day for promotion and awareness of workplace hazards.

Who is affected by the issue?

·         Who is affected the most? Those most affected would be the employees of the workplaces that use lead on a regular basis. The employer/companies are also affected when the employees are unable to work due to health complications caused by the lead blood levels.

·         Who loses, and what do they lose? The employee and company both lose in this situation ultimately.

·         Who gains, and what do they gain?  In this situation, it doesn’t seem as if anyone gains from this issue. The only thing I can think of is that the companies may gain from using lead in their production of products as opposed to alternate materials for various reasons.

What are the consequences of the issue?

·         For the individuals mostly affected? Those who have higher levels of lead in their blood are more likely to develop certain diseases and disorders. Because of this, it is also more likely that their ability work remain in the workforce will be diminished.

·         For their families? If the working employee is unable to work due to a condition that has developed from lead exposure, this could place much strain on the family. This includes various aspects: economic, social status, ability to interact in the public and within the household, etc.

What is the economic impact of the issue?

·         What are the economic costs of the issue, and who bears these costs? The economic costs of this would affect the companies. This is through the loss of employees which means less production and also includes more payouts for health insurance. The employees would also suffer because they would not be able to work as much which would cause them to bring in less money to their families.

·         What are the economic benefits of the issue, and who benefits? I don’t see any economic benefits of the issue. The only possible benefit is the company income from using lead to produce their products.

What is the social impact of the issue?

·         What are the social costs of the issue, and who bears these costs? Those who are working in places with high potential exposure to lead are likely more towards the lower social status end of the spectrum.

·         What are the social benefits of the issue, and who benefits? I do not believe there are any social benefits of the issue except for that those who are not directly affected by this may not notice the problem. This is likely those who are the people that run the companies.

What are the barriers?

·         What are the barriers to addressing this issue? The amount of these incidents may not be because of the lack of knowledge but could simply be the lack of compliance. Also, it is hard to ensure that each employee takes personal responsibility to protect himself/herself when working with a potentially dangerous material.

·         How can they be overcome? This can be overcome by essentially attacking this from every direction: education, mandating regulations within the workplace, etc.

What are the resources?

·         What resources will we need to address this issue? Such safety organizations as NIOSH and OSHA can be used to educate companies about how to reduce the risk of getting high blood levels of lead. They can also enforce regulations and teach companies how to enforce them on their own in order to benefit everyone in the scenario. The legislation can also be used to encourage the backing of bills that promote work safety.

·         Where and how can they be tapped?  I can find much of this information for the organizations and my local representatives online. I can contact them by phone, email, or writing a letter. I actually found a webpage by CDC about who to contact in my state about this issue which I thought was pretty neat and will prove to be beneficial in the future.

What is the history of this issue?

In the 1990’s, surveillance was conducted in Minnesota to monitor the amount of cases that were filed. With the implementation of a program, the prevalence went down.

Allies & Opponents

·         Who would support this issue? Employees, companies, and others involved would likely support this issue.

·         Who would oppose this issue? The companies may oppose since they may not want to put the effort, time, and money into preventing lead poisoning in the workplace. This may also imply that the companies would have to monitor the amount of exposure an individual gets to lead.

·         How can you involve allies and opponents in advocacy efforts? (What common ground can you share? How can you create a win-win for your allies and your opponents?) Making companies aware of the overall benefits that it would have, including its employees, would help get them motivated to support this issue. They would have better production, pay less in health insurance, and have fewer turnovers with employees. The employees would also benefit by staying healthy and staying in the workforce to support their family. They should know that they deserve to be protected when working with dangerous materials.

Your Recommendation

·         How do you want policy-makers to vote on this proposed policy? I think policy-makers should vote yes to making a change to decrease the prevalence of lead poisoning from the workplace.