Advocacy: Letter to Representative

6789 Veggie Lane
Duluth, MN 55813

April 28, 2009
Senator Amy Klobuchar
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Klobuchar,

It has been brought to my attention that pollution is a rising problem in our society. The problem is not only seen with solid waste pollution but all forms of pollution. That is why I believe in passing the SF1746 bill, which supports improvement in overall state air quality, hazardous waste and water quality standards.

SF1746 bill is about improving the state air quality by reducing all forms of pollution through the adoption of standards from the Pollution Control Agency. The bill also includes promoting solid waste disposal controls by encouraging the updating of collection systems, elimination of open dumps, and improvements in incinerator practices. The adoption of standards for the control of the collection, transportation, storage, processing, and disposal of solid waste and sewage sludge of prevent water, air, and land pollution. Another aspect this bill addresses is noise pollution, which is the maximum level of noise in terms of sound pressure level, which may occur, in the outdoor atmosphere. Lastly, it supports adopting standards of hazardous waste and for the management, identification, labeling, classification, storage, collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of hazardous waste.

As a Health Educator, I feel that people of all ages could benefit from improved air quality, reduced amounts of solid wastes, and reduced amounts of noise pollution. I know that you are a supporter of protecting our environment, and passing this bill would definitely benefit our Minnesota surroundings.

I hope that you support this issue and vote “YES” for the SF1746 bill: to improve the state air quality by reducing all forms of pollution through the adoption of standards from the Pollution Control Agency. These changes could greatly benefit our community’s health and safety.

Should you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 987-987-6789. I would be more than willing to help promote the importance of this cause, so if there is anything I could do, please let me know.

Thank you for your time.

Shar D.

Share and Voice: Environmental Photo Essay

Hey Guys!!!
This is the moment you've all been waiting for...Here are all the photos I've collected from class. Enjoy=)


Us at the Bagley Nature Area


Steve and Derek navigating through Bagley!


Ben and I navigating through Bagley


That's all! If you'd like/need any of these pictures, feel free to take it off my blog. (Just click on the picture and then right click and choose save as.)
If you have problems, just let me know.
Don't forget assign photo credit to the one and only;) Shar Drew lol
See ya Tuesday=)

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Hey guys, so I scheduled this bad boy to post yesterday because I had to work and I just realized it didn't work! (Jayme, I think you're going to have to show me what I did wrong;)

Another interesting fact, since I last wrote this blog I developed a irritation in my eye due to allergies and contact lenses...funny because my topic started out because I was interested in reducing reducing indoor allergies;) Anywho, let's get to business...

The bill that I chose was SF1746 “State air quality, hazardous waste and water quality standards analysis requirement,” which is about improving the state air quality by reducing all forms of pollution through the adoption of standards from the Pollution Control Agency. Pollutions concerning the air quality would place a limit to emissions of air contaminants from motor vehicles.

The bill also includes promoting solid waste disposal controls by encouraging the updating of collection systems, elimination of open dumps, and improvements in incinerator practices. In addition, to adopt standards for the control of the collection, transportation, storage, processing, and disposal of solid waste and sewage sludge for the prevention and abatement of water, air, and land pollution.

Another aspect of pollution they address is a maximum level of noise in terms of sound pressure level, which may occur, in the outdoor atmosphere.

Lastly, to adopt standards he identification of hazardous waste and for the management, identification, labeling, classification, storage, collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of hazardous waste. However, by recognizing that due to variable factors, no single standard of control is applicable to all areas of the state but that overall there is work to be done.

Who is affected by the issue?

I feel that everyone would be affected by this issue but mostly in a positive way. What could be so bad about reducing pollution? It is hard to think of loses but companies who have to change their protocol to reduce the amount of pollution admitted would be a lose, initially. I feel that people of all ages could benefit from improved air quality, reduced amounts of solid wastes, and reduced amounts of noise pollution.

What are the consequences of the issue?

Again, the consequences following this bill would be the cost of the changes that need to be made to reduce the amount of pollution. I think everyone would be affected equally, because if the waste management companies have to pay more to be more eco-friendly then they’ll raise their prices. Also, to reduce the amount of automobile admissions, individuals might decide to purchase a new vehicle to help improve the quality of air, which may be a difficult decision considering the economy these days.

What is the economic impact of the issue? What is the social impact of the issue?

The economic costs of the issue would be the how much it would cost to change everything. Because by passing this bill it might make things more expensive for tax payers as well as the government. Initially it could be a lot but in the end it would cut back on pollution overall and produce a better place to live for everyone. Cleaner air, water and land could help reduce the costs of health insurance later on in life. The social impact will be similar to that of the economic impact. I just feel this will be an overall great improvement all around, due to less pollution I feel that everyone will benefit on some level.

What are the barriers?

Change. Nobody likes change. So getting something to go from an idea to a law and have everyone support it or at least abide by it is not easy. But this can be overcome be introducing the situation and promoting the lifelong benefits of taking action. Just by keeping people focused on the prize is key to any big goal/commitment.

What are the resources?

The main resources needed to make this happen are people to support the idea of reducing pollution all together. Money is also an important resource needed for implementation and enforcement of this bill. Government support would also be beneficial for the people of Minnesota to see that the government feels it is important.

What is the history of this issue?

I discovered that there were some toxic pollution prevention plans in the early 1900’s but other than that I didn’t find much about reducing pollution in the past. I had a hard time finding the history of this issue so if anyone find more about this topic, please fill me in! Thanks=)

Allies & Opponents

I feel that depending on where the cost lie for this issue is where you’ll find supporters and opposers. I’m sure if you asked someone in your town if they’d like to have cleaner air and water they’d agree. But given the same situation, if that person knew they were going to see an increase in taxes because of the bill being passed, they might have a different opinion. (It’s all about the money, it’s all about the dum dum dility dum dum)

Your Recommendation

After reviewing this bill, I feel that policy-makers should vote YES on this proposed policy! Because in the end, the benefits will outweigh the costs.

REFLECTION: WEEKS 11 & 12

Week 11: Last week we watched the documentary, "Unnatural Causes" in class. I liked this documentary a lot, because it was very eye opening. It showed the influence money has on people's health. I wasn't surprised to learn that poverty and poor health went hand in hand. We were also introduced to the Healthy People 2010 assignment.

Week 12: The main focus of this week was solutions and improvements in the environment. We worked on our second Advocacy Project assignment called "Healthy People- Thomas." We picked a topic that we will later advocate for at the end of the semester. The topic I choose was Indoor Allergen Pollution. I recently developed allergies and I'm interested in learning more about them and it's related directly to the environment because it has to do with air quality. We also read reading 20, which talked about how the ozone is closing! On Thursday, I led a class discussion about the reading. Overall, I thought that people were pleased to hear about the ozone closing and happy to know we're doing something right in the environment.

What I learned about myself: That I could be a professor someday, lol jk! Well, for not knowing that I was even going to lead discussion, I think I did a pretty good job. (But far from prof material, I'm sure)

What I learned about the environment: That the ozone is closing!!! Yay, I would have to say after this semester it was great to learn about something positive about the environment!

What I learned about blogging: I don't think I learned anything about blogging these past two weeks. But that we really must be doing a pretty good job at blogging if Dr. V sent them to HEDIR listserv for other people to see!

Pretty sure that covers everything, hope you all have a great weekend;)

Share and Voice: Green Living for Dummies

Green Living for DUMMIES

Soooo I was at Target the other day (not referring to the trip with Heather) browsing through the dollar section and stumbled upon this little book, "Green Living for Dummies." The one I found and purchased is the pocket edition by Yvonne Jeffery, Liz Barclay, and Michael Grosvenor.
Throughout the book you'll find ways to work greener transportation into your lifestyle, the best ways to eat locally and organically, how to rid your life of clutter, and tips for conserving water and energy in your home!

After reading half of the book so far I've realized that many of the topics they cover are things we've been learning about all semester!

Here are some fun tips the book suggests:
Do laundry only when you have a full load.
Line-dry your clothes.
Skip the pre-rinse if your dishwasher gets the dishes clean without it.
Recycle the sink rinse water by using it to wash windows, floors, or the car, to flush the toilet, or to water the garden.
Choose items that have little or no packaging and that come in recyclable or refillable containers.
Reuse paper that has only been used on one side.

Hope you enjoyed my post about Green Living for DUMMIES...let me know if you wanna borrow the book;)

Advocacy: Healthy People 2010/THOMAS

Area 8-16 Objective: Reduce indoor allergen levels.

Progress Quotient Chart: No progress reported at this time

Progress Information: None

Opportunities and Challenges: According to the Healthy People Website, “No low-cost, practical methods have been available that allow homeowners to assess allergen levels in their homes. Many existing building codes were not developed with health considerations, such as allergen reduction, in mind. Newer building and ventilation practices that may significantly improve moisture control and air quality in homes, and thus impact on indoor allergen levels, have not been widely adopted. Dialog between environmental health scientists, building designers, and the building community is not generally well established. In recent years, awareness of the relationship of the built environment to the heath of occupants has increased. Greater use of building and remodeling practices to control moisture infiltration, reduce moisture buildup, and provide proper ventilation for homes may impact significantly on indoor allergen levels. For example, effective moisture control is essential for controlling both dust mites and cockroaches. Strategies to achieve this control include landscape design to provide proper drainage around the structure, proper air sealing of the building envelope combined with appropriate mechanical ventilation, use of ventilation fans in kitchens and bathrooms, installation of vapor barriers over earthen crawlspaces, and control of condensation from plumbing fixtures.

The Health House program is an example of a national education program intended to raise standards for better indoor environments. EPA is using education and nonregulatory approaches to address indoor air pollution. The HUD Healthy Homes Initiative supports activities that focus on researching and demonstrating low-cost, effective home hazard assessment and intervention methods and public education that emphasizes ways in which communities can mitigate housing-related hazards.”

Emerging Issues: Because of the rising number of deaths from asthma and allergy has provided a need for an increased awareness in producing and worsen asthma and allergy symptom. According to the Healthy People Website, “In 2000, the Institute of Medicine released Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures. This publication reviewed the evidence relating to the causation and exacerbation of asthma by indoor air exposures, including allergens from dust mites, cockroaches, dogs, and cats, as well as fungi and combustion products from gas appliances.” Overall, the study concluded that high levels of dust mite allergen can cause asthma in susceptible populations. “In addition, dust mite allergen and cockroach allergen can produce asthma attacks in persons who already have asthma.” Lastly, the EPA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences within NIH produce educational materials on strategies to control indoor allergens and to minimize exposure to them.

Bill Number: SF1746

Title: State air quality, hazardous waste and water quality standards analysis requirement

Sponsor: Ingebrigtsen ; Saxhaug ; Skogen ; Bakk ; Skoe

Latest Action: 3/23/09 Intro and First Reading, Referred to Environment and Natural Resources

My Political Representative:
Senator Bill G. Ingebrigtsen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
State Office Building, Room 123
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
651.297.8063

REFLECTIONS: Week 9 & 10

Time flys when you're having fun...

Week 9:

Last week we learned about our advocacy projects and photo essays. We had a class discussion about advocacy on Tuesday. And on Thursday we talked about our photo essays and covered the ethics of photo taking. We also had to complete our first advocacy project assignment by Thursday, which was on our political/local representatives. For this project we had to research our political representatives and find out their contact information. This was pretty interesting to find all our representatives but some of them where pretty tricky to find. Overall, I found it very useful.

Week 10:

Dr. V was gone this week at the AAHPERD convention so our main focus was to complete our photo essays. I choose to do my photo essay on how technology can help the environment! It was pretty fun taking taking pictures throughout the week that related to my topic. Then I combined some of my photos into a collage to better represent what I was trying to show. Some of the main topics I photographed were access to online phone books and newspapers, virtual field trips, video conferencing, paying bills online and of course blogging. I was checking out other peoples photo essays and I thought they were pretty cool, overall I think everyone did a great job! I hope everyone had a good week off from classes! We'll see ya Tuesday=)

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Hello Everyone!

For my Photo Essay I chose to show ways I think
Technology can help the Environment!

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My first set of photos shows that the phone book/yellow pages can also be found online with the help of the internet. I just feel that its such a waste of money to chop down thousands of trees and pay someone to deliver them. I think they should be printed only for the people who want them. Also, when learning about this topic I found out that since 1992, it has been illegal to dump telephone directories into the regular trash! According to the Star Tribune, "85 percent of the telephone directories are dumped into the trash. State pollution officials call it one of Minnesota's biggest solid-waste problems." Crazy to think those phone books are causing the biggest waste problem in our state and I never use mine!
Can you imagine if we didn't have to print all those phone books?

Newspapers VS Online Newspaper Viewing


Again, considering the paper and ink we go through everyday to print these newspapers when the information can be found with the click of a mouse. According to this article, most American's wouldn't care a lot if local newspapers folded.
"When it comes to local news, more people say they get that news from local television stations than any other source..."

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Paying your bills ...And paying your bills online!

According to the article Global Warming Survival Guide, "Eliminating your paper trail by banking and paying bills online does more than save trees. It also helps reduce fuel consumption by the trucks and planes that transport paper checks. If every U.S. home viewed and paid its bills online, the switch would cut solid waste by 1.6 billion tons a year and curb greenhouse-gas emissions by 2.1 million tons a year, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. Also, to avoid unnecessary carbon dioxide-emitting car trips to the bank on payday, ask your employer to directly deposit your paycheck. You'll get your money faster that way too!!!"

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Instead of meeting up with groups from your class you could virtually meet up over the internet and have a video conference!
This could save you gas, time and money. =)







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Sending letters through the mail service takes a lot longer than sending an email and can cost you postage, stationary and envelopes.
Plus when you use email, you'll

receive a message back if your email didn't go through. You are also able to save drafts and edit them later!







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Field Trip VS Virtual Field Trip

A virtual field trip is an online guided tour. It contains images, text and other media, that can relate the essence of a visit to a time or place. To learn more about them check out this website. I feel they are better for the environment because they completely eliminate the traveling aspect of the trip. And with the help of videos and images students can go through the trip right from their computer!!!

Last but not least...
Paper Assignments VS Blogging

Well, blogging saves paper but I didn't realize how much it actually helps reduce the amount of paper used for classes. The pictures of the piles of paper (on the left) are from not all but one of my classes this semester... And the semester isn't over yet! Just think, what if all your classes had blogging homework?
Yay, for 21st Century Learning!!!

I hope you enjoyed my photo essay on ways that technology helps the environment! I'm excited to hear what you think=) Have a good weekend!