Let's Go Green with Emily

Reflection: Weeks 8-14

2011-12-19T15:13:00.000-06:00

Looking back on the second half of this class, many interesting topics have been covered. It began with a documentary on water rights. I loved learning about this topic and hope to spread my new knowledge to others. The documentary made me realize how water bottle companies are basically stealing water from towns near water sources, and unlike tap water, companies are not forced to perform any amount of testing and filtration on their product. So long story short, buying a bottle of water means you are: Supporting greedy companies that steal water, drinking from cancer causing plastic, paying for tap water rather than drinking free water, increasing the demand for disposable water bottles which means creating more pollution, more waste in landfills, and an increase in disease and cancer among factory workers who make the water bottles, and disease. For these reasons, I pledge to avoid purchasing water bottles. Instead I will bring water from home in a bpa free reusable water bottle.

Another topic that I had never heard of prior to this class is junking. Junking means to take something old and repurpose it. What does this have to to with the environment? Well, it decreases the demand of "stuff" that factories and companies make. Old objects have already made their eco-logical footprint on the world, unlike a new product that hasn't been created yet. If more people use junked items instead of new items, there will be less pollution, less stuff in landfills, and less money and power given to corporate America. Junking is a tremendous way to be creative and put your own personal spin on things. Since learning about junking, I have a new appreciation for old items, and things I may have considered garbage in the past. I have started to try to not buy as many new items and will first shop at Goodwill, thrift stores, and other places that resell items. The Youtube video, "Story of Stuff" was really eye opening and has made me reconsider my shopping habits. I now ask myself if I really need the things I put into the cart, and purchase more quality items rather than cheap and disposable.

Finally, I learned all about advocacy. I never considered writing to persons of power before the second half of this class. Now I have the skills, resources, and practice to make a difference.

This is a picture of my junking project. It is a TV tray that used to belong to my Great Aunt. I found it in my parents basement, cleaned it up, fixed the stand, and it is now used as a nightstand.

Share and Voice: Organic Farming

2011-12-15T12:19:00.000-06:00

This weeks Share and Voice is highlighting the Pinederosa Produce farm. I strongly believe in supporting organic farmers, and I think the work they do is amazing! This farm raises a variety of animals including cows, chickens, goats, turkeys, lamb, and pigs. In the spring, their garden includes: Apples, asparagus, beans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, garlic, grapes, lettuce, herbs, kohlrabi, melons, onions, pears, plums, potatoes, pumpkins, raspberries, rhubarb, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, sweet peas, and tomatoes. They also tap trees to make maple syrup.

So as you can see, this is a pretty incredible farm. I purchased their fresh produce all summer at the farmers market, and my family recently purchased 1/4 of a cow. Their moto is, "No walls, no quotas, no drugs, no bottom-line paranoia. Just good food raised in a natural way."

Check out their website to see some more of their pictures and get more information!

All images from http://pinederosaproduce.wordpress.com

Advocacy Project: Letter to Senator

2011-12-12T11:17:00.002-06:00

December 12, 2011

Senator Amy Klobuchar

U.S. Senate

302 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Vote Yes on Safe Treatment of Polluted Stormwater Runoff Act, or STOPS Runoff Act

Each year, billions of pounds of toxic emissions are released into the environment. These toxins pollute our land, water, and air, which can make people extremely ill. The STOPS Runoff Act will have a big impact on preventing stormwater runoff from contaminating our land and water. As a health specialist and advocate, I believe that any pollution reduction possible will benefit the health of people and our planet.

This Act will help keep the water that we drink, that our plants and animals consume, and that we use for everyday purposes remains safe for human use. Currently, 27,000 gallons of stormwater runoff from a one-acre parking lot occurs after one inch of rain. When tested, there were 23 types of pesticides found in Puget Sound during a rainstorm. Without this Act, stormwater runoff will continue to collect sediments, bacteria and pathogens, debris, and hazardous waste, and deposit them into water.

While some people may argue that stormwater runoff is a natural occurrence that has been happening for millions of years, it is essential that everyone realizes runoff is hazardous to the planet and human health. Stormwater runoff is a natural occurrence, but with the expansion of the human lifestyle came unnatural pollutants. Parking lots, sports fields, gravel lots, rooftops, the expansion of farming, and pesticides are some of the human creations that have turned stormwater runoff into a toxic pollutant. To decrease the amount of runoff polluting our water, I suggest you pass the STOPS Runoff Act. This Act was created to reduce polluted stormwater runoff from federally funded highways and road projects with green infrastructure and natural landscaping.

In a time when it is critical for people everywhere to live more eco-friendly, I appreciate your support on sustainability issues. I hope that you understand the potential benefits of passing the STOPS Runoff Act, and would be glad to answer any further questions on the matter.

Emily

Share & Voice: Website

2011-12-06T12:56:00.001-06:00

For this weeks Share & Voice, I have decided to write about this website. http://www.gaiam.com/home.do

Gaiam (pronounced guy-um) is the combination of "Gaia," mother Earth in ancient Greek, and "I am." The Minoan civilization (early Greek inhabitants) valued the concept of Gaia which believes that the Earth is directly connected to existence and daily life, and is a living entity that must be respected and protected.

Gaiam was founded in Colorado in 1988 by Jirka Rysavy, and provides products to customers who value the environment, healthy lifestyles, and alternative healthcare and personal development. They offer a large variety of products including: Bed & Bath, furniture, decor, clothing, yoga materials, fitness DVDs, cleaning products, and healthy & beauty products.

I had ordered some Yoga DVDs from this company a few years ago, but I had no idea they offered this wide of variety!

These were some of the items that I liked.

Advocacy Project: Fact Sheet

2011-12-04T18:14:00.001-06:00

Facts Sheet about Toxic Emissions

What are toxic emissions?

Toxic emissions are agents that pollute land, water, and air.

What are air pollutants?

Examples of air pollutants are benzene, perchloroethylene, methylene chloride, dioxin, asbestos, toluene, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and lead compounds.

What are water pollutants?

Fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agriculture and residential areas
Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production
Sediments from construction sites, crop and forest lands, and erosion
Salt from irrigation, mines, acid drainage, and roads
Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and septic systems
Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification

What is polluting our land?

In 2010, Americans generated about 250 million tons of trash. Only 85 million tons of this material was recycled or composted. This means 165 million tons of garbage was added to landfills across the country.

How are people exposed to toxins?

Breathing contaminated air
Eating contaminated food products, such as fish from contaminated waters; meat, milk, or eggs, from animals fed on contaminated plants; and fruits and vegetables grown in contaminated soils.
Drinking water contaminated by pollutants
Ingesting contaminated soil (usually found in young children)
Touching contaminated soil, dust, or water

How many toxins are released into the environment?

According to the TRI (Toxics Release Inventory), in 2009 there were 3.37 billion pounds of toxins measured on air, water, land, and underground injection.

All information found http://www.epa.gov/

http://www.thedailygreen.com/cm/thedailygreen/images/uW/epa_logo-300.jpg

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

2011-11-28T11:22:00.001-06:00

A Daily Use of Household Chemicals and Toxins

A few the chemicals present : Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Sulisobenzone, Polyquaternium, Sodium Laureth Sulfate

A few of the chemical present: Cyclopentasiloxane, Trihydroxystearin, Methylparaben

A few of the chemicals present: Castor oil, Aluminum zirconium, Copolymer, Biotin

Ingredient information found on http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Chemicals in Vectra 3d (a common flee and tick treatment for dogs): Dinotefuran, Pyriproxyfen, and Permethrin.

Because companies do not label pesticides and GMO's on packaging, consumers do not know what they are buying.

These foods are filled with hydrogenated oils.

Cleaning products can cause respiratory irritation chemical burns, and contain highly toxic materials

A few of the chemicals found in laundry products: Phosphates, Sodium tripolyph-osphate. http://www.naturalnews.com/001061.html

Advocacy project: Understanding the Issue

2011-11-21T11:40:00.001-06:00

What is the issue/problem?- 3.9billion pounds of toxic pollutants were released into the environment in 2008.

What current legislation has beenproposed to address this?- STOPS runoff act

Who is affected the most by this issue?- Texas,South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida rank the highest for air andwater releases of carcinogens. Tennessee, Texas, and Illinois have the highest ranking fordevelopmental problems and reproductive disorders caused by air and wateremissions. Highest rates forneurotoxicants are found in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio. Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, andPennsylvania ranked the highest for respiratory toxicants. The fourcounties in Texas with the highest carcinogenic emissions are Harris,Jefferson, Galveston, and Brazoria. Nevada, Alaska, and Utah ranked highest forland releases of carcinogens. Workers from all companies emitting pollutantswho are exposed earning a living. The chemical and electric industries who release the most dioxins. The mining industry who releases the most toxic pollution to land.

Wholoses, and what do they lose?- Corporationscontinue to emit their pollutants rather than attempting to come up with ahealthy solution.

Whogains, and what do they gain?- All of these people lose the right to good health because the land they thrive on, the water they drink, and the air they breathe is contaminated. Thriving on toxic land, water, and air contaminates animals. Humans who eat the contaminated animals and animal products consume the animal’s toxins. Therefore, animals lose their right to health and consumers lose their right to quality products.

Forthe individuals mostly affected?- Increased disease rates, cancer rates,reproductive troubles. Must make themost lifestyle changes.

Fortheir families of affected individuals?- Increased risk for contamination from same source family memberencountered toxin. Must deal with familymembers illness.

Forsociety?- Toxic emissions lead to global warming. Communitymembers suffer when others are ill.

Whatare the economic costs of the issue, and who bears these costs?- Automobilecompanies who need to create more fuel-efficient cars according to the CAFÉstandards. Factories and businesses willspend money creating more efficient ways of creating products and changingtheir ways. Eco-friendly products andsupplies, such as organic foods for a restaurant, can cost more thanconventional products. (Austin &Dinan, 2005.) Businesses loose money when SMOG levels are toodangerous to spend time outside.

Whatare the economic benefits of the issue, and who benefits?- According to theState of California Department of Justice, the report for reducing emissionestimated reducing would require only 1.5% of the real investment expected inthe U.S. economy from 2009 to 2030. Thiscost effective reduction is possible because 40% of the avoided emissions wouldresult in negative cost - meaning that overall they do not cost money, but endup saving money. By switching to more sustainable products, companieswill save money in the long run. Anexample of this is for companies to use LED or CFLs instead of traditionallighting (2011).

What are the social costs of the issue, and whobears these costs?- Society will need to learn to not rely so heavily on fossilfuels. Companies will need to work more closely and communicatewith other people, states, and countries to decrease all toxic emissions. There will be an increased dependence on health care systemand care facilities with the rise in illnesses. More children born with disabilities and impairments may require specialeducation from schools that have limited space and budget for rapidly growingspecial education classrooms. Those of alow SES continue to suffer more than those of a higher SES (Rubin 2007).

Whatare the social benefits of the issue, and who benefits?- By decreasing theamount of toxic emissions, everyone will benefit eventually. If companies become more environmentallyfriendly, they will make money in the long run like previously mentionedabove. People, especially those livingin highly polluted states, will become healthier, and places will become morelivable.

Whatare the barriers to addressing this issue?- One of the main barriers of thisissue is change. Changing ways,attitudes, behaviors, machinery equipment, etc., is difficult and takes mucheffort. Companies may be concerned aboutthe cost of attempting to reduce emissions, rather than thinking about theirfuture savings. Green Marketing andbeing environmentally friendly is relatively new, so it is still consideredagainst the social norm.

How can the barriers be overcome?- To overcome, companiesneed to think about the people, animals, and future generations they are poisoningby emitting toxic pollutants and take action. Companies should decrease emissions without a law forcing them toimprove for the health benefits of the planet and its inhabitants. The Summary of Environmental Law Handbook suggests review of every major regulation applicable to an industry, making pollution prevention a part of normal industrial activity, easier collection of environmental information and greater public access, flexibility for motivated companies in achieving environmental protection, improvement of permit process, and incentives for developing better technology

Whatresources will we need to address this issue?- New, more efficient facilities toreplace old equipment no longer fit to do its’ job. Other Green technologies such as LED lights,solar panels, and plastics that are made from plants versus petroleum.

Whereand how can they be tapped?- Decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and following the guidelines on the EPA website.

What is the history of the issue in thecommunity?- According to the EPA, since the 1970 creation of the Clean Air Act, productionof most ozone-depleting chemicals has ceased, while at the same time, the U.S.gross domestic product has tripled, the energy consumption has increased by50%, and vehicle use has increased by almost 200%. In 1990 the Clean Air Act was revised toreduce air pollution nationwide, and was again revised in 2010. The Clean Water Act was created in 1972, andpollution became a concern.

Whatpast efforts were made to address it?- Besides the Clean Water Act, and theClean Air Act, the EPA has attempted to put regulations in place to protectwater, air, and land.

Whatwere the results?- According to the EPA: Since 1970, six commonly found air pollutants have decreased by more than 50%, air toxins from large industrial sources, such as chemical plants, petroleum refineries, and paper mills have been reduced by nearly 70%, and new cars are more than 90% cleaner.

Whowould support this issue?- Allies may include newer businesses that are more environmentallyconscious, people affected by pollution, people who tend to vote liberal, and the EPA.

Who would oppose this issue?- Major corporations,industries such as auto manufacturing, computers and electronics, iron andsteel, metal plating, and oil refining and printing. People who tend to vote conservatively, oilcompanies.

Howcan you involve allies and opponents in advocacy efforts?- To involve the EPA, a focus could be placed their four main focuses: Environmental Protection Agency, Measuring Our Nation’s NaturalResources and Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Protection, andEnvironmental Indicators. To involve theopponents, emphasize the amount of money they will save. Tax breaks and other incentives could also beused.

How do you want policy-makers to vote on thisproposed policy? Policy-makers should vote yes on any policy that willpositively impact the environment, including the policy listed above.

Journal article used:

Austin, D., & Dinan, T. (2005).Clearing the air: The costs and consequences of higher

CAFE standards andincreased gasoline taxes. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management,50, 562-582. doi:10.1016/j.jeem.2005.05.001

All sources are linked

Share & Voice: Ask a Question

2011-11-17T00:14:00.001-06:00

This weeks Share & Voice was inspired by our first true snow fall, and the current lack of food I have in our refrigerator. When attempting to make myself dinner tonight, I asked myself, “What I am going to eat all winter?” I am relatively new to the healthy eating/healthy living concept, as I didn’t put any thought into my diet until I took a human nutrition course my freshman year of college. With the start of my sophomore year, I decided to change my diet and become healthier. My meals were based around fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Later on in the year, I became a vegetarian and was presented with information on organic foods. Our Environmental Health class has inspired me to go as organic as my minimal budget will allow, so this is the first winter where I won’t have as many alternatives to the fresh produce I normally eat. So, now I ask you readers the same question I ask myself. “What am I going to eat all winter?” Do the health benefits of eating fresh organic produce outweigh the environmental costs of shipping foods cross-country? I am very uncertain of how to answer this question, so I am looking forward to reading all of your comments!

http://thumbs.ifood.tv/files/images/Fruits_and_vegetables_are_very_important_for_the_health_of_children.jpg

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/THOMAS

2011-11-13T22:42:00.001-06:00

EH-11 Reduce the amount of toxic pollutants released into the environment

Baseline- 3.9 billion pounds of toxic pollutants were released in to the environment in 2008.

Target- 3.5 billion pounds

Title- to direct the Secretary to establish a comprehensive design standard program to prevent, control, and treat polluted stormwater runoff from federally funded highways and roads, and for other purposes.

Short Title- Safe Treatment of Polluted Stormwater Runoff Act, or STOPS Runoff Act

Sponsor- Sen. Benjamin Cardin

Introduced- 5/5/2011

Last Major Action- 5/5//2011, referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Political Representatives- Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken

Recommendation- Vote Yes on EH-11 Reduce the amount of toxic pollutants released into the environment

Share and Voice: An environmentally friendly project/program

2011-11-10T00:45:00.000-06:00

If you have ever been to the Eco-building at the Minnesota State Fair you might recognize the project I have chosen to blog about. It was there that I was introduced to the U of M's Center for Sustainable Polymers program. Launched in 2009, CSP focuses its research on creating plastics from renewable, natural, and sustainable resources instead of fossil fuels. Materials researchers work with include vegetable oils, starches, sugars, and terpenes. They are also very concerned with renewability, functionality, degradability, and toxicity of ingredients used and studied. Not only has U of M performed cutting edge research, they also focus on partnering with industries and educating students and the public. A few of the 24 companies that have been recruited are 3M, Dow, Cagill, and H.B. Fuller. I admire U of M's goal to be eco-friendly and love the work they have done. When sustainable polymers become more widely studied and used, we will have less garbage for landfills and more compostable material.

Some of the trade names of different sustainable and partially sustainable polymers are: Ingeo, Mirel, BiOH, Mater-Bi, Sorona, NatureWax.

References: http://www1.umn.edu/news/news-releases/2011/UR_CONTENT_354893.html
http://www.chem.umn.edu/csp/polymer_questions.html

Picture: http://oecotextiles.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/classification-of-man-made-fibers.gif

Here is a video if you are interested and want more information. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTDMeZcf_Uk&feature=player_embedded

Advocacy Project: Political representation

2011-11-07T13:02:00.001-06:00

President- Barack Obama

-Democrat

-Contact information- http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Congresspersons-

Senate- Amy Klobuchar

-Democrat

-Contact information- http://klobuchar.senate.gov/contactamy.cfm

-Phone- 202-228-2186

Website- http://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/

Senate- Al Franken

-Democrat

-Contact information- http://franken.senate.gov/?p=contact

-Website- http://www.franken.senate.gov/

House- Chip Cravaack

-Republican

-Contact information- info@chipcravaack.com

Address- Cravaack for Congress Campaign Committee
P.O. Box 951
North Branch, MN 55056-095 -Phone- 651-317-9245 -Website- http://chipcravaack.com/

Legislator-

House- Kerry Gauthier

-Democrat

- Contact information- rep.kerry.gauthier@house.mn

2127 W. Second St., Duluth, MN 55806

-Phone- 218-393-4037

- Website- http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/members.asp?id=15348

Senate- Roger Reinert

-Democrat

-Contact- sen.roger.reinert@senate.mn

Lake Superior College 2101 Trinity Road 55811 - -Phone- 218-733-2037

-Website- http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1167

Governor- Mark Dayton
-Democrat
-Contact- http://mn.gov/governor/contact-us/form/
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
-Phone- 651-201-3400
-Website- http://mn.gov/governor/

Mayor- Don Ness
-Democrat
-Contact- dness@duluthmn.gov
Office of the Governor
130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155

- Phone- 218-730-5230

- Website- http://www.duluthmn.gov/mayor/

Reflection: Week 1-7

2011-11-02T16:30:00.001-05:00

Reflection

The last seven and a half weeks has presented me with an immense amount of new and useful information. I have learned so much about myself and what I am passionate about, it seems impossible for so much to have happened in this short amount of time. The environmental topics we have discussed so far are ecological footprints, issues with foods such as GMO's, pesticides, and unsustainable farming techniques, toxic chemicals in our everyday products, living more organically, and water usage. I care deeply about the environment, so some of these topics were really eye opening. I have been inspired to make changes in my life to become more eco-friendly, and so far I am pleased with the outcome. I became a vegetarian about nine months ago after watching the movie Food Inc. Personally, I am much happier now knowing that I part of the solution and not the problem. I have also switched to as many organic foods as I can afford on my very minimal budget. This task has been more difficult, but to aid the change I have cut out almost all of the processed I used to buy. I have also found that the less processed foods I buy, the less garbage I create. I hope to someday take these changes further when I have a steady income for support. After learning all about the dangers of plastic waters bottles, I will now advocate for BPA free reusable bottles more than I previously did. I see no reason why anybody should be purchasing bottled water in this country under normal circumstances.

I have also learned about blogging. Although it has not impacted my life as significantly as the environmental portion of the class has. I will admit that when it comes to technology, my skill level comes up short. It has been nice to learn more about tools I will possibly use in the future.

Eye Opener: Junk on the Brain

2011-10-31T12:59:00.001-05:00

Antiquing- going out and shopping or looking for antiques in a variety of locations. Antiques can be found in many different locations such as estate sales, garage sales, special shops, and flea markets. Many people enjoy the thrill of seeking out valuable objects and restoring them.

Junking- The art of searching or shopping for bargains, anitques, collectibles, or any concievable kind of dust collector or garbage.

flea market- A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered.

Thrift store- A shop that sells used articles, especially clothing, as to benefit a charitable organization.

Upcycling-Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.

resale shops- all shops that sell gently-used goods

1 These terms above all describe environmentally friendly alternatives to buying new products. By purchasing items that have already left their ecological footprint, the demand for new products to be created will decrease.

2 antiques- Antiques Off Broadway Mall, 103 Avenue C Cloquet, MN. 218-879-5284, http://www.manta.com/c/mm0b3sz/antiques-off-broadway

junking- Guilded Salvage Antiques. 4430 Lyndale Avenue North. 612-789-1680

Flea market- Post Road Flea Market, Hwy 5 Minneapolis. http://www.tagsellit.com/flea-markets-directory/Minnesota

Thrift store- Ragstock http://www.ragstock.com/ Superior Street. 218-722-1201

Upcycling- http://www.snowmanhill.com/2010/08/farm-junk-repurposed.html

Resale shop- Plato's Closet. http://www.platoscloset.com/locations/list/MN 5115 Burning Tree Road Suite 315C Duluth, MN 55811

218-733-9455

3. I occasionally shop at thrift stores and resale shops. They usually have good products that are much cheaper. I also do a bit of Upcycling. If there is a possibility I could reuse something at a later date, I will keep it. Because I have limited living space, and no house of my own, I don't do much antiquing, junking, or flea market shopping. When I do purchase my own house someday I hope to mainly decorate with previously owned items.

Read 'n' Seed 5

2011-10-26T17:44:00.003-05:00

1. The chapters covered for my final Read 'n' Seed were pet care, cleaning and household pests, and gardening.

2. The main theme of the pet care chapter was to introduce the idea of holistic veterinarians and feeding pets healthy food. The concept behind the cleaning and pest chapter was to propose the idea of more using natural and less harmful chemicals. This idea flowed into the gardening chapter by suggesting organic gardening.

3. Out of all the chapters in the book, these three were my favorites, and are slightly more relevant to my life. After reading the pet chapter, I would love to start feeding my dog more natural foods. One quote from the book I appreciated was, " our pets reflect our own health in these inorganic times. A hundred years ago a dog that lived on a farm would have eaten table scraps and supplemented by whatever it caught in nature. Because the food was wholesome, both thrived." Nowadays animal food is created from every part of (bones, feathers organs, etc.) diseased, disabled, and dying livestock unfit for human consumption, full of pesticides, and may contain barbiturates used for euthanasia of the animals the food includes. Because my dog lives at home and not with me during the school year, I don't have control over the food she is given. When I am home, I decrease the amount of dog food she gets, and supplement with healthier options. For more information check out these two links for facts on dog and cat diets. WebMD and Huffington Post

In the Cleaning and Pests chapter, I learned about a ton of alternatives to harmful chemicals that are found in many household cleaners. An interesting fact I learned is that when you drop your clothes off at a dry cleaners, your clothes are being doused with a chemical called perchloroethylene that is linked to liver cancer. I also learned that EPA testing is not as through as many people believe it is. The book reports that many of most of the millions of pounds of chemicals produced are never tested to determine toxicity. There are six tests needed to determine a chemical toxicity level. 93% of these lack at least one test and 43% lack all of the tests. This statistic alone is enough for me to go home and properly dispose of all chemicals I own. Seventh Generation, Ecover, Bio-Kleen, Orange-Glo, Citra-Solv, and Bon Ami, offer safer products. To make your own cleaning products, this website offers great solutions: Networx. This site offers tips for chemical free pest control: Greenliving

I really enjoyed reading the gardening chapter. I built my first garden box four years ago, and loved reading the books helpful tips for organic gardening. Making your own compost is an excellent fertilizer and sends less food to the landfill. Instead of spraying chemicals, dip your hand in soapy water to get ride of aphids, drown slugs in small dishes of beer, and sprinkle cayenne pepper around beds to keep neighborhood animals out. I found more some information on www.gardeners.com/

4. These chapters could have an enormous effect on society. If more pet lovers knew about what they were feeding their animals and decided to make a change, pet food manufacturers wouldn't be able to continue in the state they run now. Someday when I am able to have my own dog, I refuse to feed it conventional dog food. Getting people to stop using toxic cleaning products, pest control chemicals, and pesticides in their garden, would be a difficult task. Our society has learned to trust brand names and are now dependent on them. Personally, I use the website provided earlier to make my own cleaning products. It is cheaper, smells better, and works equally as well as a name brand cleaner. I also use organic fertilizer and compost in my garden. If everyone who gardens were to use natural products they would save money. Healthy soil needs less maintenance and yields more produce than a chemically dependent garden.

5. I loved this book, and I learned a lot of valuable information from it.

6. To pick just three significant facts from it was a difficult task. The first fact I learned was from the food chapter. I had never heard of fair trade coffee and chocolate and was unaware of the exploitation that goes into growing the beans. Now I will only consume fair trade coffee and chocolate. The second item I was educated about was the Hypercar. I wrote about the Hypercar in a previous post, and am still fascinated with the idea of it. Finally, I attained more information about composting. I feel this whole book contains valuable information for making your life better, bettering the world you live in, and bettering the lives of those you do not know who pay the price for your decisions.

7. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is easy enough for many reading levels to understand, and has attainable tips for a greener and healthier life.

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

2011-10-24T09:34:00.001-05:00

I typed all of my cosmetics into this database to find out how toxic each was. The product I chose to write about was my Cover Girl mascara. I was happy to see that one of my favorite cosmetics was scored at a four and not higher, but it still worries me a little. It has a higher risk of cancer than many of the other products I looked at. It says there is a high risk of endocrine disruption, persistence and bioaccumulation, and organ system toxicity. It's scares me to think that I use something everyday that raises my chance of getting cancer. The next time I go shopping for makeup or other beauty products, I will search them out on this website to find items with low risk. This website is a great resource and I will be sharing it with friends and family!

http://www.covergirl.ca/en_ca/prodimages/prof_super_thick_mascara_1.jpg

Read 'n' Seed 4

2011-10-19T17:16:00.001-05:00

This weeks chapters were Money, Credit, and Investing, & Shopping
The main subject from the first chapter was investing money wisely. The second chapter was thinking globally, acting locally.
Because I am a poor college student, the money and investing chapter was more of a guide for the distant future. The book shared that if you are going to invest in the stock market, you should pay attention to factors such as if the company uses animal testing, cares about global warming, and condones child labor. Your investments do make a difference, and it will be beneficial to invest in a quality company even if the investor cannot see direct effects. The shopping chapter provided a great amount of insight. The book explained the negative effects chain stores have, and briefly discusses clothing, toys, and cosmetics. One disturbing fact I learned was that cotton is grown on 3 to 5 percent of the world's land and is sprayed with 25 percent of the world's pesticides. One company that refuses to follow this is Maggie's Organics. Bena Burda, Maggie's Organics president, is proud that their company doesn't exploit workers, gives to charity, promote quality of life in developing nations, and be environmentally sustainable. As for toys and cosmetics, there is an extensive list of dangerous chemicals found in both. Toys that are PVC-free should be purchased to avoid the chemical phthalates. Companies that manufacture cosmetics, hair care products, toothpaste, lotions, etc., are allowed to use chemicals such as DEA, TEA, bronopol, padmate-O, ethoxylated alchohols, formaldehyde, and many other chemicals that are believed to cause cancer. For more information about these chemicals check out the Natural Skincare Authority
Whether we as American consumers see the damages of purchasing cheap items from a chain store, or choose to ignore it because it isn't in our town, someone's life is being affected. Buying products from locally owned stores, purchasing objects from garage sales or thrift stores, pay a few dollars more for a natural product, investing in companies who care about their workers and the earth, and voting with your dollar, could make someones life better.

Read n' Sead 3

2011-10-13T02:19:00.000-05:00

1. For this weeks read and seed, I covered two chapters: Energy and Water, and Communication.

2. The Energy and Water chapter covered information on the problems with electricity, fossil fuels, renewable energy, water, and household appliances energy use. Communication talked about paper use and telephones.

3. The first chapter gave brief, but precise information on the greenhouse effect ozone depletion. For more information and visit Dosomething.org. One interesting fact this chapter gave was in one day the sun hits the earth with more energy than the entire population could use in 27 years. Sadly the United States has not taken advantage of this incredible power as only 1% of the total electricity consumption comes from solar-power. Wind and water power are also greatly underutilized in the United States. Tons of helpful tips were given to reduce energy use and costs. Use rechargeable batteries, use compact fluorescent lightbulbs, use outdoor solar lights, shut off refrigerator ice makers, unplug toasters, coffee pots, VCRS and other devices not used constantly, hang clothes instead of using the dryer, and only wash full loads of laundry. If you are shopping for new appliances, look for the "Energy Star" sign to save on energy and water.

The second chapter from this weeks reading was a bit shorter than other chapters. The title, Communication, refers to all of the paper used in communication. Books, newspaper, magazine, and mail all come from trees. The most interesting fact I learned from this chapter was that only the label "100 percent postconsumer" guarantees that no trees were cut for the making of a certain product. If an item is labeled simply as recycled, the product was made out of scraps lying around factories. I also learned that all of the Harry Potter books were printed on 100 percent postconsumer paper. The author warns readers to print things with caution because five hundred sheets of printer paper uses up six percent of a tree. Printing many documents also uses up ink cartridges quickly. Tips for reducing paper use are purchase recycled paper, opt out of junk mail at www.optout.cdt.org, view magazines and newspapers online, recycle all paper and ink cartridges, and recycle old cell phones instead of throwing them in the garbage.

4. If the United States stepped up to the plate on going green, we would be a much healthier country. The European Union has been much more successful at curbing emissions, following the Kyoto Protocols. Europe has demonstrated that it is possible to treat the earth better, now it is time to follow their lead. The ozone layer wouldn't deplete as rapidly, and we would be less dependent on disappearing fossil fuels.

The communication chapter stated that Americans throw 130 million cell phones in the garbage each year. To reduce this number in landfills, phones can be sent to the Wireless Foundation, or left in company drop boxes. Lastly, I learned that one ton of 50% postconsumer printer paper saves 12 trees. If postconsumer paper were to become more popular, the United States could save dozens of trees.

Picture from: http://www.newmansownorganics.com/images/book_guidegood.jpg

Eye Opener: CSPI

2011-10-10T11:44:00.005-05:00

For our second eye opener, I decided to take the "Score Your Diet" quiz. My grand total was 62 which is in the excellent range. The highest number I got was a 33 in the fruit row. I love fruit, and now that apples are in season I have been eating 3 or 4 a day. The lowest number on my score card was a negative 14 in the milk and yogurt row. Organic Greek yogurt is one of my favorite foods and one of my main sources of protein. I am a vegetarian so the yogurt and milk are important for me to get essential nutrients. I also am at risk of osteoporosis, so I make sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D through these two sources. I would like to improve on the environmental score. By eating more organic foods, I will be able to get a lower score. I was happy to score in the excellent range because I try my best to eat environmentally and animal friendly, while still taking care of my health.

Read 'n' Seed 2: First quarter of "The Newman's Own Organics Guide to a Good Life

2011-10-05T16:47:00.001-05:00

1. The two chapters I covered this week are called "Food" and "Transportation."

2. The titles of the chapters are self-explanitory to what each chapter is about. The first chapter gave information on what organic food really is, the history and consequences of pesticides, what genetically modified foods is, farming lifestyles, and helpful tips on what you can do.
Chapter two provided interesting information about the Hypercar, or the future of automobiles. Hybrids, and tips for conserving fuel were also mentioned.

3. Both chapters presented me with new facts. I learned a ton about types of pesticides, and how they affect animals, farmers, and humans. The author tells about the the time she took a blood test to check for stored pesticides in her body when she was studying the affects pesticides in birds. The test came back positive for DDT, PCBs, and chlordane. At the time, the author was 30 years old and had eaten mostly organic for many years. The chemicals used can remain in bodies for years. I also learned about fair-trade coffee and chocolate. I didn't know what horrendous conditions these plants were raised in, but from now on I will only be purchasing coffee and chocolate with the fair-trade label. I also learned about the the Hypercar. I had never heard of the Hypercar before, but the idea of them is that they will be made of carbon fiber which is a lot little than cars now. They will look like normal cars, not SmartCars, and will get three hundred thirty miles on seven and a half pounds of hydrogen.

4. Firstly, I think everyone should read this book. It is very easy to read and understand. This book makes going organic and being environmentally friendly seem like feasible task, rather than an unattainable goal. It has small steps to eating organic that will benefit organic farmers. A list of Hybrid cars is also provided if someone needs assistance car shopping.

Eye Opener: Ecological Footprint

2011-10-03T11:08:00.002-05:00

For the first eye opener assignment we took quizzes to determine our ecological footprints. I was shocked and slightly horrified with my results. In order to support my activities, the IUHPE quiz informed me that I would need 3.9 planet Earths to provide enough resources. When broken down into a pie chart, 51% is services, 20% is for food, 14% for shelter, 5% mobility, and 11% for goods. I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so I can't imagine how many planet Earth's a person who doesn't try would need. I read the FAQ on this site and it said it may be impossible to keep yourself within the limitations of one planet. It scares me that most of the services are societal and ones I have very limited control over. Another quiz I took was titled Carbon Independent. This compared your households total CO2 usage to the rest of the world. My families use was 7.23 which is much less than the USA's average of 20. This number made me feel better than the 3.9 Earths did. To reduce my footprint I will try and buy products with less packaging, buy more locally, and wait as long as possible before turning the heat on.

Read 'n' Seed 1

2011-09-28T16:30:00.000-05:00

The book I choose for this project is, The Newman's Own Organics Guide to a Good Life: Simple Measures That Benefit You and the Place you Live.
This book is about being environmentally conscious without living in an organic hemp tepee. It gives realistic advice on buying and eating organic, clean power, finding local products, recycling, and more.
I selected this book because I am a big fan of the Newman's Own products. Their organic salad dressings are the best!
http://www.newmansownorganics.com/book.html http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/226754.The_Newman_s_Own_Organics_Guide_to_a_Good_Life http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/newmans-own-organics-guide-to-a-good-life-nell-newman/1100393119#EditorialReviews

The book has 180 page total. I will divide it evenly into 45 pages for each quarter.

2011-09-21T17:28:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Let's Go Green With Emily! This blog is going to give tips on being more eco-friendly.

There are 5 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:

Advocacy Project
Eye Openers
Reflections
Read 'n' Seed
Share and Voice

The members of my web groups are:

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Hope you enjoy reading my blog, and learn some new information on going green!