THON truly is FTK!

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As a freshman, this was my first experience at THON and wow—all I can say is wow. I am so lucky to have experienced such a life-changing journey as a Dancer Relations Committee Member (DRCM) with my wonderful dancer, Rachel. Needless to say, my eyes were opened to a whole new world and a whole new perspective. I now can see the true power of THON and the magic that it brings to all of those that get to experience its glory. And I could not be more thankful.

As a DRCM, I was responsible for the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of one of the 700 dancers staying on their feet for the entire 46 hour dance marathon. I was basically the support the dancer needed throughout the entire journey. When I signed up to be on this particular committee I had no idea what this entailed. Help keep a dancer motivated? Yeah I can do that. Make sure the dancer eats and drinks? I like to eat and drink, so yeah I can definitely do that. But what I did not realize was to the extent that each of these roles played in making THON possible and helping the dancers get through this hard journey.

Helping the dancers through the journey did not mean just check on them every few minutes but instead be there for most of the time—just about 36 hours—jumping around trying to keep the dancer’s spirits high. Alls I heard was I would be there for 30 hours. Not sleeping for basically an entire weekend. Yikes. My initial feelings were self-pity as I could not help but feel sorry for myself for the exhaustion and pain that I was going to go through. Boy was I selfish.

The second that I walked into the BJC Friday night, as I entered my first shift on the floor, those selfish feelings immediately changed completely. The moment that I opened those doors and felt the energy that IMG_0837pulsated through the entire building, I knew that this was not about me. As I saw the thousands of Penn State students jam-packed in the stands, all together for one amazing cause, I knew this was not about me. As I saw the smiles on the little kids’ faces as they got to be real, normal kids for a weekend, I knew this was not about me. As I carried my dancer on my back to the training station to get her calf wrapped, I knew this was not about me. Nothing about this weekend was about me and the slight pain I may have felt in my feet or the sleep deprivation I was fighting through did not existed when I was in the BJC fighting for those that cannot fight themselves and fighting for those little kids who may be fighting a battle with cancer as we speak.

THON is not about anyone but the kids and those that are battling, have struggled and fought in the past, or lost their fight with cancer. The dancers are not doing it for the glory of saying that they did it and the 10486221_10202548270346459_129847316272856381_npictures they might take as proof. They are not there for themselves. They are not there because standing on your feet for 46 hours is pleasant. No. They are there to help fight this disease that is taking too many kids away from their loved ones and the futures they will never get to live. They are there to give the children and their families a place to feel at home for the weekend where they do not have to mope around in a hospital bed but instead play with water-guns and blow bubbles like normal kids that are not battling cancer. They are willing to go through the pain of dancing for 46 hours because they know it is nothing compared to what some of those kids go through.

Even through the hardest times of the weekend, where my dancer was losing depth perception, feeling in her ankles, and memory, my dancer continued to have a huge smile on her face. She continued to smile and play IMG_0664with every little kid that was in sight even through the pain and exhaustion. Right before the final four hours she possessed enough strength and motivation within her to go onto stage with her dance company and do their routine for the entire BJC. I have never been so proud. Tears were brought to my eyes as through the hours the BJC was still filled with a sea of chanting frat boys, dancing sorority girls, singing org members, and observant spectators all together for the same cause -FTK! Nothing mattered but the kids.

Everyone always said how amazing THON was and how it will change your life but what I guess I never realized was how it would totally change my perspective and outlook on life in general. The suffering and pain I might go through is minute in comparison to the struggles that many young children have to go through each and every day. THON is about the unity that it brings such a large university all together for an amazing cause and an amazing event in general. THON has changed my life entirely. Cherish every moment you have in life because life is full of wonderful things even during the though times if you can just smile. 🙂

Check out these articles to learn more about THON 2015!

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/thon/article_2310f0f6-bb07-11e4-a33f-13ff0e4369f4.html

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/psu/2015/02/22/Penn-State-s-Thon-sets-new-fundraising-record/stories/201502220218

Passive Homes spreading into the United States

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Does this twin house look very different from houses around your neighborhood? Most likely, it does not. Each home pictured above has three small bedrooms, a kitchen, family room, and dining room. They have basic brick facades much like other homes in their Ivy City neighborhood just about three miles northeast of the White House. In almost all aspects of design, both inside and outside, houses like the one pictured above appear to be similar to middle-class suburban homes that might be like what you see around your own town. However, one major component of their design is significantly different from ordinary run-of-the-mill twin houses—energy use.

Six new row-homes in the DC area are designed to deliver world-class savings in energy. But how do they do it? They don’t look like they have fancy solar panels, wind turbines in the backyard, or other fancy forms of alternative energy. Their energy saving strategy is simple: insulation. But doesn’t every house have insulation? Yes, yes they do. Insulation is very important which is why these houses are so well sealed and insulated that they basically do not use any energy for heating/cooling.

They are basically like a giant coffee thermos! What is shocking is they actually use old-fashioned building science to make these incredibly energy efficient homes. There is extremely meticulous air sealing of hairline cracks and joints, extraordinary, superior insulation with thick walls, roofs, and floors, as well as ultra-efficient windows, lighting, and appliances. 87915_990x742-cb1421446054They have 12 inch thick walls as well as triple-pane windows to offer double the insulation. There is absolutely no need for a furnace. No need for heat. Due to the fact that they are so air-tight sealed they use mechanical ventilation to bring fresh air into the homes and to keep it circulating. Tiny little wall-mounted Mitsubishi units provide the only necessary minimal heating and cooling to keep the homes at a constant comfortable temperature while still being energy efficient.

These low-budget Habitat for Humanity homes use up to 90% less energy than the typical house. Built mainly by volunteers, these homes that are built not for those with money that can affort to use all of their riches on every possible energy-efficient mechanism but instead low-income families. That’s amazing. It is setting the bar for the rest of the country to also start incorporating this strategy into other middle or low-income families’ homes.

So why isn’t this spreading? If Habitat for Humanity can do it for these twin homes for these low-income families why can’t we do this for every newly built home?

Well, the rowhomes being built in DC are working to meet the world’s strictest energy rubric – Passive House.

Passive House standards are highly popular and used in Germany. Popularized in uber-efficient Germany, the standards set by Passive House are now beginning to spread to the United States and growing quite rapidly. The standards for Passive House focus on one thing and one thing only – energy. Energy use is their main concern. In Germany, the standards limit heating/cooling to 4,755 British thermal units/square foot, which is hard to fathom and understand but in simpler terms that is about 1/10th of the energy used in homes built in the U.S. to our current codes and standards.

Here in the U.S. many are trying to get us to that level of energy efficiency in our buildings as buildings are 40% of the U.S. total energy use. Klingensberg, co-founder and executive director of the private, Illinois-based Passive House Institute U.S. is now in charge of 130 projects in North America ranging from individual houses, apartments, churches, etc.

But just how hard are these standards to attain?

Passive buildings use tight seals and mechanical ventilation to cut down on energy but what about environments that are not like that of Germany? The United States is very diverse in its climate across the nation as opposed to Europe, which has more of a similar climate all across; the same approach for houses in Arizona and Alaska will not be very effective here in the United States. The strategy would start working not in your favor as in areas like the Pacific Northwest insulation takes care of heating during the winter months but then would then have a negative effect in the summer months. It would heat up the house in the summer, increasing the need for air conditioning, which would in turn eliminate any gains made during the winter. Klingenberg, in response to this concern, proposed the idea that Passive buildings will be required to use less energy in California and more in Alaska. There are also other concerns in regards to aesthetics as design is limited as well as “sick-building syndrome” as a result of chemical off-gassing from carpets and other products not being eliminated by mechanical ventilation.

With California requiring “net zero energy” in all new residential buildings by 2020, Passive is definitely in the running but is also competing with other green-building programs becoming popular. With the costs coming down and builders learning more and more about how to make Passive House attainable to the climates unique to different parts of the United States, Passive House code is starting to become a very plausible option for energy-reduction.

With Habitat for Humanity row-homes getting funding from various sources following Passive borders, they will be able to provide low-income residence with homes that will not have much costs for heating and cooling.

Check out the full story!

Love is NOT just for couples

Valentine’s Day is portrayed as a very romantic holiday filled with love letters, passionate poems, and candle-lit dinners. Whether it is the endless jewelry commercials on the TV or heart-shaped chocolate boxes lining every store, the portrayal of Valentine’s Day as a romantic is engrained in us by society’s influence. It seems to be a commercially driven holiday that provokes strongly divided reactions either a GIF-eat-forever-alone-hungry-Jenna-Marbles-sad-Valentines-Day-GIF_1wonderful opportunity to express your love to your loved one or a day that can trigger feelings of overwhelming self-doubt and loneliness. We are taught to see Valentine’s Day as a day for lovers—a day where you either have a date or you are a total loner. Many people find themselves alone on this day (myself included) and struggle with the feelings of being lonely, hurt, not good enough and just downright depressed (usually results in copious amounts of icecream, chocolate, and netflix…)

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But who says this day is only for romantic love?

This morning I woke up and remembered what day it was. Valentine’s Day. My heart sank as I knew I did not have a date or even a Valentine. I lay there for a moment in my cocoon of blankets and sank even deeper into their engulfing, warm embrace. After a few minutes of self-loathing and moping I realized I did not want to waste away a perfectly wonderful day. There really was no need to be upset. There was no need to let my feelings be consumed by the commercialized aspects of the holiday. Instead, I changed my perspective on the holiday in general and focused on what Valentine’s Day really is about – a day for celebrating LOVE.

Love. What does that even mean? At first, in my blind Valentine’s Day perspective, I had a vision that it had to be when you are in the perfect relationship. This perspective blinded me from the love that IMG_0366surrounds me every day. When I finally opened my eyes to the fact that Valentine’s Day and life is not all about having your typical candle lit dinner or long walks on the beach holding hands kind of love, I began to realize how much love I have in my life. I am so incredibly lucky. I may not have true love but what I have now with loving friends and family is even better at this time in my life.

I have an absolutely wonderful group of loving friends that I decided to spend my Valentine’s Day weekend with and I could not be happier. A bunch of my girlfriends and I went out to a fabulous dinner at The Deli where we talked, laughed, and just enjoyed each other’s company without any distraction. My dad called to ask if I was still his Valentine – I am one lucky girl. My brother sent me a card and my aunt sent me a package with Valentine’s Day treats. Love is all around. You just have to open your eyes and your heart to let it all in and appreciate every little lovely moment life brings.

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Sometimes on days where we are feeling bad about ourselves or down in the dumps, all we need is a perspective change. We need to open our eyes and push past the negative feelings inside. I adopted the idea that Valentine’s Day is not only for happy couples but also for everybody. I decided to let the people that I love in my life now know how much I love them and not dwell on what I do not have. I think it is extremely important to focus on what you do have not on what you might be missing out on. I gave myself the ability to undertake a new perspective on how we choose to celebrate love. And I think love needs to be celebrated in any way possible so I am now thankful that Valentine’s Day gave me that opportunity.

My identity is not defined by my relationship status. My worth does not come with who I am with but who I am on the inside.

Although my Valentine’s night was not spent at a fancy restaurant making goo-goo eyes to a loved one, I still think that Valentines Day should be celebrated. It is a day to celebrate love and celebrate those that we love around us. That is exactly what I did and I have never had a better Valentine’s Day 🙂

Check out those who have had similar experiences:

http://www.upshiftcoaching.com/articles/9_valentines-day-love-is-not-just-for-couples.html

http://www.proflowers.com/blog/valentines-day-not-just-for-lovers

http://thecollegecrush.com/the-singles-survival-guide-to-valentines-day/

Show your love this Valentine’s Day: Give Fair-Trade Chocolate

Make sure your romantic gestures this Valentine’s Day season are truly made with love

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Valentine’s Day is coming up this Saturday!! (for those of you that may need reminding) During this time of year flower shops are hopping, restaurants are booked, and pink and red decorate every building. However, most importantly, stores are stocked with chocolate—chocolate variety boxes, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, pink stuffed bears holding candy bars, chocolate-covered strawberries- you name it! Whether dark, milk, or white chocolate, people go crazy to get their loved ones special sweet treats to express their affection.

According to recent numbers recorded by CNN, consumers spend about $1.6 billion on candy each Valentine’s Day. Most specifically, Americans are expected to spend about $800 million on just chocolates this Valentine’s Day. With the most expensive box of chocolates ever sold being a $1.5 million “Le Chocolate Box” including a dozen gourmet chocolates as well as diamond and emerald necklaces, earrings, rings, etc. or Serendipity 3’s $25,000 Frrrozen Haute Chocolate (blend of 28 cocoas infused with 5 grams of edible 23-karat gold and served in a goblet lined with edible gold), people seem to go crazy when it comes to chocolate.

What most people do not even consider when they buy the cute little heart-shaped boxes of chocolate for their significant other is the impact that this gesture is having on lives world-wide.

Does that box really represent love if a child underwent slave labor to make that chocolate possible? Is that really the message you want to give to your loved one? For most of us, we don’t even think about that. We don’t want to think about it. We see a piece of Hershey’s chocolate in front of us and devour the sweet delectable treat, not even paying a second of mind to the labor that may have gone into it. My eyes were opened to the reality of the situation as I just recently watched a short film, The Dark Side of Chocolate, where a crew went into West Africa to get an inside look on where companies like Hershey’s and Nestle get their cocoa beans from.

What I saw was absolutely horrifying.

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Cocoa farms use child labor—kids as young as 6 or 7—in order to keep their prices at the rates that the big time chocolate companies are demanding. Kids receiving absolutely no pay for their years and years of hard, manual labor.

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The chocolate industry functions due to the supply of cocoa from West African countries with the Ivory Coast supplying just about 50%. According to a recent article for CNN’s Freedom Project Initiative, more than 70% of the entire world’s cocoa market is supplied by West African countries. At first glance this might seem ok, as it is this part of the world that seems to be able to grow copious amounts of these beans. Tropical climates prevalent in areas such as Western Africa are perfect to harvest the cacao bean, which is what then produces the chocolate familiar to us. Looking deeper, the horrors become even clearer.

In the film, The Dark Side of Chocolate, of the young boys Amadou (one of the 200,000 estimated young children enslaved on the Ivory Coast for chocolate production) told the interviewer, “When People Eat Chocolate, They Are Eating My Flesh”.

They are Eating My Flesh.

My heart sank. My stomach turned. How could I be so blind to the fact that slavery, child slavery, is very much so a part of the world around me?

UntitledAnother boy Drissa then went on to take off the ripped and ragged shirt hanging on his body to reveal the deep scars cutting through his entire back. Similar scars cut through the flesh of all of the boys ranging from age 10-16 or so, many of them already working on the particular cocoa farm for about 4 years or so. And do you know how much they have made in these past 4 hard years of their young lives? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

With days starting as early as six in the morning and ending late in the evening, being whipped for

child_slavery_1working slowly and given minimal food, these kids are suffering. This is not the life that little 12 year olds should be living – carrying machetes and being exposed to harmful chemicals. 40% of the children working on the cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast have never attended school and will probably never get the chance. Without the basic education, these kids have a very little chance of ever breaking free from the encompassing life of slavery on the cocoa farms; little hope of ever breaking the cycle.

I now look at a Hershey’s bar differently. This does not mean that we all have to and are going to stop eating chocolate. That would just be impossible for many of us. But my eyes have been opened to the importance of the other options that are out there such as Fair Trade where all of the cocoa is sourced from Fair Trade small farmers in places like Panama and the Dominican Republic. However, according to Equal Exchange, still only 5% of the world’s cocoa is currently Fair Trade. As stated by the Fair Trade, the big corporations have the responsibility as well as the opportunity to use their power in the cocoa industry to make a difference and change the cocoa industry.

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Do your part this Valentine’s Day and by a special Fair Trade chocolate treat for your loved ones 🙂