Reflection: Weeks 3 & 4

I learned a lot this week! We started by meeting with the TA's to figure out what we were missing on our blogs.  I found this very helpful. I also picked out my book that I am reading for read 'n' seed. I have started and im already loving it!  I really enjoyed class on Monday.  It was awesome to hear everyone's plans for their eco-chic lifestyle change.  It inspired me to set my SMART goal which is for the next ten weeks to drink out of a re-usable water bottle 100% of the time.  I have already started this project and so far I havn't ran into any obsticals and I have been drinking more water!  The most eye opening part of class was completing the ecological footprint suveys and finding out that my lifestlye is contributing to global climate change.  I thought watching the Inconvinent Truth tied in really well with this concept.  I really enjoyed the video and it opened my eyes to what is happening in our world and also that I am a direct contributer.  However there is hope!  I am confidnet that if I continue my eco-chic lifestyle change and if I make other small changes I will do my part to repair the damage that has been done.  Save the Polar Bears:)

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1: My SMART Goal

My SMART Goal

Over the next ten weeks 10 weeks I will use reusable water bottles 100% of the time when drinking water and other beverages such as coffee, gatorade, and juice.

How is this lifestyle change Eco-Chic? 

This change will reduce the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases that result from manufacturing water bottles and it will cut down on the number of plastic bottles in stuck in landfills .  

 

This change will not only benefit the environment but it will benifit me personally.  I will drink more water becuase it will no longer be convinent to buy a soda or sports drink.  It will also save me money.  I spend a lot of money on soda, gatorade, juice and coffee.  This change will help me focus on drinking water. 

Why is this lifestyle change important to me?

This change is important to me becuase I need to do my part to help the environment.  I think this will be a relativly easy habit to get into and it is something I can do for the rest of my life.  I have used a reusable water bottle in the past for water but I think the most challenging part of my goal will be to refrain from buying soda and gatorade.  I also will need to remember to bring a reusable bottle for my coffee.  Im excited to start this change and see how it will benifit my health and save me money.  I think it is a win-win situation!

Making the change!

Starting NOW I am done using plastic bottles!

I also blogged for the Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change Week 1 Linky Party hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy. 

Eye Opener: Ecological Footprint

According to the Earthday footprint quiz it would take 3.2 earths to provide enough resources for everyone to live my lifestyle and according to My footprint quiz  it would take 3.88 earths to sustain life if everyone lived like I do. I also took the Travel calculator Quiz and according to it I am average.  At first I thought there had to be a mistake because I try to do things to "be green."  It was shocking to see how my lifestyle can have such an impact on the earth.  I am obviously not doing enough to help the planet.  I realize now how selfish I am being and how wasteful I am.  I can adjust my everyday behaviors to reduce my ecological footprint.  I sometimes forget to unplug appliances, I drive my car too often, and I almost never air dry my clothing.  I also now see that I am too much of a comsumer.  I like to shop and I buy too many clothes that I don't need.  I also have always wanted to have my own garden but I have just been too lazy.  There are many ways I can reduce my ecological footprint so now its time to do something about it! 

Read 'n' Seed: Omnivore's Dilemma

Omnivore's Dilemma is a New York Times bestseller that has changed the way readers view the ecology of eating, this revolutionary book by award winner Michael Pollan asks the seemingly simple question: What should we have for dinner? Tracing from source to table each of the food chains that sustain us - whether industrial or organic, alternative or processed - he develops a portrait of the American way of eating. The result is a sweeping, surprising exploration of the hungers that have shaped our evolution, and of the profound implications our food choices have for the health of our species and the future of our planet. (Review found on Amazon.) I chose this book because I recently finished reading another book by Michael Pollan called The Botany of Desire and I really enjoyed it.  I am excited to learn more about where our food comes from.  This book has 20 chapters and is 391 pages long.  This book is already divided into three sections. I will divide the last section into two parts in order to have 4 posts.

1. Section One:
Industrial: Corn
Chapters 1-7; Pages 1-109

2. Section Two:
Pastoral: Grass
Chapters 8-14; Pages 123-262

3. Section Three:
Personal: The Forest
Chapters 15-17; Pages 277-304

4. Section Four:
Personal: The Forest
Chapters 18-20; Pages 334-391

I can't wait to get started and share what I learn with everyone!

Share & Voice: Greenzer

http://www.greenzer.com/
Greenzer  is a website that is designed to make shopping for "green" products easier.  On this website there are Greenzer  products but also  products from other green merchants.  I like this website because it is a good way to shop "green" but still be able to choose from a wide variety of products.  There are many products ranging from computers to apparel to beauty. Take time to visit the websites blog .  Thank you for reading my post!

Reflection: Weeks 1 & 2

(Picture of Pelican Lake at Fair Hills Resort) 

Week one:

In the first class meeting we did the "star wars activity" which made us think outside the box. I thought it was a very eye-opening activity and it made me reflect on why I didn't think of another solution to the problem. I think this class will open my eyes to new ideas and new solutions. Next, we learned how to set up our blogs. I thought I would catch on faster than I did but I am getting the hand of blogging now.


Week Two:  


In the second class meeting we looked at the environment from a political point of view.  It was fun to hear everyone's ideas about the quotes that Dr. V showed us.  I realized that the class has a lot of different point's of view.  I am excited about this because I think I will learn a lot not only from Dr. V but from the class as well.  Next, we watched a short video about global warming.  I never realized the extent to which the government censors information that is presented to the public.  The permalink blogging assignment was challenging for me but I eventually got it figured out. Im excited for the next class next week!  Have a good weekend!

:)

Welcome to Jordanne's Jungle!

Hi! My name is Jordanne Even and I am from Detroit Lakes Minnesota.  I am a Community Health major with a psychology minor.  I also play basketball for UMD. This is my first time blogging and so far it has been a lot of fun.  My blog will focus on what I learn through the semester concerning the environment.  I am very excited for this class!

There are 6 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:

1. Advocacy Project
2. Eye Openers
3. Reflections
4. Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change
5. Read 'n' Seed
6. 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. (Place labels gadget below blog header but above blog text). All post titles from now on will begin with one of the categories above.

The members of my web group are:

1. Jordanne@Jordanne's Jungle 
2. Karly F.@Karly's Karing Habitat  
3. Maggie F.@Maggies Environmental Lifestyle 
4. Hailey G.@Hailey's Healthy Environment  

You can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscribe gadget in the gadget column. You can also follow my blog by clicking "Follow this Blog" in the gadget column. I am subscribed to all the blogs in my blog list gadget. You can see my complete profile and all the blogs I am following by clicking on "See Complete Profile."

Thank you for reading my post! Have a great day. :)

Blogged for the Welcome Linky Party  hosted by Amy@Eco-Chic with Amy .