Reflection: Weeks 13 & 14

Week 13
Advocacy Project:
The next portion of our advocacy project, Issue Overview, was due this week. I was sort of dreading this assignment because it involved research, but then it ended up being very informational and interesting! It can definitely take a lot of time and effort to really gain a thorough understanding of an issue, especially to the point where one is adequately prepared to stand up/debate for it. Because of this, I still find the whole concept of advocacy to be slightly intimidating, but I know it is an important skill to develop!

Tuesday: During the class period, we discussed writing letters to elected officials as preparation for the next portion of our advocacy project. I thought it was interesting that it is recommended to include one's personal concerns and experience with the issue. For some reason I had thought that representatives wouldn't want to bother with personal issues and were more concerned with facts and data, but it was reassuring to be reminded that they are human, too. Unfortunately I think we forget about that the majority of the time!

We also watched "Story of Stuff" with Annie Leonard. It was definitely biased, but since I agreed with what she was saying, I didn't really mind. Overall, I thought it was quite depressing and could hardly believe it when she said that only 1% of stuff bought is still used 6 months later! Ugh, we are so wasteful. I was also really shocked by the concepts of "planned" and "perceived" obsolescence. I do agree that materialism has gotten out of hand in recent years, and it is hard to break out of the cycle. That said, I liked the chart with the correlation of decline of national happiness and increase in production/consumption of goods. Last year was a good reality check for me when I had to pack everything I needed for 8 months into one suitcase and a hiking backpack. I'll admit, however, that once I got back to the U.S. I somehow collected a whole bunch of stuff that I don't really need.

Thursday: We went to Bagley for an orienteering activity! I thought it was pretty fun, and it was great to be outside for the class period, especially since the weather happened to be GORGEOUS that day!

Week 14
Advocacy Project: The next assignment, Letter to Public Official was due this week. I'm glad we didn't have to actually send the letter - I think I would have been rather intimidated!

Tuesday: We had a guest speaker from the UMD Office of Civic Engagement who is also in AmeriCorps. One thing that stuck in my mind was how he talked about remaining neutral when talking to people and avoiding "offensive" words such as "global warming", "sustainability", and even "green" in order to avoid offending anyone. I thought was this very interesting because I think of these words as being intriguing - a bonus! - and it was a good reminder to me that not everyone shares my opinions. It's important to educate people about how to help the environment, not force ideas onto them and make them attempt a change they are not yet ready for.

Thursday: We did a fun activity in class that dealt with re-purposing! Each web group got a random "junk" object and then three minutes to write down as many uses as we could think of. There were a total of 5 objects, and everyone came up with lots of ideas! We definitely had some silly ideas, but there were just as many great practical uses that were thought of as well. I really enjoyed this activity and it was nice to have a break as my other classes seem to be upping the intensity as we approach the end of the semester.

Well, we technically only have one week of class left... wow. I honestly think I'm going to miss this class. I'll admit it definitely wasn't one of my favorites at the beginning of the semester, but I think that was mostly due to the blogging and just adjusting to the format of the class. Now it's one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken!

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend everyone!

(Picture taken by me: Lake Superior.)

Advocacy Project: Letter to Public Official

April 27, 2009

Representative Thomas Huntley
585 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606

Dear Representative Huntley,

I am writing in order to voice my opinion on bill HF 1705: Bicycle and pedestrian accommodation inclusion required as part of trunk highway bridge improvement program. I am pleased that this bill is currently under consideration in the House because I believe the inclusion would be a wonderful and much needed improvement to the infrastructure of our state.

The issue at hand is one that affects several groups of people: bicyclists, walkers, motorists, and any other commuters who use the trunk highway bridges. If this bill is passed, bicyclists and walkers will gain safer and more convenient transportation. Benefits for motorists and other commuters exist as well, such as increased ease while driving from knowing that bicyclists have a designated spot on the road.

In uncertain economic times such as these, when families are trying to cut back on expenses, the option of biking to work, school, or even the grocery store will not go unappreciated. Improving bikeways and walkways will allow people to use these forms of transportation to get where they need to go in a safe and timely fashion. Families will be benefited if these accommodations enable a family member to get to work, and the option of alternate transportation may also free up a vehicle for a family member who needs it more.

A lack of adequate and safe bikeways and walkways can discourage people from utilizing such alternative forms of transportation. This can be reversed, however, by the addition of bicycle and pedestrian accommodation proposed in bill HF 1705. As a bicyclist myself, I have often felt unsafe while biking due to the lack of space allotted for bicyclists. Also, it is frustrating when bridges that do not have adequate accommodation interrupt bike paths.

I realize that including accommodation structures in bridge repairs may require a significant about of additional funds, but I believe these costs will be offset in the long run by other societal benefits. For example, a higher number of bicyclists and pedestrians can mean a decrease in the number of vehicles on the road, which in turn leads to a reduction in carbon emissions and other air pollutants. Also, biking and walking are good forms of exercise and recreation, and when a population increases its overall heath, a decrease in health care costs may be observed. Other benefits that may help our nation’s economy include increased jobs for construction companies, and less money spent on emergency medical care response to bicycle-vehicle and pedestrian-vehicle accidents.

I appreciate your past support for bills on related issues. Based on your vote for HF 1351: Transportation Policy Reform, which looks to improve our nation’s transportation, I have concluded that HF 1705 supports your interests as well.

In order to better accommodate the many bicyclists and pedestrians in the state of Minnesota, I encourage you to vote “YES” to HF 1705 to include this accommodation to bridges repaired under the trunk highway bridge improvement program.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and contemplate the issue at hand. Your service to our state is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Hannah Schoof