Reflection: Weeks 13-14 & Overall Course

In the previous weeks I have primarily learned about three key topics: Goodwill Industries, Online learning activities, and Junking.

Well what can I say, in my past reflection posts I mentioned that I felt there was still a lot to learn and I was not disappointed.  To start off, my class and I took a field trip to one of the local Goodwill Industries in town.  It was very unique hearing about how the business is run and I found it fascinating how the company managed all of the items.  What fascinated me most, though, was that the employees mentioned that they do sacrifice efficiency and productivity to alter to the needs of the employees!  I thought that was so neat how it seems their primary purpose and goal of the industry is to provide job opportunities to individuals who have some sort of disability and would have a difficult time finding an initial job elsewhere.  The Goodwill Industry is really looking out for the good of the city and the citizens in it.  What also caught my attention was learning that items are either recycled, sold to other industries, and shipped overseas to third-world countries to provide them with clothing and such.  As a result, I do plan to shop at Goodwill more and I have already informed a number of my friends how Goodwill operates and a group of them have mentioned that they will shop there before going to places such as Savers.

What do I plan to purchase at Goodwill you ask? Well, another skill we learned in this course was how to conduct junking projects.  Junking entails a process in which you collect old/unused items and create them into something new.  I did mention junking in a previous reflection post, but what I learned this time is all of the many ideas and inspirations that may result from objects.  At our last class meeting we presented the junking projects that we created and I saw so many neat pieces, for example one classmate created a decorative star out of barbed-wire!


One of the final projects we had to conduct was an online learning activity.  We had to teach about our topic we advocated for; and mine was using alternative forms of transportation.  So to add a little 'twist' to the topic my lesson was based around conducting an investigation and figuring out what forms of air pollution result from driving automobiles.  I had a lot of fun creating the activity and I learned that online activities can be fun and engaging, it's all about the way you approach it!  This assignment really taught me, once again, to think 'outside the box.'  I also learned a lot about other environmental concerns by completing activities that my classmates created.


Overall Course:


I would have to say the main, mother-of-all thing that I learned throughout this course was to critically think.  I always thought of myself as a critical thinker, however, this course really showed me that there is another ball-field when it comes to thinking outside of your normal mindset.  This course proved to me that when we do approach a subject we generally tend to only know the 'surface' and top layer of the matter; and from that we often feel we are an expert, however, below the surface is a whole new range of thoughts, dilemmas, and considerations that need to be taken into account.


I also learned what it means to be a health educator.  As a health educator I do feel it is important to talk with other people about health topics and I have realized how much of an influence I may be on others.  My friends and family often come to me for advice when it comes to health, whether it be physically, emotionally, or spiritually people come to me because they know me as the 'health expert.' I have learned that because people do see me as an expert and that I have a degree in health education when I mention something to them that regards health they really take it to heart and consider the advise I give them.  I am very honored that people view me this way, however, I must admit this course has really opened my eyes up to the fact that I can have quite an influence on others.


Ultimately the words of my classmate, 'What haven't we learned from this course?' seems to sum up the semester pretty well, haha!

Reflection: Weeks 9-12

In the previous weeks I have primarily learned three key topics: how to advocate, how to compost, and to really think about the products I consume.

Adocacy Project:

In the past few weeks I have been learning what it means to 'advocate' for a right/cause. I have been advocating on using alternative forms of transportation, such as biking, city bus transit, etc. Initially to start out the process I located all of my political representatives -from local to national - and I learned about using THOMAS to look up bills that are proposed to implement throughout the nation. I also answered a number of questions in regards to my topic such as 'Who is affected by the issue?' as well as identifying allies/opponents. This project has really taught me how much effort and time it takes to advocate for a topic. It has also taught me how to advocate in an appropriate manner, it has challenged me to really search for answers and to identify barriers that may be necessary to face. I never realized how much planning and researching went into advocating so I know in the future I will definitely look at both sides of each situation.

Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change:

These past few weeks I have also adapting and incorporating a new behavior into my lifestyle. I chose to begin composting and it has been a great experience! I have never composted prior to this so as the process began I did some research on the topic to figure out what it really means to compost. I learned you can compost a lot of items other than simply food scraps, for example, tea bags. Once I decided I was going to compost I informed my roommates and encouraged them to join me in the process. My roommates have been extremely supportive and have been composting with me. After witnessing how much of an influence this whole process has had on them the thing I feel I have learned the most from this project is knowing that it is okay to share with others about how to promote health for the environment as well as for ourselves. Having the title 'Health Educator,' I'm realizing comes with a lot of responsibilities and reliability. When I inform people of something related to health and they know that I am a health educator they really take what I say to heart and trust that what I am telling them truly must be to improve their lives!

Story of Stuff Video:

Finally, last week our class visited the 'Story of Stuff' webpage and listened to some videos about consumerism and how they items we purchase seem to have little to no effect on those around us, we were informed that more goes on 'behind the scenes' then what we generally notice. One example mentioned the pricing of products we purchase and what they really cost to make. You see the product on the shelf for a great discount, however, the video talked about how in order for the product to be sold at a discount price for you somewhere or someone else is 'paying' more, (ie. someone may have to live in a highly polluted area where the product is manufactured). I remember learning once in my economics course in high school about the term 'TINSTAAFL' (pronounced tin-staff-ul). The word is actually an acronym that stands for 'There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.' Basically, this word defines the message the video was sending and that message is someone/something always has to pay for something. Or you could something cannot come from nothing. There is a chance that someone may receive an item that really didn't cost them anything (ie. a prize a company is giving away), however, what appears to be 'free' is not (the company may have to pay for the item in order to give it as a prize). Since this video I have noticed that I am a lot more cautious about the items I  purchase and I have been informing my family and roommates about to make them aware of the situation.

Overall, I will say these topics have taught me to be more cautious about what I am consuming and to consider who/what has been advantaged or disadvantaged in order for me to get this item (regarding the 'Story of Stuff'), and how I may leave a legacy that challenges others and myself to make sure we are doing all we can to preserve and sustain our environment (regarding advocating and change lifestyle behaviors).

Reflection: Weeks 5-8

In the previous weeks I have primarily learned three key topics: various kinds of environmental dilemmas that face our nation today, how to design and create a blog header, and junking.

Each week as my class comes together to discuss environmental health we have been watching documentaries on subjects such as genetically modified crops, livestock factory farms, and the importance of water.  What amazes me about all of these documentaries is that the primary concern is how we, as a nation, are really impairing the earth and it's natural essence.  In both documentaries regarding livestock and modified crops researchers are revealing to us that since these organizations are becoming more fast-paced and quickly-expanding, by speeding up the natural reproduction of products, they are beginning to have negative health effects on the land and animals as well as humans!  The final documentary discussed bottled water and how, unfortunately, our society is literally buying into the fact that bottled water is 'safer' and 'tastes' better than tap water.  Though, in the documentary it was revealed that bottled water is not a commonly filtered and regulated for contaminants as city tap water is - meaning it's generally not better than tap water.  I guess I would have to say the overall moral we can learn from these documentaries is: If it is not broken, or in this case if the current or natural process is working productively AND effectively, we do not need to fix or change it!

I am someone who really enjoys creating and crafting so this was a fun project to do!  I have never used Picnik before so it was a great treat to learn about how to utilize this website.  How the website works is you simply go onto the website (linked in this post)   You may upload any photo you would like to edit, where you can change the photos size, crop it, or even chang its colors.  After that you may add a border around the photo or add words onto it if you like.  Once you're finished you may save the file.  I feel this website is a great way to personalize any photos and give them a little extra 'pazzazz!'  I hope you can tell by the looks of my header that I enjoyed the website!

Finally, this past week we learned about 'junking' - a process in which you collect old/unused items and create them into something new.  For example, I had an old flute and had it made into a stand for a lamp!This is a great way to utilize objects that have already been manufactured and serve no current purpose.  By doing this we are able to cut down on waste and reduce the demand for purchasing newly manufactured items, through which less goods need to be manufactured and thus decrease various pollutions these companies release into our environment.  Another great aspect about junking is that you may create one-of-a-kind pieces and make your home more unique to your fashion taste!  They also make great personalized gifts to give to others.
I realize the semester is over halfway concluded, yet, I feel as if I'm still just beginning to learn so many new environmental health issues and the importance of taking care of our earth.  I cannot wait to see what the next portion of the semester has in store!

Reflection: Weeks 1-4

In the previous weeks I have primarily learned three key topics: how to create and utilize a blog, how much of an impact I am having on the environment, and what I can do to help sustain the environment.

Thus far in the course we have primarily discussed creating and utilizing the wonderful internet tool known as a blog.  Since I have started blogging I have realized how convenient it is for me to communicate with my classmates along with knowing that less trees are being consumed since we have no textbook for the course and most work is completed online.  I love to read and learn, however, I am not a huge fan of technology so previously I felt the best way for me to learn was through reading various books and texts though now I am looking into purchasing a 'NOOK' book - an electronic device that enables you to purchase and download books and magazines electronically replacing printed reading materials.

As one of our assignments for the course we were instructed to take an assessment called IUHPE Ecological Footprint.  For this assessment you have to answer various questions regarding topics such as what forms of transportation you use and where you primarily purchase your groceries.  Once you have completed the assessment you are then informed of how many earths it would take to sustain people if everyone had your lifestyle.  I was shocked to hear that mine was 4.8 earths!  So this assignment really made me think about how I am living and become aware of how even my small decisions leave an everlasting mark on the earth.  I've noticed in the past few weeks that before I purchase any services or goods I try to briefly go through how using this product will impact the earth.  For example, I had made a meal earlier this week and when I was putting the leftovers away I used a plate and placed seran-wrap over it, though after I did that I realized how much seran-wrap I go through.  Seems like something that doesn't really matter, however, it made me think about the fact that when I take out the meal again I end up tossing out the seran-wrap and thus I create a lot more unnecessary waste.  As a result, I have decided that I am going to use tupperware for my food more often instead of having the food on a plate with seran-wrap on top.

The final topic I have really learned is how to make small decision changes, such as the one I stated above, in order to allow the environment to sustain.  I am reading a book, Do One Green Thing, that is doing a fantastic job at teaching me how to make small lifestyle changes.  Each chapter begins with a challenge for the reader to do 'one green thing,' such as wash most of your laundry in cold water.  The author then goes on to inform you of why it is necessary to make this lifestyle change and how the change will benefit the environment.  The book also includes a wonderful list of actual items out there to consider when making these changes and which items to pass up.  This book has taught me to research and think about the future more when it comes to purchasing various goods.  The author provides many alternative goods to choose from instead of simply going with what you have always purchased.  I hope to try out some of these skills in the near future.

Welcome to Sonny Days Ahead!

My name is Sonny and I am currently a college student pursuing a degree in Health Education with an emphasis on Community Health.  Spinning off from my blog title, my blog's content will entail information involving 'looking ahead.'  We will be researching and viewing what is going on in the environment now and precautions that are being taken to prevent this, or reducing the chances of this, from happening in the future.

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. All post titles from now on will begin with one of the categories above.


The members of my web group are:

1. Kristen M@Kristens Atmosphere
2. Callie@Ecofriendly with Calista
3. Heidi@Heidis Healthy Environment
4. Kara@Karas Coming Clean
5. Danielle@Tree Hugging with Dani
6. Ashley@Ashleys Fresh Air Atmosphere
7. Casey@Caseys Green Daydream

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."


I hope you find this blog to be not only entertaining but informative as well.  Thanks for stopping by and remember, no matter how today seems there will always be 'Sonny Days Ahead!'