Reflection: Weeks 8-14

  

The two photos above are of my junking project, which ended up being one of my favorite assignments.  I bought a bottle cutter online, then cut wine bottles!  I'm making different parts of them into different things - candle holders, wine glasses, drinking glasses... it's been really fun!
I liked that we focused on junking and re-purposing.  I think it's really fun, and it's an easy way to do a lot of good for the environment!
Visiting Goodwill was awesome.  Before this class, I had no idea that there was so much going on behind the scenes.  It makes me that much more willing to drive down there when I have donations.  I also got a nice laugh from the huge, smushed cube of stuffed animals we passed during our tour - kind of terrifying to my inner child though!

I really enjoyed the second half of this semester - and man did it fly by!  Doing the Share & Voices were fun because we had more freedom to get creative with our subject, and research new things!  All of the ones I read were really cool.  The photo essay was possibly my most favorite assignment we did, because it is totally "me", haha.  It was interesting to see what everyone else chose to do theirs on too!

The advocacy project was a little more challenging, for a couple of reasons.  Firstly, I chose a subject that I didn't know much about, so that forced me to research is a lot more.  I'm glad that it turned out that way, but it was still kind of hard sometimes.  And secondly, because I don't know much about politics and government, so making a list of our political leaders took a while (and a lot of Googling).

All-in-all, this was one of my favorite classes I've taken at UMD.  I learned so much, and something sparked in me that makes me want to change my habits, along with other people's.
Thanks so much for the great time and knowledge! :)

Good luck with finals guys! Remember:

OR..

Whichever one helps you ;)

Share & Voice: Roxaboxen

"Marian called it Roxaboxen. (She always knew the name of everything.) There across the road, it looked like any rocky hill -- nothing but sand and rocks, some old wooden boxes, cactus and greasewood and thorny ocotillo -- but it was a special place: a sparkling world of jeweled homes, streets edged with the whitest stones, and two ice cream shops. Come with us there, where all you need to gallop fast and free is a long stick and a soaring imagination.In glowing desert hues, artist Barbara Cooney has caught the magic of Alice McLerran's treasured land of Roxaboxen -- a place that really was, and, once you've been there, always is." (here)

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran was one of my favorite books growing up.  It's a short book filled with beautiful illustrations, and a wonderful story about a group of friends who build their own town out of just nature and few boxes. 

I always wanted to build my own Roxaboxen - it seemed like such a special and beautiful place.

But I did have my own similar adventures created by imagination when I was growing up.  That is the beauty of nature - when kids (and adults) are unleashed into it, magical and amazing things come out of them.  We don't need the computer games, television shows, or even books to provide us with hours of fun. 

I recommend this book to anyone of any age, if you haven't read it already.  And also encourage you to spend some more time outdoors, building your own version of a Roxaboxen. 

Advocacy Project: Letter to Elected Official

Dec. 11th, 2011
Senator Amy Klobuchar
U.S. Senate
302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Vote yes on amendment H.AMDT.631.

I am writing to encourage you to vote yes on the amendment to the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act.  The purity of our drinking water in vital to the health of every community, especially in our schools. By requiring a report on water, we will be ensuring that our children are safe from lead.

As a health educator and community member, this issue is important to me.  Lead can cause many negative health conditions ranging from upset stomachs, to brain and memory damage.  It can seep into our drinking water from old pipes used to carry and distribute water.  Many of our older school buildings could easily contain such pipes, and lead could be slowly damaging the children, staff and parents who come in contact with the water.

Others may think that testing and repair if our school's water and pipes is too costly.  Or that the health concern isn't really there.  But can we really put a price on the health of our children and community members?  Lead poisoning is very real, and very serious, and we should do everything we can to protect our future from it.

Thank you for your time.  If you want any further information, or have and questions, please don't hesitate to call me at 321-555-1234.  Again, I encourage you to vote yes for this amendment.


Sincerely,
Sierra Wilson-Beckman
safewater@us.yes.com

Share & Voice: National Geographic

For this Share and Voice I chose to post about National Geographic.
Many of us are familiar with the name, either because of TV shows, the magazine or the photography.

I used to say I was going to be a National Geographic photographer when I grew up - travel the world, cover thrilling stories, and take spectacular photos.

National Geographic is an amazing source for current information on a wide range of topics - all related to nature, people, animals, the earth, our world.. the environment!

Since the photography is what really catches my attention, I'm going to share some National Geographic photos - famous and my favorites. (All found here)

"A lioness lets out a mighty yawn to shake away the sleep and be ready for the wildebeests which were headed in the direction of the pride. Soon after she walked away in the familiar swagger of a confident hunter and took up position under the bushes."

Lions are my favorite animal, and I loved this shot.

"The Cascade Room, some 80 feet (24 meters) beneath the surface, leads divers deeper into Dan's Cave on Abaco Island. Nearly seven miles (11 kilometers) of the cave have been explored since the mid-1990s."


It's amazing that places like this exist! Although I don't think I'd be brave enough to dive down there - good thing I chose a different career path!

King Tutankhamen’s Funerary Mask: "Icon of ancient Egypt, the teenage pharaoh's funerary mask immortalizes his features in gold, glass, and semiprecious stones. This and other treasures from his tomb, now in Cairo's Egyptian Museum, attract a constant swirl of visitors."


A piece of history. It is so interesting to read about discoveries like this one - and ones from around the world.

"Colorful shawls and flowered dresses accentuate these Bruneian girls as they practice for a traditional Malay family gathering. Their hands, folded together, symbolize humility and peace."


I love learning what other cultures do and value - using your hands and body to symbolize different things, and wearing garments that have been passed through generations. Sometimes I wish American's held things like this in higher regard.

"At an electric plant in southern Spain, mirrors as big as houses catch some of the 120 quadrillion watts of sunlight that constantly fall on Earth. Government subsidies for this pricey yet promising power source have made Europe the world's solar capital."


I wish the US would invest in more solar/renewable/clean energy. It might be expensive now, but it will pay off in the long run.

"I love all the empty space around the swimming platform. It shows how the lake is both huge and peaceful. The figures of the people become very small, and what makes the shot is the person jumping from the platform and appearing especially tiny surrounded by all that water."


Even our very own Lake Superior made the cut! Has anyone jumped of the ice house down by Canal Park?







If you are interested in learning more from National Geographic, you can visit their website here, which is also where you can sign up for a magazine subscription. I have one, and think it is definitely worth the monthly fee.
You can also follow them on Facebook! They often post current events, interesting facts, and of course beautiful photos!
And, if you use Netflix, they have a ton of documentaries and videos on instant-watch. I'm currently in the middle of The Photographers (of course), which uses a famous and stunning photo for it's cover.

Enjoy!

Advocacy Project: Fact Sheet

Is Lead Contaminating 
Our Children's Drinking Water?

What is lead?

The National Institutes of Health describes lead as "...a highly toxic metal found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. Because of its abundance, low cost, and physical properties, lead and lead compounds have been used in a wide variety of products... Since 1980, federal and state regulatory standards have helped to minimize or eliminate the amount of lead in consumer products and occupational settings. Today, the most common sources of lead exposure in the United States are lead-based paint in older homes, contaminated soil, household dust, drinking water..."

What effects does lead have on the health of children?
There are many effects and symptoms from lead poisoning, and can range from acute to chronic. Children and more at risk because of their developing bodies and organs. Some complications and symptoms include:

• Anemia (low levels of red blood cells)
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Kidney failure
• Learning disabilities
• Loss of short-term memory and ability to concentrate

How does lead get into water, and how do I know if it's there?
Lead does not naturally occur in water. It can leach into drinking water from pipes used to deliver the water to the home or building.
The only way to know whether your tap water contains lead is to have it tested. You cannot see, taste, or smell lead in drinking water.

Has my child's school been tested?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Unless a school is regulated as a public water system, testing for lead and copper within the school is not specifically required. Therefore, many schools served by water systems owned by cities, towns, or other entities may have never been tested for lead under the LCR. Therefore, EPA strongly recommends that schools test drinking water in their facilities for lead.

Where can I get more information?
The Duluth office of the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources:
Phone: (218)-723-4752
Address: 394 South Lake Av. Room 403

Duluth Public Schools
Contact your child's school and ask for information on their water testing history.

Visit the EPA's website for both general and local information.

Brought to you by Sierra Wilson-Beckman

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

For this eye opener, I was immediately excited. I knew what topic I wanted to cover right away, and any excuse to use my camera is welcomed.

I chose to do my photo essay on the topic of "Nature Deficit Disorder", which I talked about briefly in my last share and voice. I wanted to base my photos off of what I have been reading about in Richard Louv's book The Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, which I also covered in my last share and voice.

It was hard to get stared for this post. First of all because I had so many different branches of the book that I wanted to cover, and secondly because I wasn't sure how to capture those ideas and teachings in photographs. Finally, I decided to just go, and see where my lens took me. The results are a little scattered, since I couldn't pick just one chapter, issue or idea to focus on - they were all too important and intriguing. 


So, I took a walk around Lake Harriet with my mom on Thanksgiving morning. I had one photo in mind I knew I needed.

This is the Gnome Home.  I've been visiting this humble little abode since I can remember.  A little door nestled into a hole in a tree that lines a paved path around the lake.  I used to write notes to the Mr. Little Guy (as he calls himself); telling him about my latest swim meet, or my birthday, and asking him about gnome life.  And the kind gnome would respond to me on a tiny little silver piece of paper.  He would congratulate me, and tell me about how he and his brothers had moved the Porta-Potty away from his little house - with the help of a few squirrels.  Of course, the Gnome Home grew in popularity, and soon other kid's letters would stuff the little door so full I had to shove mine in amongst them.  A border of bricks, and planted tulips soon made it easy to find this little treasure.  

I believed in fairies and gnomes and magic already, and found them in my own adventures elsewhere as well. But this was extra special since I had proof!
My imagination's connection to nature was easy when I was little - and creativity has been shown to blossom when someone is in the outdoors.

It was easy for me to believe in the Gnome when I was little, because of the magic and nature that surrounded the experience.

My mom and I continued our walk; catching up, commenting on the houses, people watching...

Then my aunt called my mom's phone, and my boyfriend texted me which prompted me to check the score of the Packers game, and then this man ran by us:

Plugged in to his iPod, running around the lake in the beautiful 50 degree weather. 

It reminded me of a clip from Louv's book:

"'It was a perfect, quiet day, the kids are skiing down the mountain - and they've got their headphones on.  They can't enjoy just hearing nature and being out there alone.  They can't make their own entertainment. They have to bring something with them.'"

I had to laugh. I'd just been ranting to my mom about what I'd been learning... yet here I was on my smart phone and talking to her and thinking about a billion different things I had to do later (most of which involved technology of some sort). 

That night, I found myself in a conversation with my Gramma (who is in the photo above). I was telling her about the photos I'd taken, this assignment, and then about what I'd been learning in Louv's book. She told me some stories about how when she was a little girl (around 1930s):
Her and her sisters, along with the neighborhood kids, running down to Minnehaha creek and climbing around behind the waterfall... all day.
Cutting out the people in magazines and matching them to their hats - like a puzzle.
Going through the local library books A-Z.


Her childhood was so drastically different from mine, and even my mom's. We grew up in different times, but I still felt sad after listening to her. I felt sad because I wished I'd had that kind of freedom... I wish I had it now even. 
Kids rarely go outside to play, when given the option. And even then, it isn't the kind of outdoor play my Gramma can describe to you.

(I hope it counts that I took a picture of a picture...) 

Above is my mom, aunt and a friend when they were little. Just entertaining themselves with the world around them.

"'We tell our kids that traditional forms of outdoor play are against the rules... Then we get on their backs when they sit in front of the TV - and then we tell them to go outside and play. But where? How? Join another organized sport? Some kids don't want to be organized all the time. They want to let their imagination's run..." (pg. 31)

"For the young, food is from Venus; farming is from Mars" (pg. 20)

I chose to photograph my Thanksgiving dinner to represent this clip from Louv's book. The quote is a header for a section, in which Louv interviews a farmer friend of his. The man talks about how he raised his children to know where their food came from. They saw the dead goats, and even killed some chickens. The majority of my generation, and the ones after me, don't see any of that. We can label what a cow and a sheep are from the time we start talking, but we don't make that connection when we are eating a burger, a turkey dinner, drinking a glass of milk, or even when we enjoy a big salad..

..Or are about to juice a bunch of veggies and fruits. I have a total disconnect from this pile of food. I couldn't tell you how to grow it, or where, or what is involved in getting it to my table.

Finally, I took this photo as we drove back up to Duluth. With the following quotes in mind, I tried to pay attention to the world passing by outside my window. 


"'...it is not unusual to make a day trip, stopping only for coffee or a snack along the way. The entire experience occurs from the automobile looking out." (pg.52)


"But now even that visual connection is optional. A friend of mine was shopping for a new luxury car to celebrate her half century of life ... 'The salesman's jaw dropped when I said I didn't want a backseat television monitor for my daughter,' she told me."
"Why do so many Americans say they want their children to watch less TV, but continue to expand the opportunities for them to watch it? More important, why do so many people no longer consider the physical world worth watching?" (pg.62)




There is a very real issue today. Children and adults are suffering from this disorder. There are multiple reasons why we've dissolved our relationship with nature so quickly. And there are many real and dangerous symptoms because of this dissolve - evident in individuals, families, communities and our whole nation. 

Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

Introduction:

• Lead in the drinking water of schools
• An amendment to the Clean Water Act, requiring annual testing and reports of school drinking water

Who is affected?:

• The students who attend the school, families/friends who visit the school and staff who work at the school. Also the companies employed to test the water and the school district staff who deal with the budget.
• The people who consume water contaminated with lead would win, because they would hopefully be saved from possible lead poisoning: "Lead is considered the number one health threat to children, and the effects of lead poisoning can last a lifetime. Not only does lead poisoning stunt a child’s growth, damage the nervous system, and cause learning disabilities, but it is also now linked to crime and anti-social behavior in children." (source)
• The company employed to test the water would also win, because they would be gaining business.
• The people directly effected by the school's budget might be the losers, since paying for testing could be costly. 

Consequences:

• Negative consequences for the individuals most impacted are the health problems associated with lead poisoning.  
• For the families of these individuals - if parents had a child or other family member with lead poisoning they would likely suffer emotional stress, along with medical bills.
• For society the impacts would include financial stress due to medical treatments, which might impact the overall community.  Also if it is a small community they could suffer emotional stress.

Economic Impacts:

• The school or school district would bear the cost of funding the testing.  They would also likely bear the cost of some repercussions if someone did get lead poisoning. 
• The social benefits would be healthier children and families, which would lead to happier children and families.  They wouldn't need to worry about possible poisoning.

Barriers:

• Barriers would be mostly financial.  Testing an entire school annually could get pricey, and then if they did find outlets with lead, the price of replacing them would be much more expensive.  Other barriers might be time - finding a time to bring in the testers, or do replacements if necessary.
• The school could do some sort of fundraising - if concerned families and communities would want to donate.  Also they might be able to get help from the government.  Time could be figured out easier, since they could do it after school hours on weekends most likely.  Here is say that grants are available under a statute.  

Resources:

• We would need the school community, and also the surrounding community, to come together to support the cause.  
• A local company to do testing, and also replacing if necessary
• The community could be tapped by bringing up the issue in school board meetings or parent groups.  Also by distributing fliers and pamphlets to homes.

History:

• I found a Minnesota Statute that was passed, here.
• "Minnesota Statutes 144.9501-144.9512 (also known as The Minnesota Lead Poisoning Prevention Act) were enacted to prevent and reduce lead exposure to children, up to the age of 72 months, and pregnant women from the adverse health effects caused by elevated blood lead levels."

Allies and Opponents:

• Allies would likely be the community and concerned families. 
• Opponents would probably be anyone in the school or district concerned about money or possibly legal issues if lead is found.

Policy Makers should definitely vote in agreement with annual water/outlet testing.  It will ensure the safety and optimal development of the children in the community.