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Week 7: The cosmetic item eye opener surprised me a lot. It made me want to add on to my SMART goal with products I use. I will use that website for the future to see how I can improve myself with being environmentally friendly. The video "Green" made me realize how naive I am to the environment. I didn't know there was an area in our own country that is putting so many pollutants in the air that it is causing diseases and many problems for the population of that area. The title is clever, though, making green sound like being environmentally friendly when really it's about making money. It posed many questions such as are they going to help that population out? Where do the employers live that work for those businesses? Is it only getting worse or have they made some improvements? It is such a scary concept and I couldn't be more appreciative of where I live because it can definitely be worse.
Week 8: I definitely realized a lot when we watched "Thirst." I had no clue water was having issues of becoming privatized, let alone in parts of the US! How can such a huge problem not be more public? It is scary to think about how that will affect me, especially since I will be on my own paying for everything in a few months. I didn't realize how poorer countries are taken advantage with this situation as well. For example, in India Pepsi and Coca-Cola basically use the water that is there naturally and sell it in their marketed water bottles. The bottled water there is more than milk! That absolutely disgusts me and I can't fathom that happening in the US. Just because they don't have the money, doesn't mean we can take their rights and properties away. On the whole, these past two weeks has really made me open up and see how naive I have been to the environment. I am very excited to keep discussing these issues in class so I can deliver these messages to my family and friends!
Now that we are 8 weeks into this class, I have been curious how I could incorporate fitness with environment. Of course I thought too hard about it, and then came across this article and realized the most obvious way; cleaning up litter! This article is on how a guy, Sam Huber, began a movement called "eco-running" and it's simply cleaning up litter, but getting more out of your exercise than just walking (even though you can walk if you choose to).
He has been in featured in many articles and magazines for starting this movement. Huber has implemented his idea to kids through a movement called "Eco-Runner Kids" which is perfect for our society with helping kids understand the importance of being eco-friendly, and also to help them exercise with the increase of obesity rates. I know, personally, that when I have ran outside, there have been multiple pieces of garbage I run by, but have never thought to pick it up. There is a website called "How to Improve Fitness and the Environment by Eco-Walking" and it gives you some tips to help you get started. It's seems simple, but you don't want to be running too long with too much garbage you can't handle. I thought this was a really cool idea and seemed new, but it sounds like places all over the world do similar activities such as an eco-hike. I think this would be a fun activity for our class if it wasn't cold out! There is nothing better than feeling great about exercising, but also feeling great about being environmentally friendly is a win-win!
What and How?
My SMART goal is to use my reusable bags 100% of the time I go to the grocery store or other stores for the next 7 weeks. I will be heading to Walmart tomorrow after work, so I know I need to bring that with me when I leave. Writing this post is helping to remind me again to bring the bags with me. I also added on to my goal, which was to start paying attention to the products I use and start becoming more eco-friendly. Unfortunately, I didn't achieve this part of my goal. It wasn't that I forgot, but I never set aside time to look up my products I'm using and see where I can improve. That I will have to do for next week!
Successes and Challenges...
My success is that I keep remembering to bring my bags with me to go to work tomorrow. I know I'll be going by the Walmart, so I figured I can get my items there instead of the grocery store since I'll be right by it. My challenge was I didn't take time out of my week to look up my products. I devoted too much of my time studying for my test I took Monday, I didn't think about it. That I will definitely aim for for next week.
Feelings...
My feelings I felt this week was that I know I can do both parts of this goal, it just a matter of balancing everything out. With the holiday thrown in there too, it was quite a busy weekend. I feel bad right now I didn't do the second part of my goal like I said I would, but now I know that's my focus for this week.
I learned...
I learned that just because you really want to focus on one thing because it is super important to you, you have to balance out all your projects to make sure they all get done. I'm very much a person that if I say I'll do it or get it done, I will do it and get it done. Not a very positive week for me on the update.
Plans...
My plans for next week are to set a time aside so that I go through my products via the website we used for the eye opener, and see where I need to improve. I will look at my daily schedules and find a time where I can do this. As for the bag part of my goal, I will be sure to bring it with me tomorrow!
Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5 hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy.
DEFINITIONS:
According to Wikipedia, an antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age, rarity, condition, utility, or other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era in human society.
Junk is considered to get rid of as worthless, Merriam Webster defines on his website http://www.merriam-webster.com.
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered claims Wikipedia.
A thrift shop, also known as second-hand shop, charity shop, thrift store, hospice store, and resale shop, is a retail establishment operated by a charitable organization for the purpose of fundraising. Wikipedia defines this phrase.
Wikipedia explains that upcycling involves processing used materials into new products, or the re-use of a product with crippled functionality for alternative purposes, to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production, with the intent of creating a product of higher quality design and artistic value.
On Answers.com, a resale shop is retail store that stocks and sells merchandise on consignment.
MY ANSWERS:
All of the words I defined relate to the environment in some way. Either they are words expressing how to reuse items by restoring them like a flea market, resale shop, upcycling, a thrift shop, or antiques, or explain overuse of items that are unnecessary such as junk. Locally there is an antique store called Canal Park Antique Center which is located at 310 Lake Avenue. Their contact information is 218-525-2596. On 4011 Rehbein Road you can find a junkyard called Jadco Special Haulers. To contact them call 218-724-5538. Their website seems more of a trucking company, but it was the only one I could find locally that came up when I searched junkyards in Duluth. Their was a flea market in Duluth back in February and the blog junkologie posted about it. Their is no contact or location information because it was a post, but the unsold items are now at Old Town Antiques and their contact information is 218-722-4526 and they are located at 102 E Superior Street. There is no official website for this store. An example of a thrift shop is The Salvation Army which one is located at 215 S 27th Avenue West. Their contact information is 218-722-7934. As for upcycling, there are a lot of recycling centers around, one being at John's Twin Ports Recycling which is at 614 E 1st Street. To contact, call 218-727-3185. At Dannie Duluth on 932 E 4th Street, you can find a resale sh0p. Contact them at 218-724-8507. Personally, I haven't been to any of these places, or used any of their services. I don't shop at resale shops or thrift stores, I have never been to a flea market, and my 'junk' is thrown out in the garbage. It's all because of personal preference.
Cool Projects:
I found the Vintage Rotary Phone Clock to be pretty cool. I remember having family members with that phone, and it was the longest way to dial a number! It's just a good way to reuse something without having to buy a big clock. Another project I thought was cool was the Paris Themed Necklace, because I have been to Paris and it's a great way to remember being at the Eiffel Tower! I also liked the October Floral of the Month. My mom sent me an email of a bunch of different pictures of how people turned pumpkins into something, and most of the things were incredible. I would have never thought to use a pumpkin to hold flowers though. Good ideas!!
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