Reflection: Weeks 13-14 & Overall Course




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  The final weeks of the course have just occured and it went fast.  Over the last two weeks we have many discussed junking and our advocacy projects.  The class visited the Goodwill but unfortunately I was unable to go.  That week we also finished our Eco-Chic Lifestyle goals, which overall I would deem very successful for all.  I think we all definitely benefitted from the changes we made.  I actually enjoyed making the Fact Sheet for our advocacy projects, it was not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be.  We continued to link up to Dr. V's linky party, which is actually an interesting thing to do. 


The final week of class we had our Junk Project Show and Tell.  This was probably my favorite class period because we all had such great ideas and each project was really unique.  I created bookends, which are below.  The Advocacy Project Learning Activities were more interesting than I expected.  I had no idea what was the best way to have mine, so I did a survey format.  I loved that we all had different ways to learn because it definitely made it more fun.  I did find it a little tedious to report on all the activities, but I really learned a lot by doing the activities.



Junk Project!

 Overall Course
Overall, I learned a ton in this class.  My favorite part was definitely the application of the course.  I really took what I learned in class and applied it to my life and the real world.  My favorite part of the course was in the beginning doing the ecological footprint.  It really put things in perspective for me.  I would say for the most part I enjoyed the documentaries we watched.  Sometimes it is just hard to watch movies in the afternoon in the dark.  But they provided really valuable information.  The junking projects were also really fun.  I would say we should almost do two.  One earlier in the semester and learn about what everyone else did, and then do another one when we have even more ideas.  The blogs were super beneficial and I think were an essential part of the course.  It was so weird for me to not have a folder to bring to class each day.  But I really felt that I was doing my part to help the environment by not printing things off.  Blogs are definitely environmentally friendly and a great way to learn technology.  This has been a very challenging and educational course, and I would recommend it to other students. 

Share and Voice: Effects of Smoking

First I want to say Great Job!!! You guys as a group did awesome.  All answers were anonymous so I do not know who answered what, but overall you did very well.  I really appreciate that you guys really took the time to look over the fact sheets and learn some valuable information on the effects of smoking.  As promised, here are the answers to the questions I asked....

1. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths in males and females in the United States.  TRUE
2. Secondhand smoke can account for approximately how many deaths in the United States: 50,000
3. Females tend to have a significantly higher smoking rate than males.   FALSE
4. What percent of smokers want to quit? 70%
5. Smoking cessation can provide which of the following health benefits? Check all that apply.  LOWERS RISK OF CANCER, REDUCES RISK FOR HEART DISEASE, REDUCES RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS, REDUCES COPD
6. Smoking causes coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.  TRUE
7. Children of smokers are almost three times as likely to smoke as children of nonsmokers.  FALSE, they are twice as likely
8. Tobacco is the #1 preventable disease in the United States.    TRUE
9. Approximately how many people in the United States die each day due to smoking or smoking related diseases?   1200
10. Annually, smoking costs Minnesotans how much in health care costs? 3 Billion

Any questions, let me know :)

Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Treeific Time with Alyssa
 Alyssa asked:

1. Go to the CDC website here for lead recalls.
2. Look through the different recalled items.
3. Find three recalled item (preferably in the past year).
4. Tell me the name of the product and how long it was out before it was recalled.
5. Then go to the EPA website page on lead, click on the "What you can do to protect your family" link and list three ways you can prevent lead poisoning in your home.
6. Watch the short video below on lead Poisoning and give a short reflection on what you have learned or what surprised you overall from this whole activity

3 Recalled Items --
1. Love Tester Mood Rings and Necklaces;  Item sold Sept 2005 - June 2010; Recalled Sept 2010
2. Tiny Tink and Friends Children's Toy Jewelry; Item sold Nov 2008-Nov 2009; Recalled Feb 2010
3. Nature Wonders HD Pinto Horse Toy Figures; Item sold Jan 2009-July 2009; Recalled Jan 201

3 Ways to Prevent Lead Poisoning--
1.  Keep play areas clean.
2.  Clean up paint chips immediately.
3.  Clean or remove shoes before entering home to avoid tracking in lead from soil.

Short Reflection:  This video was pretty self explanatory.  It was easy to understand and fun to watch.  I learned about all the different things that contained lead.  As well as many of the symptoms that one can have with lead poisoning.  I was surprised at how many items were on the recall sheet from the CDC for lead content. 

Samantha Green with Envi
Sam asked us to complete the crossword puzzle and provide a short description of the interesting info I found.

Across:                                                              Down:
3. Lead                                                            1. Inhalation
5. Blood                                                           2. Decades
6. Symptoms                                                    4. Wash
7. Work

The most interesting thing I found out here was about how the most common place of exposure is work.  That is really frustrating because you obviously have to go to work.  It is really scary how often we are exposed to lead, and we really don't have many options around it. 
Eco Friendly with Calista
Calista asked us to play with matching game with water infrastructure terms.

ground water*Underground water.
chlorine*Water additive used to control microbes.
contaminant* A substance that is present in an environment where it does not belong.
coagulate* To gather together or form into a mass or group.
minerals*An inorganic substance, e.g., calcium, copper.
intake* An opening through which fluid enters an enclosure.
settling*To clarify by causing dregs or impurities to sink.
reservoir*An artificial lake where water is collected and kept in quantity for use.
pH* A measure of acidity and alkalinity of a solution.
infrastructure*The underlying foundation of a city, such as the sewers, the water systems, the electric
aquifer*A water source under the ground

Adam's Outdoor Connection
For Adam's activity we had to calculate our vehicle pollution impact and write 2-3 things we learned

My pollution impact was better than average.  The activity was a little tough, because I had to estimate my mileage and I may not be accurate

3 Things that I learned: 
1. E85 is actually made up of  starches of corn and sugar cane.  And can be used in combination with real gasoline.
2. In Minnesota more than 50% of toxic air are from motor vehicles emissions.
3. Another thing I never realized was noise pollution put out by vehicles.  Walking helps reduce the noise level.

Sonny Days Ahead
Sonny asked us to investigate and interrogate our suspect.  We had to look up the following information:

1. Suspect (name of air pollutant) : Carbon Monoxide
2. Cause (where does pollutant come from) : Incomplete burning of fuel; vehicles on the road produce it; unvented gas; kerosene heaters; wood stoves; cigarette smoke
3. Crime (what health effects is it having on citizens/environment) : may cause seizure, coma, or death;  Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning: headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue and weakness. 
4. Lock 'Em Up (Alternative resources we could use/do to replace/reduce the pollutant) One way I found to reduce Carbon Monoxide production is switching from gas to electric versions of the same thing.
5. Case File (what did you learn from this activity)
    I learned that learning activities can be really fun and creative!  But I also learned that there are many harmful chemicals out there and are polluting our environment.  Carbon monoxide is definitely a foe and pretty deadly.  I also learned that we have been using carbon monoxide since prehistoric times, even without knowing so.

Take a Hike with Sarah

Sarah asked us the following:

1. Pick three locations that you go to often. School, Work, Grocery Store
2. How do you typically commute to these locations? 4 days a week, 4 days a week, 1 day a week
3. Access Google Transit
4. Map your transit route by plugging in the addresses of each location and which times you would usually leave to go to these places. Choose if you would like to walk, bus, or bike to these locations.
5. Report the most convenient route to your 3 locations and the modes of transportation.

• For home to work: none of the options were conveniet (sorry!).  They took at least 40 minutes for something that I can drive in 10 minutes.  The quickest route had me taking a bus to one location then walking to the nearest bus stop and getting on another bus and then walking a few more blocks to finally get to work.
• For home to school: the most convenient option is hopping on Bus 18 on the half hour to get to school by the hour (so 7:30 for 8:00 class)
• For home to Cub: once again, these weren't very convenient because I had to walk more than half my trip to get to the nearest bus stop.

         6. How does this route differ from your typical commute?  These routes all differ because they take a much longer time.  The only one that is very similar to my current route is from home to school.  But the other two going much different ways then I typically would.

         7. Are these commutes a realistic change you could put in your schedule? why or why not?
 The only one that would be a realistic change would be to take the bus to school, but after this week I will no longer be attending UMD on a daily basis so it is not really a realistic change.

       8. Do you plan to try incorporating this routes into your routine?
  I actually will not incorporate any of these changes.  It bums me out that to take the bus to work it is more than 40 minutes.  That is disappointing because I do not find that to be convenient at all.  If I were still attending UMD next semester, I could see myself using the bus (but I'm not).

Share and Voice: Junking Project

I thought it would be fun to share a bit about my junking project.  I decided to finally put to good use a bottle of sand I collected from the Nile River in Egypt.  Along with dried hisbiscus flowers I bought in the market while in Egypt.  I then found 2 jars in my garage, that were actually salt and pepper shakers of my great grandma's.  I did have to purchase some ribbon though.



My materials

The inspiration -- the "junk"

The Final Project!  My new bookends for my cookbooks.

 I originally wasn't looking forward to this project, but after I finished, I love it!  I am really excited about my new bookends.  I may even look for more items that I can "junk."  I hope everyone else enjoyed their junking projects as much as I did.

Advocacy Project: The Effects of Smoking



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 The Effects of Smoking

The purpose of this activity is to make you more knowledgeable on the effects of smoking.  Everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health, but what is it really doing to society? To others?  To yourself?  If people are able to educate others on the effects of smoking, it may increase their success in the cessation process.

Background:   For a quick resource sheet, click here.  Also, from the same site listed above, click on "There's Hope for Minnesotans"
Here is another fact sheet. 

I am very passionate about this subject and have gained a lot of knowledge in it rcently.  I think it is really important to educate people on the effects of smoking because as a health educator, we want to work on primary intervention, not tertiary. 


Resources:
We all Pay the Price
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Smoking and Tobacco Use
American Lung Association: Stop Smoking
The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General


Instructions:  View the suggested fact sheets above.  Then Click here to take survey on the effects of smoking.  On the survey you will be asked 10 questions.  Please select the correct answer and submit your survey when finished.

Good luck!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5: Final Weekly Review & Overall Project Reflection

Week 5 Overview

1. I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.
2. I was finally successful with my goal.  Even though I traveled out of town for a conference, I brought my reusable bottle with me.  This strategy allowed me to maintain my goal of drinking water while using a reusable bottle because I provided it myself.  Going out of town for three days was my greatest challenge, but I was prepared to overcome that.
3. Excitement, confidence, happy.  These are just a few of the feelings I experienced this week.  I am proud that I finally accomplished my goal because I have been striving for it this whole time.  I really believe that I can continue this lifestyle change.
4. I learned that with hard work and preparation you can accomplish your goals.  And now they don't even seem hard.  If you work at something long enough, it just becomes part of your daily routine.

Reflection

1. My initial SMART goal was to drink 8 oz of water out of my reusuable stainless steel water bottle 6 days a week.  Throughout the process, I modified it to be more challenging.  Which led it to become: I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.  In the beginning, the goal was far too easy.  It was not my intention to make it that easy, but challenging myself was definitely a good thing. 

2. Be prepared was probably the biggest thing that led to my success.  Always having my bottle with me and knowing where I could fill it up at, or the times that I could really helped.  Making my water bottle easily accessible was a huge advantage.  Traveling, meetings, and events got in the way of my goal and led to me not always being successful.  But as I have mentioned, if I am prepared and remember to take my bottle with me to these locations, then I should be able to address these issues in the future with a positive view.

3. I benefitted from this project in multiple ways.  First, my health.  I was not drinking nearly as much water a day, this definitely is a good thing to be putting more fluids into my body.  My change also benefitted the environment by not using or purchasing plastic water bottles.  This in turn benefits me because I live in this environment. It was also a good learning experience for me.  Challenging myself with a goal and being successful is always a great thing to accomplish.  I learned that changing lifestyle habits can be difficult at first but eventually you catch on and it becomes the "norm" in your life.  I also learned that I am able to challenge myself maybe a little more than I would originally intended.  Difficult tasks can be fun to work on.  Behavior change is possible, especially with support from others.

4.  The environment benefitted because I used to purchase a case of water every month and now I have not for awhile, plus I am not drinking out of these bottles creating waste.  Others can benefit by seeing the challenges and successes I had and build off of them.  They can be successful sooner than I was just by learning what worked and what didn't work.

5. I will definitely continue this behavior because it really will not be that hard to maintain at this point.  I just have to keep bringing my reusable bottle with me and it will just be a part of my life.  By chance, I could try to increase the water intake, but for now I will just contine with the same goal.

6.  If others make a lifestyle change similar to mine I would say for sure have a few reusable water bottles and carry them with you everything.  Even if you don't think you'll need it, keep one in your car or purse.  Try to eliminate going through areas that will tempt you to purchase bottled water.  If you are not around bottled water you won't think twice about buying one.  And lastly, just be confident.  You can be successful in making lifestyle changes.  Sometimes they just take work, create a partner support group so someone can hold you accountable.  Anything is possible, the sky is the limit so Good Luck :) !!

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 5 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Share and Voice: Ultimate Eco-Friendly Winter Holiday Guide

With the holiday season approaching and everything we have learned over these last few months, I thought it would be beneficial for us to get some tips on how to have an eco-friendly holiday season.  This site has lots of great tips including how to save money, what toys are environmentally friendly, and some essentials like an eco-friendly Christmas tree or wrapping paper.  I found it quite useful, I hope you do too!

Click here for the Eco-Friendly Winter Guide

Advocacy Project: Letter and Fact Sheet

December 6, 2010

Diana Degette

House of Representatives

2335 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

VOTE YES ON H.R. 1850 Quit Smoking for Life Act 2009

The proposed program would provide smoking cessation materials to many who would not otherwise be able to access them.  As a health educator, I believe that providing cessation materials will increase the number of individuals who succeed in quitting smoking for life.  This will reduce the prevalence of numerous diseases relating to smoking and in turn reduce health care costs all across the country.

This program will save lives and financial costs of the country.  Cigarette smoking currently costs the country more than $193 billion dollars in health care costs and lost productivity.  Also, more than 400,000 people die in the U.S. each year from smoking related diseases.  Nearly 70% of smokers want to quit completely, but many do not have the means to do so.  Each year, more than 45% of smokers try to quit.  If these individuals were provided assistance to purchase cessation materials, there would be a higher success rate for those who actually quit smoking. 

Opponents of this bill might not feel that Medicare or Medicaid is responsible for providing these resources to individuals.  Unfortunately, if these insurance companies do not offer assistance for individuals to purchase these items, the majority forego the use of them, which results in unsuccessful cessation attempts.  This means that smokers remain dependent to tobacco products and continue to cost the country billions of dollars.  The Quit Smoking for Life Act can save lives and save billions of dollars, which I believe is beneficial for everyone.

Thank you for your previous support and concern on smoking cessation issues.  We hope you decide to further promote this bill and vote yes to H.R. 1850 Quit Smoking for Life Act.  If I can be of any further assistance or provide you with additional information, please feel free to contact me at 555-555-5555 or email@gmail.com.

Kristy

Facts about Smoking



Source: CDC SAMMEC, MMWR 2008;57(45):1226–1228.



Each year, billions of dollars are spent on the costs of cigarette smoking.  Between health care costs and lost productivity:

·         Cigarette smoking costs more than $193 billion

·         Secondhand smoke costs more than $10 billion





Smoking doesn’t just cost our society financially:

·         More than 400,000 people in the U.S. die from smoking or smoking related diseases each year.

·         This is equal to 1200 people every day.

According to the 2004 Surgeon General’s Report, almost 172,000 new cases of lung cancer occurred and an estimated 157,200 people died from lung cancer.

·         Male smokers are 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers.

·         Female smokers are 13 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers.

In the U.S., about 8.6 million have at least one serious illness caused by smoking. 

·         For every one person that dies from smoking, 20 more people suffer from one or more serious illnesses related to smoking.

Nicotine is an addictive drug.  When quitting, multiple attempts are common.  Some cessation tools that are helpful include counseling or medication, either by themselves or in combination.

·         Nearly 70% of smokers want to quit completely.

·         Each year, more than 45% of smokers try to quit.

Smoking cessation can provide multiple health benefits:

·         Lowers risk for cancer

·         Reduces risk for heart disease

·         Reduces respiratory symptoms

·         Reduces risk of developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

 Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Smoking and Tobacco Use
American Lung Association: Stop Smoking
The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General
The Truth about Tobacco

Reflection: Weeks 9-12

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Wow, we are already at weeks 9-12.  We have covered so much already!  Some things we focused on were advocacy, SMART goals, Eco-chic lifestyle changes, THOMAS, junking, environmental literacy, and blog hops.

The most beneficial thing we identified in this section of the course was the piece on advocacy.  We learned so many new things.  First of all, we covered what advocacy actually is, and were able to choose an issue we are passionate about and advocate for it.  Through this process we identified a Healthy People goal and a House Bill using THOMAS.  We then went on to do in-depth research relating to the issue and share and overview with the class.  I was also able to incorporate my Photo Essay into my advocacy project and have really enjoyed this part of the course.  This was my favorite thing we have done so far in the semester. 

The other really awesome thing we have done during this portion of the course is are Eco-Chic Lifestyle goals.  Everyone was able to create a SMART goal relating to something they felt could use a change in their life.  My goal revolves around drinking water out of a reusable bottle from the faucet or drinking fountains.  I used to buy tons of bottled water and now I don't!  It is so exciting for me and the environment.  I really like how all of our goals can be different and we all get to focus on one area in our life to change to better then environment.  One of the films we watched, The Story of Stuff, was probably one of the most beneficial videos I have seen.  It was a pretty simple film and very easy to understand.  It got straight to the point and was a great learning resource. 

JUNKING!  This is one of the most exciting aspects of environmental friendliness, in my opinion at least.  Junking is basically taking an object that was once thought of as junk or unusable and turning it into a completely new item.  We have to do Junking piece and I have to say I am really excited for mine  At first, I had no idea what to do and didn't think I would find anything in the garage that I could use.  But luckily Thanksgiving night, I found these old salt and pepper shakers (Great Grandma style old).  I had no idea that's what they were even used for, they just looked like empty jars to me.  I intend to turn them into bookends so stay tuned!

The most recent thing we learned about that was pretty neat is called blog hops.  It allows you to link up with the host blog and then copy a code to your own blog which allows who linked to be displayed on your blog post.  So now when you click on my Photo Essay post, you also are able to see all the posts done by my classmates on the same project.  I think that is really beneficial for Internet purposes because then you can see what others are doing on the same topic. 

As you can see we have covered a lot in this portion of the class.  I have come to actually enjoy learning about all these topics of Environmental Health.  I had no idea some of the impacts we were making on the environment.  We learned how we can all make a difference for the environment too.  I definitely utilize this knowledge in the future!

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 4: Weekly Update

1. My SMART goal was I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.  I would say that I was fairly successful with this goal.  I was able to achieve it 6 days last week, Thanksgiving being the slacking day.
2. I was only able to be home the night before and the day of Thanksgiving, which for this goal, was a blessing in disguise.  We live off bottled water at my home because our water goes through softeners and the well and has a lot of minerals in it.  (My dogs can't even drink it because it gives them kidney and gallbladder stones.)  So we do not drink it.  What we typically do though is bring jugs to my grandma's house, who lives in the actually city, and fill them up.  But my point is, is that it was very difficult to stick with my goal while at home.  Thanksgiving was a bit of challenge for that reason.  Being at work allows me to be successful because we have those really big jugs you can fill from and I love it.  I usually fill it once when I get there, midway through the day, and then again before I leave at night.
3. I wouldn't say I had any specific feelings this weak.  A little disappointment at the end of the week from not being able to achieve my goal again, but I was so close that I was also filled with excitement.  This is because I really think next week I will achieve this goal.  Throughout this last week I had a real positive attitude for my goal because I knew I was doing well.
4. I learned that drinking tap water can be a challenging thing for everyone, but if you really try to make it your lifestyle, it is not that difficult.  It is more difficult when I am at home but I know there are ways to get around it.  
5. For next week, I intend to keep my goal the same because I really think I can achieve it.  It has obviously been challenging since I have struggled over the last few weeks to actually complete it 100%.  I am very hopeful for what next week will bring.  My goal for next week is: I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.

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

Share and Voice: How Does Smoking Hurt the Environment?

This article is a very powerful one.  I had no idea of some of the statistics it provides.  For example, did you know that 50% of all litter is cigarette butts?  The United States smokers alone litter more than 250 billion cigarette butts a year.  These butts are toxic and not going anywhere, hence polluting our environment.  Read on to find out more information about How Does Smoking Hurt the Environment?

Eye Opener: Photo Essay: Breathe Free UMD

Fight for Healthy Air!  The quality of the air we breathe greatly affects us, including second hand smoke.  The University of Minnesota Duluth is doing something about this.  UMD enacted it's "Breathe Free" policy in 2007.



This sign hangs next to the Swenson Science Building, located on Kirby Drive. 

 


Multiple pole banners can be found while driving through campus.




Did you know you can receive up to a $1000 fine for smoking within 15 feet of a bus shelter?  This doesn't just apply to UMD campus, it is a Duluth City Ordinance.




Signage located just inside the Kirby Bus Hub







These signs are located near almost all entrances of UMD.

 


Did you know you can receive a monetary fine for smoking within 100 feet of health services?  This area spans to Goldfine Apartments, Heany Hall, and Lake Superior Hall dormitories.  This is also a Duluth City Ordinance of smoking within 100 feet of any medical facility.





Become a Supporter!  Supporters ensure this policy is followed.  The Task Force is working on increasing enforcement and creating more severe consequences for violators.

 


Supporters paint the logo on sidewalks all around UMD campus to remind others of the policy.


There should be NO ONE on campus who does not know we have a Breathe Free policy.  You have the responsibility to tell those who are violating that it is not okay.  This is your air too.  One of the policy's goals is to create a healthy air environment where we do not have to breathe second hand smoke.  Support Breathe Free UMD!

For more information on BreatheFree UMD please visit the website:  www.d.umn.edu/breathefree

Photo Credit: Kristy Seaver and Alex Warren

Share and Voice: The Story of Bottled Water

This is from the "Story of Stuff" site that we watched in class awhile ago. I really thought this clip was interesting because it related to my Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change. I had no idea that water bottles really don't get recycled. My favorite clip from the movie though was that she said that having bottled water is now looked at as if you were smoking. Smoking seems to be frowned upon by most nonsmokers, using bottled beverages is frowned upon by those who know the effects on the environment. Watch the video, it really isn't that long and you have a lot to learn.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3: Weekly Update

My smart goal for this week was: I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.    This week was not very good for me.  I did not reach my goal but I am optimistic that I can achieve it later on.  I changed it from my initial goal therefore it became more difficult, yet I intend to keep it.  Even though it will challenging, I will leave this as my goal.

This last week I definitely faced some challenges.  I did not have my typically schedule, thus I was out and about and not at work or school.  On Wednesday and Thursday I was at events at Fon du Lac Tribal Community College and the College of St. Scholastica.  I didn't even think about drinking water that day, I simply did not stay hydrated without realizing it because I was so busy.  I did bring my water bottle with (Step 1!) I just did not refill it.  So I met part of my goal.  Then comes Friday, in which I was at a four hour meeting where lunch was served.  I was so hungry that I just grabbed the set up and starting eating and drinking.  Uh oh! I started drinking out of a plastic water bottle.  I was half way through before I even realized it, I was so disappointed in myself.  Luckily, all the rest of my days were successful and I did meet my goals. 

It felt so good to actually meet my goal.  I was really proud that I was able to accomplish drinking 40 ounces these last few days.  I would much rather have a goal that is difficult then set the bar too low and make it to easy to achieve.  I also had feelings of disappointment this week when I was not able to reach my goal.  I am a perfectionist so I really intend to accomplish everything I set my mind to.

This week I learned that sometimes different things come up in your days and weeks.  You need to always be prepared for what lies ahead of you because you never really know.  I am a very structured and routine person, so when my weeks change it is a little stressful.  I should always have my water bottle with me, and make a conscious choice to find a water fountain and make sure I can refill my bottle.

As I have stated previously, I intend to keep the same goal for next week so I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.  Hopefully I can achieve it next week.  It will be a bit challenging but I think I can do it.  I intend to bring my water bottle to Thanksgiving so hopefully that won't be an issue.

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Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 3 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction

• The current issue is the use of tobacco products by adults aged 18 and older.
• The current legislation identified to address this is H.R. 1850 Quit Smoking for Life Act

Who is affected by the issue?

• American men and women 18 and older are affected most by this issue. 
• As it stands, those 18 and older are losing the most because they are using tobacco products that are harmful to their health.  This is increasing their likelihood of disease and death.  If the legislation was passed, then the tobacco industry would lose because more people could get cessation resources and in return less would be buying their products.
• Currently, the tobacco industry is gaining a lot from this issue.  The main people targeted by the tobacco industry are those 18-24 years old.  Over 45 million are tobacco users.   If the legislation was passed, then these individuals would gain their life and health as they would be given resources to quit smoking or tobacco use.

What are the consequences of the issue?

• Approximately, 8.6 million people have some type of disease caused in relation to smoking cigarettes.  The list of diseases goes on and on for users of tobacco products, this includes but is not limited to COPD, coronary heart disease, stroke, and a variety of cancers.  This obviously shortens the life span and reduces the quality of life. 
• Secondhand smoke is a huge problem and can greatly affect the family.  According to the American Lung Association, "Secondhand smoke causes more than an estimated 202,000 asthma episodes, 790,000 physician visits for buildup of fluid in the middle ear, and 430 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases each year."  This is simply from parents smoking around their children or family members.  Secondhand smoke is involuntary, meaning you are not choosing to inhale this toxins, but in many cases you do not have a choice.
• Society is affected in a multitude of ways from cigarette smoke and tobacco use.  First of all, it affects are environment.  Secondhand smoke affects the air we breathe and the water we drink.  Cigarette butts pollute the earth.  And the plants used to create these tobacco products take up valuable land and space that could better be put to use making fruits and vegetables or other products that are good for our health.  Second, society is affecting by the advertising that goes along with tobacco products.  Advertising and peer pressure can be huge enablers in the tobacco addiction.  The tobacco industry targets populations to increase their use of products.  Third, and an obvious cost to society is life expectancy.  Over 400,000 people die annually, equating to approximately 1200 a day.  Fourth,  it affects the economy in many ways, as we will discuss next. 

What is the economic impact of the issue?

• On advertising alone, nearly 10 billion dollars were spent on tobacco products.  On average though, tobacco use costs 50 billion dollars annually.  This results in nearly 97% of all health care costs and lost productivity.  If you include a variety of effects smoking has like smoking during pregnancy and the costs on her delivery or early retirement by smoking among other items, smoking can cost the economy up to 500 million dollars a year.  The citizens of the United States are bearing these costs. 
• The only economic benefits identified are the fact that we are able to tax tobacco products to cover a small portion of these costs.  One other item identified is that if all the smokers quit smoke and lived longer, that could potentially cost money as well because people would be living longer.  But the greatest economic benefit would come from smoking cessation. 

What is the social impact of the issue?

• Smoking can have a huge impact on the social aspect of life.  Often you choose friends and significant others based on their smoking preference.  People may not choose to socialize with smokers.  Smoking affects your day to day life, including your work.  Are you able to take smoke breaks? Where and how often?  Smokers are definitely classified as a minority population and may not receive some opportunities because they smoke.  Smokers tend to smell and smoking itself releases an unpleasant odor.  Thus, the ones who smoke are bearing these costs.
• The only ones that benefit from smoking or tobacco use is the tobacco industry. 

What are the barriers?

• A barrier that can be identified is that smoking and tobacco is addictive and it is difficult to quit.  Even though cessation resources may be available, if you do not want to quit, it is impossible to force it upon someone.
• Education is key in reducing these barriers.  If we can educate smokers and tobacco users on the effects as well as the costs, it may ease in the process of quitting.  By showing them it is beneficial for them to quit, they are more likely to continue with the cessation process. 

What are the resources?

• Resources that can be used for this issue include Healthy People 2010 information, Centers for Disease Control, QuitPlan, and the American Lung Association.  As well as recent and new legislation would serve as government resources. 
• They can be accessed online or by contacting their main site locations.

What is the history of this issue?

• Highlights from History of Tobacco Products:
• 1901: 43 out of 45 states created tough anti-cigarette laws
• 1909: 15 states passed laws banning sale of cigarettes
• 1910: Per capita Adults (18 years and older) consume 138 cigarettes a year
• 1912: First determination that smoking leads to lung cancer
• 1917: Tobacco bans and cigarette laws have fallen
• 1921: State taxation on tobacco products begins
• 1930: Per capita Adults consume 977 cigarettes a year
• 1934: Camel advertises "Smoke as many as you want.  They never get on your nerves."
• 1940: Per capita Adults consume 2558 cigarettes a year
• 1957: Law requires tobacco products to bear warning labels relating to causing lung cancer and diseases
• 1993: Prevalence of adult smokers is 25%
• 1994: 70% of those who smoke say they want to quit; 48% want to quit, but have failed
• 2000: Per capita Adult 1551 cigarettes a year
• What past efforts were made to address it?
• Recently, President Obama has signed to legislation into effect.  The first was largest tax increase on tobacco products.  The second was the strictest anti tobacco law: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA). 
• What were the results?
• From the tax increase, there was approximately a 9% drop in users.  From the FSPTCA, tobacco products have much stricter regulations making purchasing more difficult thus reducing the numbers or users. 

Allies & Opponents

• Supporters of this issue would be those that have lost a family member due to tobacco use or had a family member dwindle funds because of their use.  Health educators would also support this issue.  Previous tobacco users would support because they understand how difficult it is to quit, also current users that are desperately trying to quit would support because they know they need help.
• Tobacco industries would oppose this issue.  Also hospitals and insurance companies would oppose.  All of these people reap the economic benefits at the expense of user's lives.
• Supporters and those who oppose can work together to better the lives of Americans.  Hospitals and insurance companies should want to enhance the lives of Americans and they would benefit because they would be needed throughout the entire cessation process including the use of medicines, resources, and therapy.  By showing that they can still profit would lead to a more successful transition.

Your Recommendation

• How do you want policy-makers to vote on this proposed policy?
• Vote yes!  Encourage those that are smokers to quit by giving them access to cessation materials and resources.

Share and Voice: Tobacco Addiction - The Unfiltered Truth

Mark your calendars my friends!  This documentary, both shocking and true, is coming to a theater near  you.  The Duluth Zinema 2 on Superior Street on Tuesday November 23rd from 5:00pm-6:30pm to be exact.  The film shows 4 different people and their journey with tobacco addiction.  It is a very powerful film and I hope you all are able to attend.  After the film, there will be a panel discussion.

But if you can't attend, here is a website where you can view the film http://www.weallpaytheprice.com/index.html

Sponsored by ClearWay Minnesota, tpt MN channel, and the American Lung Association

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2: Weekly Update

My SMART goal was: I will drink 8 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 6 days a week.  I was very successful with my goal, and even went above my 8 ounces required. 

A challenged I faced was simply old habits.  One day I did drink out of a plastic bottle, not even thinking about it because I leave one in the fridge at my work and always just refill it.  After I drank out of it, I threw it away!  No more temptation.  I have plastic bottles in random areas (my room, fridge, work) and I simply need to eliminate these and recycle them.  My successful strategies include always making sure I leave my apartment in the morning with my reusable stainless steel water bottle.  I am also conscious now of where water fountains are around me and making sure I save some time to refill my bottle. Also I feel my peers hold me accountable, because I don't want to use a plastic bottle around them either, so this is a good thing.

Every night when I got home from my day at school or work I felt proud that I had made it through the day without drinking out of a plastic container.  I honestly thought I would have a much more difficult time with this because before this week, I brought a plastic water bottle with me every day to school and only used a reusble one occaisionally.  I generally will stick to a goal that I set for myself though, I do not like failure.   I feel confident going into the next week and I am excited to continue on this journey.

I learned that lifestyle changes do not have to be as hard as you think they should be.  They can be challenging but able to be accomplished.  I also realized how easy it can be to do something better for the environment.  I always thought that to make a change in my life that would benefit the environment it would take a lot of time and a big effort.  This was something that I was able to incorporate and didn't take a lot of extra time. 

For next week, my goal will be modified.  I will stick with the same theme but my new SMART goal is:
I will drink 40 ounces of water out of my reusable stainless steel water bottle 7 days a week.

I decided to change it to 40 ounces of water instead of 8 and that is mostly for my lack of thinking when orignially creating the goal.  I did not realize how small of an amount 8 ounces was. Woops!  I also changed it from 6 days a week to 7 days a week, just to add that extra challenge.  I am excited for next week and hope I can continue to be successful.

Blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 2 hosted by Amy@Amy in the Rain