Eye Opener: Online Learning Activities

Steve's Learning Activity

Name that Phobia

Section 1:

1. Pteromerhanophobia - The fear of flying
2. Tachophobia - The fear of speed
3. Wiccaphobia - The fear of witches/witchcraft
4. Autophobia - The fear of being alone
5. Bathmophobia - The fear of stairs/steep slopes
6. Glossophobia - The fear of speaking in public
7. Chronomentrophobia - The fear of clocks
8. Cacophobia - The fear of ugliness
9. Leukophobia - The fear of color white
10. Mysophobia - The fear of dirt and germs

Section 2:
1.Fear of Cooking-Mageirocophobia
2 Fear of Birds-Ornithophobia
3 Fear of houses-Domatophobia
4 Fear of needles and points- Aichmophobia
5 Fear of clowns-Coulrophobia
6 Fear of cats-Elurophobia
7 Fear of the sun-Heliophobia
8 Fear of gaining weight-Obesophobia
9 Fear of strangers/ foreigners-Xenophobia 10 Fear of large things-Megalophobia

I learned a lot through doing this activity. I could not believe all the phobias that actually exist. I was the most surprised by ones such as being afraid of the color white, afraid of cooking, and afraid of houses. Very great activity for us to do!!

Shar's Learning Activity

For this activity we took an adventure through the home and classified whether items in the home contain harmful allergens and other materials.

The Roof

Problem: The roof of the house that has a hole in it is classified as a damage because it can lead to mold growth which is harmful to your health.

Solution: By fixing leaks right away, you can avoid the problems in the future.

Bathroom:

Problem: The cleaning products on the floor release harmful chemicals in the air that are damaging to your health if exposed for a long period of time.

Solution: Put the items away when not using, use ceiling fans to circulate the air in the surrounding area, and read the manufacturer's instructions when using any chemical products to know their effects.

Bedroom:

Problem: If the plants in a bedroom do not have any fresh are and are surrounded by humidity, they may grow mold and cause allergy problems for some people. Also, the paint in the bedroom needs to be dealt with since they can give off harmful gases. Solution:

It is important to find the source of the humidity causing the mold to accumulate. The solution for the paint and varnish would be to put away the materials when finished with task and make sure you are surrounded in a ventilated area.

Kitchen:

Problem: Gas stoves can produce nitrogen dioxide, which irritates the lungs and contaminates indoor air.

Solution: When using a gas stove, it is important to have a range hood for venting air pollutants to the outside.

Living Room:

Problem: Cigarettes are the main source of indoor pollution in homes. Another problem would be the wood fireplace. Wood smoke releases many harmful substances.

Solution: Have people smoke outside if they must and not inside the house. For the fireplace, keep up with the maintenance of it to reduce accidents.

Garage:

Problem: Exhaust gases from vehicles contain carbon monoxide, a toxic gas. When a car is idling in the garage, carbon monoxide can penetrate into the house.

Solution: Don't leave your car idling in the garage.

Basement:

Problem: Mold growth in a house may cause respiratory problems and allergic reactions in some occupants. Another problem in the basement is the lack of maintaining, combustion appliances, like your furnace, which can release pollutants such as carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas.

Solution: Find the source of the humidity and make changes to it. The solution for the combustion appliance is to make sure you get yearly checkups by a specialist to make sure it's working well.

Laundry Room:

Problem: Steam from a dryer not vented to the outside can create excessive humidity, which can promote mold growth.

Solution: Dryers must be vented to the outside.

The ones that surprised me the most would have to be the plant in the home causing mold. I knew that plants need fresh air and sunlight, but didn't know they would create mold.

Kaileigh's Learning Activity

I really liked this website. I didn't realize that Medicare does not cover long-term health care. I think that long-term care should be more affordable for the individuals receiving the care as well. Like the link said, we don't know what kind of shape we'll be in in the future. Some of the policies are known as "indemnity" or "expense incurred" policies. This means that the indemnity policy pays up to a fixed benefit amount regardless of what you spend. With an expense-incurred policy, you choose the benefit amount when you buy the policy and you are reimbursed for actual expenses for services received up to a fixed dollar amount per day, week, or month.

I also learned the national average costs.

• Examples: age 65 = 1,337, age 79= 5,330


• Premiums generally remain the same throughout the years

I thought this was a very good activity because health insurance is becoming an issue for people to afford which decreases as the economy weakens. I did my advocacy project on health insurance which made this topic easier to understand.

Kathy's Learning Activity

DOWN
1. Along with the other effects of lead poisoning,__Fetal____development is effected even with extremely low levels of lead.
3. Pick one: "OLDER" homes or "NEWER" homes may contain lead-based paints. OLDER
4. Lead was banned in this year for residential use. 1978
5. A common misconception or ________ was that the most common form of poisoning was eating leaded paint chips. Myth

ACROSS

2. Other sources that contain lead besides paint is __Gasoline_________.
4. About 2/3 of homes built before this year contain heavily-leaded paint. 1940
6. Lead is found in this item that was put on the walls of houses. Paint
7. Lead also effects reproduction. In men, your count of these little swimmers will go
down. Sperm
8. How many percent of homes in Duluth were built before the 1950's? 80%
9. The most common pathway of childhood lead exposure is through ingestion of small lead particles called__Dust_____.

For the challenge, I had talked to my landlord about the history of our house. She did not have an exact date for when the house was built, but it was definitely before 1950. We had repainted our whole house before we moved in due to the lead paint. I had taken part in painting the house and am glad that we made the adjustments needed.

Heather's Learning Activity I took part in the learning activity "Cost of Care" portion and found a lot of interesting information that I didn't know before. I chose the option of breaking your arm to determine the cost of care for this procedure. These were the results of the medical costs needed (annual). I found this website very interesting since many people are not aware of how much health care costs add up. This definitely showed me how important health insurance is to help you with these expenses.

Broken Arm

Condition Cost Data (annual)

Median Typical Range

Total without pharmacy $1,545 $ 915- 2,710

Total with pharmacy $1545 $915- 2,745 Detailed Treatment Cost Data
General ER visit $145- 480
Arm Casting $80- 800 Follow-up Office Visit $55- 115 X-Ray of arm $20- 55

Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Hey Everyone!
I am proud to say that the photo essay definitely opened my eyes to things in my environment I'm not always aware of. Things as simple as unplugging a blow dryer when you're not using it is a step in the right direction. I took pictures in my personal environment that I'm exposed to everyday and came up with some alternatives as well to these behaviors! Enjoy!

This sign was very significant in my story since it shows a stop sign near a recycling area. To me it represents stop littering, and start recycling.

While I was on a walk the other day, I noticed a significant amount of garbage along the road which was once covered by the snow. It's almost as if the snow was a cover up of our dirty habits.


A very simple way of reducing plastic bag use is to invest in reusable bags.










These are sold anywhere from grocery stores to thrift stores. They are becoming very popular and really help cut down the amount of plastic bags used.












Walking, Carpooling, or taking the bus instead of driving everywhere!


















Then I decided to focus on things within my home. I thought of some alternatives to reduce the amount of electricity I use in my everyday life.Unplug appliances when you're not using them!




Use reusable products verses paper and plastic. This will save you a lot of money and help you limit your resources. I use reusable water bottles and a sandwich holder which is a lot more convenient and cheaper than buying sandwiches and drinks at the school.

















Use rechargeable batteries instead of buying new sets every time you run out.














Verses







I love decorating my room and other crafts around the house. I found that if you save items, they may come in handy in the future if you're making something. I made this mirror by using leftover items at home. Things that people might throw away, I try to reuse for something useful.




Looking all around us, it's so plain to see
It only takes one person to make a difference, that person could be me!
By showing all of these projects, I hope that people (including myself) will make these small changes in order to conserve and GO GREEN!

Eye Opener:Environmental Working Group

Environmental Working Group:
After taking the quiz on cosmetics, I realized how dangerous some of the products I use everyday are. Wow, no way! I use makeup on a daily basis like most girls and had no idea there were dangerous substances in it. I did a variety of the quizzes, but the one that really stood out to me was the hairspray I use.



Ingredients in this product are linked to:
yes: Cancer
yes: Developmental/reproductive toxicity
yes: Violations, restrictions & warnings
yes: Allergies/immunotoxicity
yes: Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards
This manufacturer:
no: Compact for Safe Cosmetics signer
yes: Conducts animal testing

Christen's Conclusions:
I evaluated all of the makeup I use from the lip gloss to the contact solution and none of them even compared to the hairspray I use. The hairspray I use rated a 6 on the scale which indicates it's moderately dangerous. I honestly don't plan on changing my hairspray because I've used the same kind for many years and am happy with it. I will keep my options open about the makeup I use and will keep my eyes open for organic cosmetics. I think it's really important for us to know these issues. I never would've guessed my hairspray was that dangerous.

Eye Opener: Summary of Reading #7 Hostile Beauty

Before reading the chapter, I tried interpreting what “Hostile Beauty” meant. I didn’t know what it dealt with or what I was preparing myself for. Well, after reading the article here’s what I figured out.
This chapter discusses the Red Desert, its resources, and the dangers headed its way. The Red Desert, known as the heart of the Great Divide Basin, has large reserves of coal, uranium, oil and gas. With our nation currently in need of these resources they are considering digging up the resources in the Red Desert. Tom Bell, a wildlife biologist, defended the Red Desert against those who dig up its minerals, wipe out its wildlife, or string power lines. He believes that the Red Desert is “one of our very best wildlands, and one of our last.” This is a very scary thing to think about.
Bell discovered that plovers, sage grouse, and other species are declining to the east as the Great Plains are fenced and cultivated for agriculture; to the west, energy development and exotic species have invaded and compromised their habitat. If we install oil reserves in the Red Desert, we have a lot of problems headed our way. Oil is only a temporary resource! Oil spills are another risk we would face if industries were built. The natural ecosystem would cease to exist if these actions take place. It’s almost as if they would be changing nature to industrialization.
Wyoming’s has a reputation as the nation’s energy breadbasket since they have large reserves of coal, uranium, oil and gas. What will become of it if we take over and industrialize this landmark?

DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS:

"Green River Resource Management Plan (approved August 8, 1997) - The Green River Resource Management Plan (GRRMP) provides management direction for resources contained within the Rock Springs Field Office area. The objective for management of oil and gas resources is to provide for leasing, exploration, and development of oil and gas while protecting other resource values."

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has decided to give priority to oil and gas development over these rare and irreplaceable resources. The BLM's plan would allow several hundred new oil and gas wells to be drilled in sensitive wildlife habitats.

CHRISTEN’S THOUGHTS
I think that building these industries in the Red Desert is an insane idea. Ya America is in need of these resources, but this is not the right action to take. What if we used all of the resources provided, then what? All that's left is destruction for the remaining desert and animals. We will not only be hurting the environment, but ourselves as well. We have already been the cause of glaciers melting and other destruction related incidences of nature. I don't think that any of these programs should be implemented. Even if you limit your usage, you're still damaging the terrain and wildlife living within the area.

Discussion Question:
Now that I've told you what what my beliefs are about the topic, now it's time for you to tell me yours. Do you think that digging up these resources is a positive or negative action? Are you more concerned about getting these resources or the future of wildlife in the Red Desert?
Let me know what you think!

DEFINITIONS:
Red Desert
Oregon Trail
Great Divide Basin
Plovers
Sage grouse

Eye Opener: CSPI

This week I decided to take the Eating Green Calculator test. I thought it was very interesting since it offered advice to improve your diet.

Before taking the quiz, I thought that I would have scored a better percentage of vitamins in my diet. I realized that since I eat a lot of lean chicken, I am actually a burden.I never thought of myself as a burden, but realize that animals are a primary source in people's diets. I also eat a lot of yogurt and turkey sandwiches throughout the week and don't even realize that my diet is primarily based on animal products. Groceries are very expensive these days and I feel like people look more at the price than the source. I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit as well, but could increase the amount to help balance the equation.

Pledge:
I pledge to change my diet to a more vegetable and fruit based diet. I will think twice about how much chicken I eat a week. I will encourage my family and friends to eat a diet that doesn't rely so much on animal products. I really want ot make the change for myself and the environment.

Christen's final thoughts:
I really hope that after taking this quiz, I am able to change my diet. I could substitute different types of food to make up the vitamins and minerals I am lacking. I love taking these quizzes, and am excited to see what changes I will make.

Eye Opener: My Ecological Footprint

For my portion of the Ecological Footprint, I took three quizzes to give me a better understanding of my role in the environent. The first quiz I took was the Score your Diet challenge. The reason for the quiz is to show how your diet scores correlate with nutrition, the environment, and animal welfare. There were a range of questions pertaining to my portion numbers of various types of foods consumed in a week. I scored the highest numbers in the vegetables and chicken categories which I thought were the right things to eat. After taking this quiz, I realized that I am ranked in the "good" category for my diet. I wasn't that suprised since I try to balance my diet and create a variety of fruits, vegetables, and dairy. I learned that I need to increase my fish and grain levels. Just because I'm in the "good" category, does not mean I can't make more improvements.

The second quiz I took part in was the Ecological Footprint. After creating my character, who looked rediculous, haha, I began the journey. Various questions regarding my transportation, diet, and recycling habits. My jaw dropped as I recieved the restults. According to this quiz, it takes 4.4 Planet Earths to provide enough resources for my lifestyle. What? That's crazy! I recycle, I take the bus to school, where have I gone wrong? This definetly opened my eyes that even though I'm aware of my environment, that I still have a lot of improvements to make. I will definetly have to reconsider how much I drive and how much electricity I use. Even simple steps such as turning off the focet while I'm brushing my teeth can make a difference.

The third quiz I took part in was the Travel Calculator. Lets just say that I have a lot of improvements to do. I am going to make an effort to ride the bus every day to school and car pool more often to other various activities. The summer time has a positive impact on my behavior since I car pool to work and limit my driving by rollerblading and bike riding. I cannot believe that I am worse than average! I was really taken back after seeing my results. I really hope to improve my score in the future!

I think that these quizes have really taught me a lesson. I know that I have a lot of improvements to make, but I'm leaving the challenge to myself nad to you!

Welcome to Christens Environmental Health

Hello everyone! I am glad you are interested in my blog. I am going to discuss what I've learned in Environmental Health this semester and also show you neat features and activities that you may take part in. Have fun and post a comment if you wish!

There are 5 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:
1. Advocacy Project
2. Eye Openers
3. Reflections
4. Reviews
5. Share and Voice

If you notice at the bottom of this post, the categories will be listed as labels. This post 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 (group 1):

*Steve@ Steve Goes Green
*Heather@ Heather's Healthy Environment
*Kaileigh@ Kaileigh's Nature Log
*Kathy@ Choh's Changing Environment
*Shar@ Shar's Virtual 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."

I hope that you enjoy my blog. Feel free to leave comments, advice, or ideas. Have a great day!

The Five Possible Types of Posts:

The 5 Posts:

1. Advocacy Project
2. Eye Openers
3. Reflections
4. Reviews
5. Share and Voice