Reflections: Weeks 8 - 14

I learned a lot during the second half of this class. We went through a lot of practical things that are good to know, and skills that will come in handy over the years to come.

We spent a lot of time talking about politics. We didn't cover it explicitly in class, but a lot of time was spent out of class working on the Advocacy Project. This project was to get us involved in a current political issue, and have us research this issue, and make a recommendation to our elected representative on the issue. I did my project on a bill that would provide monetary funds to developing countries for clean drinking water. I learned a lot about people when I was doing research for my project. I had no idea there were so many people without clean drinking water, and all the long-term effects that had on the people. If I could reclassify the project I would probably put it with the Eye Openers. Learning how to represent an issue to other people in the form of a fact sheet was a very important skill learned. Additionally, writing letters to our elected officials is a skill that everybody should practice.

One thing that I really enjoyed this year was the field trip to Goodwill. Although I got a little lost on my way there it was a great trip. I have shopped at stores like goodwill before, but I never knew about all the other things that Goodwill does. They keep millions of pounds of stuff out of landfills. They sell what they can in their stores, they sell in bulk some of the things they can't use to manufactures for up-cycling, and the rest gets recycled. And through all those processes people who would have trouble finding jobs gain valuable work experience. Goodwill is such a great place for both the people who work there, and the environment for having all that stuff reused or recycled.

The junking project was probably my favorite part of the semester. Junking is all about taking something that is otherwise relatively worthless, and turning it into something useful.  I had a great idea for my project. I took parts off of a broken ugly lamp, used hockey stick to replace the broken part, and had a nice lamp in the end. The project saved most of a lamp that was going to be thrown away, some broken hockey sticks that had no use, and now I have a Christmas present for my mother that cost me nothing.

Overall I learned a lot this semester. There were a lot of practical things that I discovered doing research for the various Share and Voice's and other projects. This was a great class, and the things I learned will stay with me for a long time.

Share and Voice: Outside Activities

The last couple weeks I have heard a lot about people who don't spend enough time outside, especially kids and young people. So I decided that I would look up some activities that we can do outside, or do with kids we know to help get them outside.

The fist activity I saw was really simple, it is called night eyes. A lot of people never go outside when it is dark out and enjoy nature. People think that you need a flashlight or other light on to be outside at night. But this is far from the truth. All you have to do is sit outside for a while, and your eyes will adjust themselves to the dark, and it is amazing what you can see. On a clear night with a bright moon you'll find that there isn't much you can't see. After enjoying being in the dark, you might find its a waste to be around outside with a light on.

One that I think would be great for kids is camping. Just camping in the backyard would work. There is no need to get in the car and drive for hours to find a place to spend the night outside. Pitch a tent in the backyard, make some s'mores, maybe have a campfire if you can. This is a great way to introduce young kids to nature, and spend some time away from the TV.

I did find one place that doesn't really fit in with the theme of getting outside, but it is a good one for teaching kids about the environment. The EPA website has a load of games kids can play online and learn about everything from recycling, to the story of groundwater. It is great for kids who might not have as much information on those types of things as they should.

There are many things that kids can do outside. All it takes is someone to give them a little nudge. Go for a bike ride, play some frisbee, anything that gets kids outside is just great.


More activities at
Wilderdom
EPA

Advocacy Project; Letter to Elected Official

December 12, 2011

Congressman Sean Duffy
1208 Longworth House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-4907


Please vote yes on House Bill 80 Global Water Access and Equity Act. This bill is important for the well being of millions of people in developing countries.


There is a problem with the quantity, quality, and accessibility of drinking water in developing countries. It would only take a few dollars from everybody to save so many lives. It is hard to convince people in these fiscally hard times to send money overseas, but this is well worth it.

 Every 15 seconds a child dies from a disease that could have easily been prevented just by giving them clean drinking water. That is 1.5 million children a year. How much is one child worth? Is it worth sending two dollars from each of us to save their lives? I think it is more than worth it.

 It is not just money being spent either. It is an investment. When people grow up to be healthy their live are completely different. Children who were sick can go to school. People who spent most of their day gathering drinking water can use that time to help other people. The amount of money that would be saved in the future over these people would be tremendous. Imagine a million people going to work, rather than being sick in a hospital. That is a double win.

There is a definite economic and moral advantage to sending money to provide clean drinking water in developing countries. I hope that you recognize and evaluate the benefits of this bill. Additionally I hope that you give House Resolution 80, Global Water Access and Equity Act your affirmative vote. If you have any question for me, or wish to discuss this bill further with me, I can contacted at 123-456-7890 or via email kenyo068@d.umn.edu

Share and Voice: Energy Conservation Project

I was looking for a project to tell you about when I kept stumbling on tips on how to save energy. And we all now that saving energy is good for the environment. So I thought I would share some of those with you. I don't know about the rest of you, but I know at my house everybody cringes when the utility bills come in the mail. So I think some of these tips will come in really handy.

1. Use power strips: Things like televisions, computers, gaming consoles, and stereos can use up to 25% of their total power when they are on standby. Plugging all these devices into power strips so you can completely cut the power off when you are not using can make a big dent in your energy consumption.

2. Only use full washer machines: This goes for both clothes and dish washers. Even it you set them at a small load setting you are still wasting water and electricity. Washers are designed to be most efficient when they are full. So save up your laundry until you have a full load, and keep the dishwasher off until you have it filled. On a second note about dish washers; most have a drying cycle at the end, and that is just the heating element running really hot to evaporate as much water as possible. You can stop the washer right before this cycle and let your dishes air dry, or use a towel, and save some electricity by not using that electric heating element.

3. Use Energy Star compliant appliances: When purchasing new appliances look for the blue energy star logo. These appliances are proven to be more efficient than other models. Although they might cost a little more up front, they will save over the long term with the savings on the utility bill. However, if your appliance works fine, you shouldn't go out and get a new one just to be more efficient. This will just put to waste the old one, although some of it may be  recyclable, you are still wasting resources, so wait until the one you have fails to invest in a new one.

4.Watch the windows: The average house spends about 30% of its utility bills on heating, and 17% in the summer for cooling. In the winter make sure all windows are closed snugly, and make sure the storm windows are closed also. Additionally you can put plastic over the inside to create another barrier for heat loss, affordable kits are available at all home improvement stores like Menards, and they will pay for themselves with the savings. In the summer use the breeze instead of the air conditioner to keep your place cool. You can open all the windows at night and then close them in the morning when it gets warmer out if you can't get a breeze moving through your house. Lastly, when you are running either the heater or air conditioner, leave the doors closed as much as possible to lessen your losses.

5. Insulate your water: Putting an insulation jacket on your water heater can reduce heat loss by up to 20%. You should also make sure there is pipe insulation on all the hot water pipes. If you have a gas water heater make sure it is properly ventilated, there is an air intake screen near the bottom by the pilot light, after you put put the insulation on it you might have to cut around that vent, proper ventilation will keep the heater running at peak efficiency.

6. Maintenance: There are a couple of simply things you can do to keep your heating and cooling systems running efficiently. Heaters have an air filter that should be cleaned or replaced according to the manufactures recommendation (usually every 90 days during heating season). Air conditioners have a screen and filter that should be cleaned at least once a year. If you are unsure of how to do these things try to find a manual for your product online, if you are still unsure call a professional to show you. There is no point in breaking something trying to clean a filter. Most refrigerators have a filter on the back or bottom, these are hard to get at but if you are ever doing some heavy cleaning you might consider vacuuming the filter. Some heating oil, gas providers, and electric companies offer pamphlets and tips on how to keep your appliances running properly.

The internet is full of resources for saving energy. Hopefully some of these tips will come in handy to save on your utility bill and help save some of the environment.

Resources:
WWF Energy Conservation
Genteq

Advocacy Project: Fact Sheet

My bill suggests sending money to developing countries to help provide clean drinking water to the people. You may ask why should we send money to other countries for water? Here are some humbling facts about drinking water in some developing countries.

A child dies every 15 seconds from diseases caused by a lack of safe water and sanitation, that's 1.5 million children dying from preventable diseases such as diarrhea, cholera and typhoid every year.

It is the second leading cause of child mortality, accounting for 15% of child deaths globally.

Today, one in eight people still do not have access to safe drinking water and more than half of the diseases in the world are caused by unclean water.

The average economic return on an investment in drinking water in developing countries is roughly $4.4 per $1 invested. This comes from savings in healthcare, and increased productivity from education.

Less than 50% of the population of the world has access to safe drinking water.

The lack of water is the primary cause of hunger, disease, and poverty in developing countries.
      Without water, crops and livestock die, leaving people to go hungry and become weak.
      Everyday, tens of thousands of people die from causes directly related to contaminated water.
      Without water, sick children lack the energy to go to school and learn.

More than 2 billion people are infected with helminthes, a soil-transmitted worm that nests in the intestines, and schistosomes, parasites that hatch in water, infect humans by penetrating the skin, and are passed in urine or feces.

According to the United Nations in its World Water Development Report, as many as seven billion people in sixty countries could face water shortages by the year 2050.

50% of the population in developing countries is exposed to polluted water.

As you can see here, there are many reasons why we need to help bring safe drinking water to developing countries. Also you can see that in the long run we will save big with productivity and lower healthcare costs.

 Resources:

Concern Worldwide
Global Water
Innovations for Poverty Action
Net Industries

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

I think that I will use the opportunity presented by this photo essay to tell you all about something that puzzles me. That issue is two things I commonly hear students here complain about; no where to park, and high gas prices. I have no sympathy for those who complain, because there are things they can do to avoid those things.

I could definitely drive to school everyday, but I don't. Why not? Because I can ride the bus. I ride the bus firstly because it is cheap, and secondly I know that it is good for the environment. I feel like the bus is overlooked by a lot of students.

This picture I took Monday morning stopping at the school. I noticed that it was only about half full, with about three fourths of the passengers being college students.  The bus that I rode just before this one pulled up had nine people on it and three got off at Kirby Plaza. Why don't more people ride the bus? Being a smart guy I would think that there is a relative reason, like its inconvenient or expensive.

 So then I got to thinking about the convenience of the bus. It must not be because there aren't enough stops because I see sign like this one all over town. The one that I stand by most often is actually less than one block from my house. Then I though that maybe it was because of the times the bus came by. But the bus I ride for my class at 8 every morning stops at my house at 7:37, and gets to the school at 7:48. I can't find much of anything inconvenient about that.

So then It must be because of the price that people drive instead of taking the bus. Lets look at just the price of parking at UMD.  A couple of my roommates have parking permits which they paid around $200 for. Or they can park in the lot shown below and pay each time they park, let's do some math from that sign; say you pay on your U-Card just 3 days a week for 15 weeks (one semester) and that come out to around $78.75. So that must mean that the bus is more expensive than these two options if all the parking lots fill up. Right? But wait, the bus is FREE. 

So maybe the reason why drive is because you can park so much closer to the door, and not have to walk so far. But this picture taken at 7:30 Monday morning when the this parking lot was just about half full, you couldn't even see the library door. And the bus drops you off literally 15 feet from the door. I stood at the entrance to this parking lot for a few minutes counting the cars that came in and I tried to determine how many had more than one person in them. I counted 25 cars coming in, and only one had more than one person in it, so I gave up on that idea.

So why is it that so many people drive to school? I understand that some people live off bus routes, or out of town so that is not an option for them, and some people have to drive for other reasons, but why do all the parking lots get filled? Why would you spend all that money on parking and gas, while doing your part to destroy the environment? Maybe somebody can help me out with understanding why more people don't take the bus. It is free, it save you the hassle of finding a place to park, and most importantly it saves all those emissions from entering the air we breathe. 

I hope that all of you will consider riding the bus if you don't already, and help talk your friends into doing the same thing. More information about bus schedules and routes can be found at the Duluth Transit Authority website.

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

The issue I am contemplating is the lack of drinkable water in developing countries. Lots of places are either without water, or without safe water. H.R.80 is legislation that aim to fix that. The Global Water Access and Equity Act will bring financial aid to countries that lack potable water.
There are two groups of people who are affected. There are the people who live in these developing countries, and also the American people who are the ones paying for the financial aid. Both parties are really the winners of this bill. The foreigners get clean healthy water to drink, and the taxpayers save in the long term by helping keep these people from getting sick.
If this bill is not passed there will be millions of people who cannot find water to drink. There will be children dying of water-borne illnesses. There will be people dying of dehydration all over. And all just because somebody wants to save a few dollars off their taxes. It wouldn't take much money either. If every American gave $3 a year, and there are 300 million citizens here, that would create almost one billion dollars of aid. Just a little bit from everybody would have a huge impact.
Some might say that this will create economic hardship for some people, but I would have trouble finding anybody who couldn't save $3 a year by not seeing that movie, or making your own dinner rather than eat out. And all of these people in developing countries can become productive members of society. Because they don't spend all their time being sick, or looking for water. Then they can start working in their communities, and make it a better place. So there you have both social and economic advantages. And the only disadvantage that I can find is the pockets the money comes out of, which is very minimal.
This bill is new, so there are not a whole lot of barriers yet. All that can be expected is getting the money, as money is short for everyone right now. But when other barriers arise as this bill moves through committees I will keep you updated.
The resources needed can be described as money. And where that money comes from is what the problem is. The funding for this bill will probably come out the the general fund, which is where your taxes go. Then that money will go directly to the developing countries.
This bill started with the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005. It is basically a restructuring of how the money is distributed, where it comes from, where it goes, and who decides those things. Without this bill the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 would essentially fall apart and become nonfunctional.
Everybody should support this issue, because it seems to be good for everybody. It keeps people safe and healthy, and therefore saves future money from trying to reverse health conditions from spreading. The ones who would oppose this bill are the ones who would rather keep the money for themselves. And it's not very much money they are keeping either, just about as much as a cheeseburger a year. But by explaining to these people how spending a little money now can save more in the future, and be an investment, rather than an expense, would be a win-win situation.
If our elected officials are smart, logical, compassionate individuals, they should pass this bill. It will bring safe water to many developing countries and perhaps millions of individuals so they can become productive members of society. All for just a small initial investment.

Share and Voice: "Environmental Health : How to Save the Earth"

I had a novel idea the other day, I was wondering how we could save the earth. So I asked google how to save the earth, and this what I found.

This is just a short video about one thing you can do to help save the environment. In this video Ray Olson talks about the impact you can have just by growing your own food. He points out that food in the grocery store travels an average of 2,000 miles. You can really cut down on your carbon footprint by not buying food there. Another advantage of growing your own is that you know exactly what you are eating. You know that you are not getting a vegetable soaked in herbicides, or a fruit covered with pesticides. Also you are getting the freshest food possible by going out to your garden, picking something, then eating it; rather that having it harvested, processed, and shipped all the way to your store.
This same guy has several other short videos on youtube that have good tips also.

Advocacy Project: Healthy People/ THOMAS

Environmental Health Objective: Surface and ground water quality.

EH-4 Increase the proportion of persons served by community water systems who receive a supply of drinking water that meets the regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Baseline: 89 percent of persons served by community water systems received a supply of drinking water that meets the regulations of the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2005.
Target: 91 percent.

H.R.80:
Title: Global Water Access and Equity Act
Sponsor: Rep Jackson Lee, Sheila [TX-18] (introduced 1/5/2011) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 1/5/2011 Referred to House committee.
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Recommendation: Vote yes on H.R. 80 Global Water Access and Equity Act.
My political representative: Congressman Sean Duffy

Share & Voice environmentalhealthnews.org

To start with, I am not a very creative person, therefore an assignment that you can take however you want is difficult for me. So the first thing I did for this assignment was to ask google. I entirely expected to have to wade through pages of junk before finding anything worth reading, but on the very first search I found the Environmental Health News. This website just blew my socks off. I had no idea of two things this website brought out.


The first thing was the fact that this existed. Who would've guessed that there were people out there just to report to you all the environmental injustices. All in one place you can find out nearly anything about what is going on with the environment right now. They have editorials of pieces from mainstream media, as well as their own original articles. 





The second thing I find interesting about this page is the stuff they are reporting. There are so many things that I have never even heard about on there. Who knew that 1.6 million pounds of lead fall off vehicle tires each year? I know I didn't. Where would you go to find information about new biofuels, or renewable energy? Until now I would have had to spend time surfing the web looking for a reliable source. But having just about everything you want to know about the environment in one location is so much more convenient.


This website is a great resource, no matter what you are working on. It is also updated every day with new articles impacting our environment.

Advocacy Project: My Political Representatives

The following are my political representatives and their contact information. I also have a link to each of their websites.

PRESIDENT

Barack Obama

Democrat

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 

Washington, DC 20500

Website: www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama

CONGRESSMEN

Herb Kohl

U.S. Senate

Democrat

Contact information

330 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510-4903

Website: kohl.senate.gov

Ron Johnson

U.S. Senate

Republican

Contact information:

386 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510-4904

Website: ronjohnson.senate.gov

Sean Duffy

U.S. House

Republican

Contact information:

1208 Longworth House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-4907

Website: duffy.house.gov

GOVERNOR

Scott Walker

Republican

Contact information:

Office of the Governor

115 East Capitol
Madison, WI 53702

Website: walker.wi.gov

STATE LEGISTORS

Pam Galloway

WI Senator

Republican

Contact information:

Room 409 South
State Capitol
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707-7882

Website: www.legis.state.wi.us/leginfo/contact/legislatorpages.aspxhouse=Senate&district=29

Mary Williams

WI House

Republican

Contact information:

Room 17 West
State Capitol
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708

Website:

 http://legis.wisconsin.gov/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=Assembly&district=87

Reflections: Weeks 1-7

Looking back at the first half of the semester. We sure did go through a lot.
Starting with all the new things I learned. I had never before used a blog. I thought it was going to be just terrible, hard to learn, and annoying to use. But after a few weeks of use, it does't seem that bad.

Moving towards the things we learned in class. I have always considered myself somewhat of a "tree-hugger", but there sure a lot of things that I never looked at.

The first video that we watched was really what I would call an eye-opener. It was just a clip from 60 minutes, but it had some really important things in it. It exposed all of the reasons why we might not know as much about the environment as we should. It showed how the government seems to have more control over what we know that the people who do the research. That made me wonder whether the government actually knows what is best for us, or are willing to admit it if they do know.

The next video "The Future of Food" really got me to think about what is in my food. It goes in depth into the unpublicized dangers of genetically modified food. I had never know anything about that, and that documentary shows a little bit why.  All they were really fighting for was to have labels on what is and is not genetically modified. It doesn't seem that hard, but certain people in certain places are willing to spend more money to hide the issue.

Then the documentary "Fresh" helps us see all the ways that we could be growing our own food. I had never before thought that somebody in downtown Milwaukee could have his own successful produce operation. Also there are so many things they pointed out that farmers could be doing to help the environment, but they aren't, just to make a buck. They show where the cost of cheap food really ends up.

Then "Green" really showed what the toll is of our oil refineries and chemical factories on the environment. I had never thought of before, what happens to all the chemical waste for all the products out there. I never knew these plants were causing cancer to the nearby residents, nor did I know they were building houses on top of contaminated landfills.

Lastly the movie "Tapped" points out what is really in that bottle of water we are drinking. I had always know that the plastic bottles were bad for the environment. But I had never seen the beach where you couldn't tell the difference between the plastic parts and the sand. And who is supposed to be making sure these products are safe? Apparently one person (among other duties) is solely responsible for the safety of millions of bottles of water sold every day.

Overall I learned a lot of things is just seven weeks. But those things raised a lot of questions. Like what are we doing? Who is going to stand up for our safety? Who is going to suffer the consequences of the choices we make today? One day someone is going to pay the price for what we do today to save a dollar.

Eye Opener: Week 8 Junk on the Brain

Here are some terms relating to Junk with definitions from Merriam Webster:
Antique- a relic or object of ancient times or: a work of art, piece of furniture or decorative object made at an earlier period and according to various customs laws at least 100 years ago
Junk - a (1) : old iron, glass, paper, or other waste that may be used again in some form (2) : secondhand, worn, or discarded articles (3)
b : something of poor quality c : something of little meaning, worth, or significance

Flea Market -  a usually open-air market for secondhand articles and antiques.

Thrift Shop - a shop that sells secondhand articles and especially clothes and is often run for charitable purposes

Resale Shop - They usually sell mainly second-hand goods donated by members of the public, and are often staffed by volunteers. (From Wikipedia)

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. (Also From Wikipedia)

These terms have  a lot to do with environmental health. To start with all these things help keep stuff out of landfills, and also help stop new stuff from being manufactured (causing pollution, etc.).

 One place that I go to frequently in Duluth is Savers. They are located conveniently near the mall, next to target. They have really good deals on gently used donated items. I shop there frequently, that's actually where I found the pieces to make my Halloween costume.

Exploring on Junk Market Style, the first interesting project I saw was about a tricycle.  I think this is awesome just because it is a tricycle, anybody who doesn't think tricycles are cool can.... The second interesting project I saw was a silage shooter planter, which is great just because it is so simple, and looks great. A third project I saw was about a wheel well indoor planter, which interests me because I am really into growing my own vegetables, and this sounds like a great way to have a tomato plant inside over the winter.

Read n Seed 5: fourth quarter of Man vs Wild

The fourth quarter of this book is the last chapter, about the sea, and some extra info about Bear Grylls.  There are many ways you could become stranded at sea, the ones that some to my mind are Tom Hanks in "Cast Away", and obviously "Gilligan's Island". The most important thing that Grylls points out at the beginning of this chapter is that "Unless you sink, freeze, fry, or are eaten before you get there, reaching land will eventually be inevitable".  The point is to get to land, but that might be harder than you think. All of those things Grylss talks about can be avoided just by staying out of the water. The simple way to do that is to have a survival raft, without a raft it can be a matter of hours before you are dead. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't normally put a survival raft in my carry on whenever I get on a plane, so I don't know what you are supposed to do about that. Anyway, once you are in your raft, water is the #1 priority, it seems ironic to be stranded in an ocean, and not have anything to drink. One way you can make drinking water is with a make-shift solar still in your raft, also rainwater is probably the easiest thing if available. Finding food is much easier, seaweed is considered a delicacy in some places, but it must be rinsed in fresh water to be edible. If you have anything reflective, use it at night to create a concentrated light on the water, you will be able to grab fish with your bare hands.  Besides eating and drinking, all you can really do is hope for land or a passing ship, and of course, never give up.
Overall this book was great. I learned several important things. First is that the first step in survival is mental, if you are willing to go on, you will. Secondly is that you have to be creative, it would be really convenient if you got stranded with a survival kit with all the equipment you would need, but you have to be able to put your imagination to improvising.  And thirdly is that you have to be lucky, so save up your karma, it would be terrible to be in one of those situations, however rare you must still be prepared.
I think this book is very important, and I would recommend it to everybody. There is so much information in this book I barely skimmed the top.  If you know just a fraction of the stuff in this book, you will be just fine in any survival situation.

A Pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities; an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.

Eye Opener: Environmental Working Group

I had a lot of trouble doing this eye opener. I looked at my shampoo, body wash, deodorant, shaving cream, and after shave, and the database reported for each one that they only had limited data on those products. It is really hard to write about something without good data. But then, my last option, toothpaste had good data. It appears that my toothpaste (Colgate) poses a relatively low hazard risk. What I find odd is the category that it had the worst score in, that is the flavor, just because they don't list all of they ingredients. That is good, but now I wonder about all the other things I use. The other products showed a moderate to low hazard, but that was with limited data. I wonder what the database would show if they knew everything about the product. I think that if this database had a little more data, it would be a little more helpful.

Read n seed 4: Third quarter of "Man vs Wild"

For the third quarter of "Man vs Wild" I read chapters 4 and 5. These chapters are about survival in jungles, and deserts. Now I realize how unlikely it is that any of you would ever be in a desperate situation in one of these places. Therefore, I will just highlight a few of Grylls's techniques, and try to bring out some things that can relate to everyday life.
When it comes to being in a jungle, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed. This can be linked to the roots of the phrase "urban jungle", because of the seemingly sinister and complex force that makes everything seem as though the cards are stacked against you.  A jungle can be the same way, there is so much going on around you, that if you're not paying attention you will be lost quickly. The first rule of the jungle is to stay alert. Fear is a very common reaction because of all the new things around you. Imagine spending all your life in a small town, then one day just dropping into the middle of New York City, it would probably be overwhelming for most people and fear is the natural reaction. But Bear Grylls points out that fear won't help you, so you have to remain alert to overcome the situation.  One important technique that Grylls covers is where to put your shelter. It is important to sleep off the ground, the ground is covered with snakes and other creep crawlers, which might carry venom, diseases, or just bite, and that can quickly become a deadly situation. Grylls suggest building an A-frame pole bed.
Lets move along to deserts, as I don't want to bore you too much.  He says that deserts are probably the most hostile of place on earth. This is because of the defining element of their character, that there is no water. His most important advice of this chapter is really important I think. That is, stay away from the desert. This is something I take into consideration frequently, I stay out of situations that are that bad. Too often people fail at whatever it is, because they did not understand what sort of situation they were getting into. That being said, if you do ever find yourself stranded in a desert, the first thing you want to do is get out. Get out of the desert, find your way to water. To find water look for vegetation, cacti can be more helpful than you think, it is fairly easy to get water from a cactus.  Also follow animal trails, they usually lead to a water source. Gullies are fairly common, and they usually lead to a stream, then to a river, and then rivers will almost always find their way to civilization.

Think first - Act later

Read 'n' Seed 3: Second quarter of "Man vs Wild"

This quarter of my book covers chapters 2 and 3. These chapters were about surviving in the mountains in summer, and sub-zero terrain. These chapters, being relatively specific, were not nearly as exciting as the first chapter.
The first point Bear Grylls makes about mountains, is that they are vulnerable to extreme weather no matter what the season. Might find yourself on a warm sunny mountainside, but that can quickly escalate into a freezing, windy place. Therefore, if you are in an emergency situation on a mountain, is go down. At the base of most mountains you will usually find an abundance of nature, and probably a source a fresh water. One interesting point he makes about finding a shelter is that although caves are common and seem like a good place to live; other creatures, such as bears and snakes, have already thought of that, so they should be avoided. Water is critical in any survival situation, this book points out that there are alternatives for water if you can't find any on the surface. Collecting dew, or gathering water from plants, or making a still. As far as food goes, Grylls suggests observing the wildlife. If deer or squirrels can eat a certain plant or nut, although it might not taste great, it is probably edible. Lastly, If you find a main waterway, such as a river, follow it, they usually lead to civilization.
Then when it comes to sub-zero temperatures, things get tricky. Cold weather is extremely dangerously, and hypothermia can kill in a matter of hours. One element that is surprisingly helpful, and usually bountiful, is snow. It is very easy to turn snow into a source of hydration. But, you should not eat the snow directly, you must melt it. Eating snow will burn precious calories while lowering your body temperature. Another overlooked fact of snow is its insulating qualities. Snow shelters can be an easy way to make an effective shelter. One thing to be careful of when traveling is avalanches, to avoid them travel in the morning before the snow has been heated by the sun and when the threat of avalanches will be less.

Survival is about thinking smart, not just sweating hard.

Eye Opener: Week 2 CSPI

My eating green calculator was off the charts. Apparently in one year I consume 1.8 acres of grain and grass needed for animal feed, that seems like a lot of grain. The number I think was low was that I only use .6 pounds of pesticides to produce that animal feed, I thought it would take a lot more than that to grow all that grain. I cause the use of 72.4 pounds of fertilizer, and the animals produce 12444 pounds of manure. That's a lot of manure. I guess I do eat a lot of meat, so those numbers are fair.
As far a the "Improve your diet" part goes, I choose not to change anything. I think that I eat a healthy amount of protein. I do, however, think that where I get my meat from makes it more environmentally friendly. I rarely buy meat, most of what I eat is wild game that I harvest myself. I don't see how I could reduce the amount of dairy products I consume either, without sacrificing some health. But what I can do is help educate people who use those same resources to produce less healthy food, empty calories, or junk food. Because I think I do what I should for the environment, I chose not to take the pledge. Although I will take some of their information into consideration.
Then when I got to the score your diet page, I found that the amount of dairy product I consume seems to be the worst for the environment. My best column was the health score, and that makes sense, because I try to eat healthy. The big numbers in fruits and vegetable really helped that score. My worst column was by far the environmental score, I guess that might be because I never really thought of that. But, again, the dairy products seem to hurt my score a lot.
Overall the reports showed that I eat Relatively healthily, but I should become a little more aware of the environmental impacts of my diet choices.

Read N Seed 2: First Quarter of "Man vs Wild"

This week I started Man vs Wild, and I am really enjoying it. The first chapter is basically an introduction to nature.  Bear Grylls discusses how most people think of the natural world as "wilderness", but it's not. The natural world is much simpler than the complicated man made world that we live in. We are meant to do more than stare at pavement, go for a hike, its good for you, I promise. "The world is small", is a myth, think of all the places you've only seen pictures of. Was there a Walmart in that picture? Also he discussed how we have two responsibilities to the planet: one is to understand and protect it, and the second is to enjoy it. The point of this book is to encourage you to explore and enjoy what nature has provided.
What happens when all the technology you rely on fails, or is unavailable? Say the power goes out. You can't sit at the TV for entertainment, you have to interact with people, step out of your comfort zone. If you depend too much on technology, you will won't be able to survive in an emergency without it.
The first step in a survival situation is psychology. I think this relates a lot to everyday life. I once had a coach that I think summed it up pretty well, "Whether you think you can, or think you can't. You are probably right". In every survival situation, although physical fitness plays a role, you are dead the instant you give up mentally.
The second step is fire. Fire will do amazing things for you. When you are alone, in the cold, in the dark, or all three, fire might seem like your best friend. Fire can provide you with all of the following: light, warmth, somewhere to cook, a way to get dry, and keeping away animals and insects. Grylls goes in depth on how to build a fire without all the modern tools, but here is a quick video overview on how to. As you can see it takes lots of patience, and maybe some practice.
The third step is food. It may be hard to believe, but most people can actually go at least a week before eating. Finding stuff might be easier if you just look around. One thing that a lot of people forget is hygiene when preparing meat, as well as just eating with soiled hands. Just one small stomach bug could leave you dangerously dehydrated and tired. Here is one thing you might not have known you can make a meal of.
The rest of the chapter is about not making your situation worse. Things that might seem like common sense now, can be questionable in a survival situation. First is stay out of the elements; stay by the fire if it is snowing, under a pine tree when it is raining, etc. And the second is don't get more lost, unless you know where you are going, don't waste your energy.
The implication of this part of the book is both to tell you about all the things you could be doing besides sitting in an office, but to lay out some guidelines on what to do when things go wrong. So instead of sitting on the couch drinking beer this weekend; take a hike, go canoeing, or spend a night in a tent somewhere new. But before you go, make sure you are prepared if something goes wrong.

Eye Opener: Week 1: Ecological Footprint

I took the IUHPE Ecological Footprint quiz. It told me that if everybody were like me we would need 4.8 planet earth's to provide enough resources.  This is really interesting, mostly because I think that most people don't live like me. I feel like I live relatively conservatively compared to a lot of people I know. One thing that really skewed my number is the amount of hours I spend flying, I'm a private pilot, so I spend a lot of time in the air. I do think that I make up for that in the miles that I don't drive however. I take the bus to and from school everyday, and a rarely take a car somewhere, unless I need to.
In short, I guess there are a few more little things I could do to use less resources, and help my utilities bill also. But the best thing for the environment would probably be for me to help other people be more environmentally conscious.

Read 'n' Seed 1: "Man vs Wild"

During the course of this semester I will be reading and reporting on the book "Man vs Wild: Survival Techniques From the Most Dangerous Places on Earth", by Bear Grylls.  This is book about survival, simply put. But I intend to get more than that from it. I intend to use it to show interesting ways to live in harmony with the natural world, things that you might not learn from living in a city and buying all your necessities at a store. That is why I chose to read this book.
Bear Grylls is a famous survivalist, and you can read all about him here or here. He has his very own television show, "Man vs Wild", which is very popular, if you haven't seen it you should check it out.
This book has 250 pages in 6 chapters, plus some bonus material at the end. I will be sharing this book in four quarters as follows:
1st quarter - chapter 1
2nd quarter - chapters 2 and 3
3rd quarter - chapters 4 and 5
4th quarter - chapter 6 and extras
I look forward to sharing this book with you, and hearing what you think of it.

Welcome

Hello to all my followers!
My name is John and with this blog I will be sharing with you interesting stories, facts, and ideas about the great outdoors. This will be a great place for discussion of things you can do to make the environment a better place, as well as things to do in the wilderness, and how to live more environmentally friendly. 


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

1. Advocacy Project
2. Eye Openers
3. Reflections
4. Read n Seed
5. Share and Voice

If you notice at the bottom of this post, the categories will be listed as labels. This post is has been labeled with all five kinds of posts. You will also see the number of each kind of post in my Labels Gadget at the top of the page. All post titles from now on will begin with one of the categories above.
The members of my web group are:

1. Dr. V & Kristen@Enviro-Surfing with Amy & Kristen
2. Niki @Tropical Environments with Nikki J
3. Ruthanne @ Ruthane's Raindrops
4. Hannah @ Hannah's Eco Safari

You can, if you haven't already you should, follow my blog by clicking "Follow this Blog" in the gadget column. You can see my complete profile and all the blogs I am following by clicking on "See Complete Profile."

I look forward to sharing experiences with all of you as well as hearing and learning about everything outdoors. learning from blogs this semester should be great fun and beneficial for all of us.