Reflection: Weeks 1 & 2

The first two weeks of class were mostly spent going through course expectations and setting up our blogs. Because of this, we haven't had a chance to delve into any serious discussions so far, but we will be starting with our first readings next week. When I think of "health", things such as physical activity, nutrition, and mental stability come to mind, and I often overlook environmental factors. I am definitely anxious to begin learning about the environment and how it affects our health!

To be completely honest, the thought of having this blog terrified me at first. I don't feel qualified to be writing about environmental topics and reviewing related articles and documentaries, and that makes me a little wary of posting on this blog (since anyone can read it!). However, I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge over the course of this semester and expanding my confidence of being able to discuss environmental issues. I really enjoy and appreciate the outdoors (even in winter), and so I try to be environmentally-conscious in order to do my part to help preserve the natural beauty that sustains us. There are basic things I try to do on a daily basis such as take short showers, recycle, turn off lights when I leave the room, etc., but I'm sure there are so many ways in which I can lessen my footprint that I'm not even aware of. A shift in my mindset and a willingness to break old habits are going to be required, but I think I am up to the challenge.

Overall, I found the first two weeks of class to be rather frustrating, mostly with the stress of trying to get my blog all set up and working correctly. I know other people have had similar experiences so it is comforting to know I'm not alone. Hopefully we will all have the blogs under control soon, and we can enjoy the convenience for exchanging thoughts and ideas.

Welcome to Environmental Edification!

Hi, my name is Hannah and I'm currently taking an Environmental Health class at the University of Minnesota Duluth as I work towards a major in Community Health Education. This blog will be used for posting all assignments for this class, including reviews of environmental readings and documentaries, and exchanging new ideas with my classmates.

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 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. Jessica
   
2. Erika
   
3. Jeff
   
4. Lauren
   

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".

My profile picture was created using FaceYourManga.com

I am looking forward to a very educational semester and welcome any comments you would like to add to my blog!