M11.5 Blog about a Zero Waste Life

-
This module really made me reflect upon my household waste. My family relies a lot on plastic and produces a lot of waste. I definitely would like to find alternatives and learn how to become more self sufficient. After reviewing the Zero Waste Ted Talk, I reviewed my own habits. I do use reusable bags when I go shopping, I compost, go thrift shopping for second hand clothes, and try to reuse containers for food and drinks. I do tend to hold on to things in my home due to sentimental value, not to the extent of hoarding of course but I definitely want to live a more minimalist lifestyle in order to help de-clutter my space and to really take care of belongings that really do matter to me. The Ted Talk really helped me take a step back and realize how much I contribute to the problem, but that I too can be part of the solution. But I can't do it alone, I need to get my family onboard as well.

 I need to encourage my family to stop buying water bottles in bulk and actually purchase reusable ones with filters. Though I am making changes for myself, it is harder getting everyone else to follow suit.  I also want to go to the farmers market more often and meal prep/cook more organically instead of buying prepared/packaged foods when I don't have time to cook. My siblings like packaged foods like frozen waffles, making our own waffles and freezing them for later would be one way to approach this.  There is a farmer's market every Saturday so incorporating that into our weekend routine would be beneficial. I would also love to learn how to make my own soaps, creams and shampoos. It seems like a wonderful idea and a much healthier option environmentally and for my own health in terms of being less exposed to harmful chemicals. When I was younger, I did use baking soda for my toothpaste but that was mostly due to not being able to afford it as often as back then compared to now. I am really inspired now to start making my own products, youtube tutorials here I come!!!

Comments

  1. Sintia ShahbazNovember 6, 2018 at 4:04 PM

    I agree making the change in bottles has been a tough one for us too! I think it is so much easier when the bottles are ready to go in the fridge. We have been slowly shifting this habit and using more reuse-able, especially because it is so much more cost efficient as well!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 7, 2018 at 6:47 AM

    Those are some really great ideas, especially on plastic water bottles. Packaged foods are so tough to avoid! But the thought of all the waste created really does give me pause. You’re off to a great start here, though. Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

M10.2 Blog about MSDS and ToxNet

-
Unfortunately, while interviewing my mother on the hazards of the workplace environment internally and externally, she admitted that her school didn't have Material Safety Data Sheets. When she was hired, she never recalled getting any paperwork or meeting on the potential hazards of the workplace. When she asked the principal, her boss, about whether they had one, he had no idea what she was talking about. My mom basically said that her school is too poor to have an MSDS and the OUSD doesn't bother to spend money on developing such a thing. As for my workplace, they also seemed to be at a loss for what an MSDS was. When I was hired, the only talk of safety hazards were outside the office. We had discuss the importance of protecting ourselves against used syringes on the ground, keeping our hands clean, and getting vaccinated to protect ourselves and our homeless clients from exposure. Other than that, my boss and supervisor didn't really say much else about it. If we hap...
Read more

M1.5 Blog Assignment: Environmental Health Home Assessment

-
Image
The San Leandro Dollhouse My home is located in San Leandro, California. The home, or as I like to call given its size, the dollhouse was built after 1978 with no known lead contamination. It is a small two bedroom, two bathroom small house with a small kitchen and living room. There is a small gated yard and garden where I plant flowers and grow my own tomatoes. The house is located behind another home and hidden from the road. My home has good air ventilation in the bathrooms and plenty of windows. When we first moved in the beginning of last year, we did experience a bit of a mold problem in one of the bedrooms. The winter/rainy months increased the likelihood of mold and often when we did not use the heater. A humidifier was provided by the landlord to clear the moisture in the air. We have not had a mold problem since then. We have a gas stove and gas wall heater that we turn off when not in use. However, I often realize that this is not always the case. In terms of disast...
Read more

M10.8 Blog about an occupationally-related disease

-
Image
For my disease selection, I chose Byssinosis or "Brown Lung". This is the first time that I heard of this illness, usually we hear more about black lung and white lung in my opinion. According to the American Lung Association, Byssinosis affects people who work in the hemp, cotton, and flax industry. Workers usually develop Byssinosis by inhaling raw cotton, hemp, flax or other textile dust. It causes asthma-like symptoms and can lead to chronic obstructive lung disease. OSHA recognizes cotton dust as a respiratory hazard and the importance of monitoring exposure and the development of Byssinosis. OSHA has several manuals detailing regulations and procedures on recognizing and handling cotton dust exposure. OSHA has also enforced standards of safety in textile mills and inspection protocols to monitor cotton dust safety. In defining exposure to cotton or textile particles, OSHA stated the following, "Cotton dust means dust present in the air during the handling or p...
Read more