For the Love of the Game?

March 27, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men’s basketball player, Dustin Kalien, likes basketball. Although it is hard to get up for early morning practices, he wants to do it.

“I do it because I like doing it,” Kalien said. “Personally, my decision to where to go had to do with basketball.”

UW-Eau Claire women’s basketball player,  Casteele Miller, wants to play for the sake of playing too.

“For student athletes, you’re here not only to just play sports, that’s the privilege that you earn,” Miller said. “It’s a privilege to be part of a team.”

Dave Zirin sees some college athletics differently. He does not think colleges giving scholarships to student athletes as much compensation compared to what some colleges pay football coaches. A scholarship pales in comparison to the profits generated by football and basketball athletic programs, Zirin said. He gave an example of this on his Edge of Sports column during the 2011 college bowl season.

“But the straw that snapped my back was seeing free agent head coach Urban Meyer get a 24 million dollar, six year contract at the Ohio State University. Fresh off scandal, the Buckeyes were back in business. There were two things about this that made me physically ill. First was the fact that this money for Meyer is guaranteed, unlike a Ohio State player’s four-year scholarship which can be rescinded at year’s end by Coach Meyer if that player falls out of athletic favor. This is the rule of the land at every school and it gives lie to the idea that “players might not get paid but they get to go to school for free!” Then there’s that number: $4 million a year. Legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes at the peak of his prominence made slightly more than $40,000 a year. That was just 35 years ago.”

What do you think? Do you think UW-Eau Claire is typical of most college athletic programs? Are too many students focusing on sports instead of education? Is a scholarship enough compensation in profitable programs?

If you are in the Chippewa Valley, come and see Dave Zirin tomorrow night at 7:30 at UW-Eau Claire in Schofield Hall. The UW-EC Forum series is hosting the event. Tickets are $8 for the public; $6 for those 62 and older or UW system or Chippewa Valley Technical College faculty and staff; $4 for those 17 and younger and UW system or CVTC students.

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UW-Eau Claire Will Host Dave Zirin at Forum Series

March 27, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

“Plenty of sports writers probably despise what he’s doing,” Robert Lipsyte, former New York Times sportswriter said about Dave Zirin. “They want the fantasyland where we get to relax, without thinking about racism, sexism or politics.”

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Forum series will host Dave Zirin this week on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Schofield Auditorium. Zirin will present his speech titled “Not Just a Game: The Political Education of Sports,” based on his documentary of the same name. Zirin will talk for about an hour with a half hour of question and answer to follow.

Zirin writes about the collision of politics and sports for The Nation magazine, SLAM Magazine and The Progressive. Zirin also hosts a weekly show called Edge of Sports Radio on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

When it comes to college sports, Zirin would like to see college athletes treated like work-study students.

“College sports should be treated like a part-time job,” Zirin said, “student athletes should get paid.”

Lipsyte agrees with Zirin about the treatment of college athletes.

“In college sports at this very moment, March Madness, the traditional look to all this is ‘here are these innocent, scholar athletes working so hard for their school and their sport,’” Lipsyte said. “He’s good at puncturing this sports bubble of highly commercialized events making huge profits and the athletes are getting a sub-standard education.”

Not everyone agrees with Zirin and Lipsyte.

Only 12 percent of college athletic programs are profitable, according to a study in 2009 by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“I do it because I like doing it,” a member of the UW-Eau Claire men’s basketball team, Dustin Kalien said. “The athlete chooses to do it.”

What do you think? Do college athletic programs take advantage of student athletes?

Tickets are $8 for adults; $6 for those 62 and older or UW System or Chippewa Valley Technical College faculty and staff; $4 for those 17 and younger and UW system or CVTC students.

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Now, For a Brief Change of Pace

March 27, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

Hello Green Girl readers,

I need to ask for some patience and understanding while I briefly change my format for a little bit today. I am taking a journalism class this semester. Writing a preview blog about an upcoming speaker at the University Wisconsin-Eau Claire is one of my assignments. The busy semester is also why I have been quieter this semester. Thank-you for your understanding, and stay tuned.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Yahoo for a “Who Knew” Video

March 6, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

Although I’ve blogged about light pollution, Yahoo has a video on the disappearing night sky. It’s a short video that is a good one to share. Let’s all work to reduce light pollution. We could not only reclaim the night sky, but maybe save some energy too. To learn even more about light pollution and how to stop it, please visit the Dark Sky Society’s website

Filed Under: Energy Efficiency, Environment, Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Gold Mining Kills Children

March 2, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

Please read this important story written by Elizabeth Grossman, author and journalist.  It is truly tragic. This is another reason to buy second-hand jewelry.

How a Gold Mining Boom is Killing the Children of Nigeria by Elizabeth Grossman.

Filed Under: Reduce and Reuse, Toxins Tagged With: , , , , ,

Bats are an Editor’s Pick

February 29, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy of CDC

A recent blog post was picked as en editor’s pick on Sustainlane. If you missed it the first time around, I hope you’ll read it now.

Sustainlane Editor’s Pick

Don’t Berate the Bat

Filed Under: Animals, Environment Tagged With: , , , , ,

Avoid the New-Car Smell

February 16, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

Here’s another reason to buy second-hand or used; to avoid the new-car toxicity. What you’re smelling is off-gassing. Tell car makers to stop making cars that poison you.

Love That New-Car Smell? Your Body Doesn’t

Filed Under: Environment, Health, Toxins, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

A Green Love

February 10, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

Bag the Habbit Reusable Gift Bag image courtesy of Reuseit.com

I’ll start by saying that you don’t have to spend any money to celebrate your love. You can show how much you care by giving them your time and attention. You can also make handmade cards and gifts for those your Valentines.

For those looking for something to give that aren’t the arts and crafts type, here are some ideas with an environmental plus.

1. Vintage, estate and second-hand jewelry. This has become one of my favorite new things. Check antique stores, pawn shops or even a local jewelry store. One of my favorite jewelry stores locally has a wonderful selection of second-hand jewelry. If you live in the Chippewa Valley sneak a peak in Williams Diamond’s window or Eclectica on Grand.

2. A red, pink or purple reusable bag would be fun and in the spirit of the day of love.

3. Look for the same color theme in a reusable water bottle.

4. Buy organic flowers, or if you cannot find those, how about flowers from your favorite local shop.

5. Give the gift of chocolate, but not any chocolate, organic and Fair Trade chocolate. Another option is locally crafted chocolate. My favorite sweet spot in Eau Claire is Obsession Chocolates. The chocolates and sweet treats are often made with local and organic ingredients and love. Look around your town for a homegrown chocolatier.

6. Treat your guy to a cozy and eco-friendly fleece made with 41 percent recycled fiber from Patagonia in passionate red. Remember, Patagonia encourages you to buy its used clothing on ebay. Patagonia also recycles clothes.

7. How about a gift with a cause? Send a “Bee Mine Valentine,” as Heifer International writes on its page. Send a gift of honeybees to a family in need. The family uses the bees to start a business which then feeds, clothes and educates the family.

8. Cook those you love a beautiful, sustainable meal with local and seasonal ingredients. This is truly a way to say “I love you.”

9. The perennial favorite for Valentine’s Day is sleepwear and lingerie. Make those sweet nothings organic this year.

10. What romantic evening would be complete without some touches like massage oil and candles. You can find green versions of both of these. After all, why end your organic and eco-friendly evening with petroleum or chemical based anything? I’m certain you can find both the oil and candles locally.  In the Chippewa Valley Just Local Foods carries beeswax candles.

Filed Under: Holiday, Local, Organic, Reduce and Reuse, Uncategorized, Upcycled Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Haas Replacement Chip

February 6, 2012 By greengirlinc Leave a Comment

This is for all my Chippewa Valley localvores going through Haas Brothers’ chip withdrawal. Grandma Ferdon’s Tortilla Chips are a good replacement chip for the Haas Brothers’ Chips. The website says they are made in Wisconsin in a gluten-free facility. This is a double bonus for those who suffer from Celiac Disease. The contact information gives an address in Hayward, so it is a little further away than Chippewa Falls, but at least it is in the state.

Besides the yummy tortilla chips, Grandma Ferdon’s carries a line of gluten-free products. I’ve only tried the chips so far, so I’d love to hear from people who have tried the other products in the line, and hear what you think of the food.

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Don’t Berate the Bat

January 10, 2012 By greengirlinc 2 Comments

Photo courtesy of CDC

Bats have a bad reputation.  Most of these image issues come from misinformation and misunderstanding. Many people think of bats as blood-sucking, rabies-carrying evil creatures. How sad and most definitely not true.

First of all, only 3 out of almost 1000 species of bats drink blood. All three are found in Central America. These bats mostly feed on larger warm-blooded animals. They make small incisions and lap up the blood, they do not plunge fangs into them.

Another reason people hate bats is because they think they have a high incidence of rabies. This is patently false. They have no greater incidence than squirrels, foxes or raccoons, about one percent of the population in North America, according to a study by the University of Calgary.

Bats are not rodents, contrary to popular belief, they are mammals. They are the only flying mammal. Many bats are also protected either by Federal or State laws in the United States. Bats are also protected in other counties around the world. Killing them could likely be illegal.

If you dislike biting, flying insects, bats should be one of your favorite animals. One little brown bat can eat 600 insects in an hour, according to the Berkley bat site. I would love to have a colony of bats in my yard. We have an overabundance of mosquitoes.

By having these fantastic little bug eating animals, we are able to reduce pesticide use around our homes and on crops. Bats are also pollinators and seed dispersers.

Bat populations are on the decline due to a very nasty fungal disease called White Nose Syndrome or WNS in North America. The name of the fungus is Geomyces destructans, according to an article in Science Daily. This deadly syndrome is decimating our important insect-eating bat population.

So, put down that tennis racket and step away from the poor confused bat that inadvertently flew into your house. Go with a catch and release method or call a professional for help. Install bat houses on your property to encourage the bats to sleep there instead of in your house. Bats have much more to fear from humans than we do from them, even if they do get in our house.

Filed Under: Animals, Environment
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