Go Green

Here is what I have so far. Our idea for the Go Green project is for USM to offer a smoking cessation program for students, faculty and staff. According to a report by the Tobacco Control Unit of the National Cancer Institute, smoking produces 10 times more air pollution than a diesel engine. (Invernizzi) The following report comes from an article for Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada and it states: “Chemical emissions from cigarettes were found to be comparable to pollutants released from industry. In fact, emissions of certain chemicals from cigarettes are higher than those from industries normally considered to be major polluters, such asthe petroleum or mining industry!” A stop smoking program offered through the university would be a big help to the environment, students, faculty, and staff. “A national survey of U.S. public universities reported that 70.0% have some type of smoking cessation program offered through student health insurance, but few offer the comprehensive services of counseling, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and education (TTAC). In addition the consortium also states that 30% of college students are current tobacco users. To put that in cold, hard numbers, as of Spring 2009 there were 13,541 students enrolled at USM that means that of students ALONE 4,062 are smokers (Institutional Research). This does not include faculty and staff. Cost is not overly prohibitive. We found costs ranging from $2550.00 to $6000.00 and those costs were primarily for brochures, quitkits and promotional materials as well as some incentive awards. If the university were to offer a stop smoking program this would benefit all considered. We would clean up our environment by not polluting it with the poisonous toxins found in cigarette smoke and the waste caused by the cigarettes themselves and they would be helping those who do smoke kick a nasty habit and possibly help save thousands of lives.

I Phone; Good Idea or Not?

The I phone was used for several different purposes. In my opinion if they were a freshman in college this could be a very useful tool for them. I know when I first started college, especially going to a new school, it is so easy to get lost. The I phone uses a navigation system just like a GPS would be in your car except on your I phone it shows you exactly where you need to go without getting lost =). I also thought that the availability to check to coarse calendar would be very useful. Alot of times we are not by a computer to be able to check when classes are available and so forth so using a I phone allows you to access and pull up a coarse calendar at anytime. On the other hand it had some cons. Students were using the phone as a social interaction to be able to talk to their friends. We as college students get told all the time to put our phones away because it is a distraction (text messaging, phone calls etc), but an I phone is a phone so why would that be okay to use when our regular phone is not.

Week 2 News

1. Apple MacBook Air; uses wifi wireless internet, RAM, blue tooth
2. AbiWord; free
3. blue ray hold 5 times of a standard dvd standard dvd holds 5 gigabites
4. Internet explorer, FireFox, safari, opra. FireFox is faster
5. Google earth is a new technology used to show different locations on the earth. To show students where places are on the earth.

News Headlines

1. Types of energy that might power iPods in the future?
energize america, fossil fuels, meatricity
2. The current CEO of Apple is Steve Jobs. The current CEO of Microsoft is Steve Ballmer, it was previously Bill Gates.
The co-founder of Apple Computers is Steve Wozinak
3. Phoenix Lander is on Mars taking pictures and making observations but probably won't last too much longer due to the cold.
4. Nintendo; WII Fit is the game that manufacturer's are using to get players off of the couch and more fit. some studies have shown that it does make users healthy.
5. Cable companies have until 2012 to have to support analog broadcasts according to FCC. Feb 17, 2009 is when cable companies will finally switch over to digital programming.

My Life!

Hey! My name is Maegan Parker. I live in the small town of Hurley, MS. I am working on my degree to one day become an elementary teacher! I cannnot wait! Children have already become such a great part of my life! I am currently teaching preschool at Caswell Springs Daycare and i LOVE it! I am also 17 weeks pregnant! I am very excited about that. Me and my husband have been trying for 2 years now and our dreams are finally coming true!