Reflection: Weeks 9 & 10

Week 9

This week we started the advocacy section of the course. By finding our political representatives, it made us aware of the hierarchy above us here in the state of Minnesota. We also incorporated how it related to our profession to be aware of our reps. It was also week 6 of our lifestyle change and the 3rd quarter of our read n seed.

 Week 10

This week we watched the video "Unnatural Causes ". We also talked about our next blog post dealing with the issues for the Healthy People 2010 goal that we chose. I chose to focus on an issue dealing with water quality and the Great Lakes. We also got a small overview of the upcoming photo essay assignment, which I am looking forward to. It was also week 7 of our lifestyle change.

Learned about myself...

This week I learned that I should be more aware of our political reps. They are the ones we implemented to make choices about things such as our environment and we should be aware of who these people are and how we can contact them to give them our feedback. They have reps for each district for that reason exactly. 

Learned about the environment...

About the environment I learned how much it is intertwined with politics. I don't think we correlate the two together very much when we definitely should. 

Learned about blogging...

I learned some interesting things about blogging this week. Not only was I reminded of plagiarism in blogging, but I also learned how you can really work anything into our blog. It is fun to think it is a place to write absolutely anything that comes to your mind and speak freely about it.

The semester is flying by! Happy weekend!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week : Weekly Update

Week 7!

MY SMART GOAL

My SMART goal was to take 3 minute showers everyday, except on days when I have to shave, in which case I will allow myself 7 minutes.

SUCCESSES & CHALLENGES

Again, I had a pretty successful week. We seem to have a few shower 'issues' at my house, or rather, the water system of the house isn't efficient. I experienced some scalding experiences this week where I was just enjoying my shower and the water temperature rose significantly and burnt my back. It didn't take me long to realize the cause was from the running washing machine. We concluded that no other 'water-user' can be on while someone is in the shower because it will either burn us or turn us to ice. Not a fun realization. Figuring out this problem was a success, but anytime it affects you in the shower, definitely a challenge!! :)

 FEELINGS

I feel very proud of myself when reflecting on this behavior change. I have been doing it for so long now it is more of a habit than a task, and I have been encouraging people around me to be aware of their shower time as well. It gives me a sense of accomplishment to know that I am the reason others are being  more eco-chic!

WHAT I LEARNED..

I learned the valuable water resource lesson. It was almost nature's way of punishing us for using too much water at one time by burning or freezing us in the shower. It's kind of funny to think that nature gets us back with a little karma when we overuse our resources.

PLANS FOR NEXT WEEK

My plan for next week.. to keep it up! Again, I am very proud of myself for making this a habit instead of a burden and if I am going to change anything it will be that I have to tell at least 10 people about my eco-chic change and challenge them to work on their shower time as well.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 7 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy

Share and Voice: Superstar Blogger!!

I received this award from Danielle for my quality format and content for my blog post Share and Voice: Eco-Chic Hotel. 

 

 

I will be now passing this Award onto Karly for her Share and Voice: Keep Tahoe Blue. This blog post was especially interesting to me because I like to travel and be involved in environmentally-friendly things while doing so! The pictures were gorgeous and I liked how the Tahoe residents have taken a stand in keeping the lake blue before it is too late. Great pictures and overall very eye-appealing post! Good job Karly!

Award Instructions for the Award Winner(s)

1. Leave a comment below so that I know you "picked up" the award.
   
2. Within 1 week, create a Share and Voice post that says you've received the award and indicate who the award is from (be sure to hyperlink).
3. Also indicate to whom you are going to pass on the award and why. Be sure to hyperlink the blogger (use main blog URL) and the blog title (use the specific URL for that blog post).
4. Copy and paste these instructions at the bottom of your post. Be sure to include the Award in the post as well!
   
5. Publish the post.
6. Visit each blogger you've awarded and leave a comment telling them they've won.
7. Continue the process...

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

The Healthy People 2010 goal I chose to follow was...

8-5 Safe Drinking Water in Community Water Systems

The whole point of this goal was to take the 84 percent of people in 1995 that currently received drinking water that meets the regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act and raise that to 95 percent. From the Progress Quotient Chart, I was able to see that 55% of the target was already at the level of drinking water suggested by the year 2003, bringing the percentage of people that had it up to 90%. Other steps were also being taken over this time period around the beaches. This was to monitor the beaches and regulate what was going into them and being taken out. The government also submits questionnaires to those who own land where a beach is on and asks them how they maintain it and if they ever shut it down for a period of time during the year.

Since these programs that monitor beach sites are inconsistent with each area, the EPA has made grants available to those who meet the performance criterion. The EPA hopes that these grants will eliminate all the inconsistency that goes along with beach up-keep.

H.R.54 : Great Lakes Water Protection Act

Title: To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a deadline for restricting sewage dumping into the Great Lakes and to fund programs and activities for improving wastewater discharges into the Great Lakes.

Sponsor: Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] (introduced 1/6/2009) Cosponsor: Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] - 1/6/2009

Latest Major Action: 1/6/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Recommendation: Vote Yes for H.R. 54 Great Lakes Water Protection Act

My political representative:  Representative Tim Walz, (1st - DFL)