Spotlight: High School Student Anna Hankins Takes on Plastics
Cause leader Anna Hankins wants to educate people about the consequences of one-use plastic bottles.
How many times have you thrown away a plastic bottle this week? That’s the question high school student and cause leader Anna Hankins wants people to think about the next time they buy a one-use plastic water bottle. Anna launched a petition in January of 2013 to get vending machines that sell bottled water out of her school. Anna chatted with us last week and gave us the scoop: “We have 13 Aquafina vending machines in the school. Myself and another student decided that we should collect all the water bottles students throw away in one week’s time to see how many were used.” With the help of students, Anna and her team collected almost 2000 bottles in one week.
Last year, Anna viewed a documentary in her environmental sciences class regarding the impact of plastic on the environment. “I was in shock that this was something that people didn’t talk about every day. I did more reading and research and then kept thinking about how I could bring it to my school.” She created a cause and began sharing it with students, teachers, and everyone interested in the topic. In a few weeks, Anna’s petition had amassed more than 4,000 signatures from people all over the world.
According to a National Geographic report, Americans drank 9.1 billion gallons of bottled water, or 222 bottles per person, in 2011. That’s the highest number of sales recorded in the U.S. for a 12-month period. Anna believes that the place to create change is in her local community. Her idea is straightforward: teach students in her high school about using reusable water bottles, give them hydration stations around campus, and make vending machines obsolete.
Anna Hankins hopes her campaign will educate high schools and colleges about plastic water bottle use.
This week, Anna is taking the 2000 bottles she collected from school trash bins to create a large display in the main entrance of her high school. “We want students to see all the waste that comes out of these vending machines. The display will go up and we’ll make “take back the tap” posters that highlights the negative affects of plastic on the environment.” The support she’s received through communities on Causes has also helped secure a $1,000 grant from Architecture for Humanity. She wants to use the money to buy incoming Freshman classes reusable bottles to create a strong foundation of awareness. Although, students are already creating the trend themselves. “We’ve had a lot of student support and a lot of students have come up to me to say. ‘Hey, we’ve stopped using one-use water bottles.’ Now it’s kind of trendy to bring a reusable water bottle to school!”
Elected officials as role models
While Anna wants to plant a seed of sustainability within her generation, she also realizes that there are people in power who can set a great example now. Recently, Anna launched a new petition asking Massachusett’s congressman Jim McGovern to stop using one-use water bottles in his office. In 2012, McGovern’s office spent an estimated $1600 on plastic water bottles and Congress spent a whopping $200,000 overall. Anna said, “We want public officials to join us in the movement. If we can start with our local officials, then why can’t it be everyone that’s in a postition of leadership. As a public official, they are the leaders of our future and our generation, and they need to take responsibility.”
Anna’s focus is sure to leave a lasting legacy at her high school. Next year, she’s heading off to college to become a hydrologist. She also has aspirations to start her own nonprofit focused on the world’s water supply. Presently, she hopes her strategy to combat vending machines at high schools, and to educate students and teachers about the positive role reusable water bottles and water stations can play in helping the environment, can be implemented everywhere. “We want to make a campaign that can be used at any high school or college, and students can follow the steps to see what we’ve done, and they can be successful. We’re really trying to start the ripple effect nationwide.”
People using Causes: they never fail to inspire us!
Check out how Anna is trying to get elected officials to join her Take Back The Tap movement. What are your thoughts about plastic bottle use? Tell us in the comments below!
Written By: Alejandro De La Cruz Publish Date: March 18, 2013 Publish Site: blog.causes.com/2013/03/anna-hankins/?utm_source=causes&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=WE821_1433
Indiana Rural Counties Losing Population To Cities
More than half of Indiana’s 92 counties saw population decline last year, according to an Indiana Business Research Center report.
A map from the Indiana Business Research Center shows population increases and declines across the state. Photo: Indiana Business Research Center
Indiana’s rural communities are losing residents to the state’s urban areas, according to research by the Indiana Business Research Center.
Fifty-four of Indiana’s 92 counties shed population last year, with eight losing more than one percent of their residents.
Orange County Economic Development Partnership spokesperson Mike Fields says his county has lost a couple hundred residents since the 2010 census. He says he’s been working to entice more people to live in the county, rather than just visit the tourist attractions which produce much of the county’s economic development money.
“We are trying to attract some industry so that we can attract some people for new jobs, we have couple of sites that we have already got for industry and everything,” Fields says.
IBRC demographer Matt Kinghorn says the message is that counties with large cities are doing better than those without.
“Metropolitan areas and urban areas, what attract people there is economic diversity, ” Kinghorn says. “So I think that we need to see that maybe in some of more Indiana, mid-sized communities, and Monroe county as well to help to stem a tide of people moving away, either commuting to urban areas for work or moving to metropolitan areas for work.”
Owen County Economic Development Corporation spokesperson Denise Shaw says the first step is to keep people from leaving the county, starting with young adults.
“We have some good strong youth engagement programs here in the community that just recently been developed, and I think it takes us a while to see the results of that,” she says. “But we are very encouraged, allowing our young to have a voice, and if you allow them to have a voice, they are more likely to be engaged, and they are more likely to be return or to stay.
Lake County lost the most people last year, shrinking by more than 1,500 residents. The counties with the biggest percentage loss include Orange, Spencer, Rush and Pulaski.
Written By: Jinghua Tu Publish Date: March 21, 2013 Publish Site: indianapublicmedia.org/news/indiana-rural-counties-losing-population-cities-46829/
Douglas County HOA Enforcing Speed Limits in Community
ROXBOROUGH - If you drive through a private community in southwest Douglas County, don’t be surprised to see someone holding a radar gun on behalf of the Homeowner’s Association.
Days later - if you are caught speeding - you may get a letter in the mail saying you owe the HOA money.
Roxborough Park Foundation is now four months in to its speed-enforcement program using a photo radar system.
The HOA started enforcing its own speed rules in November 2012 after multiple complaints of cars speeding through the community.
“Our posted speed limit is 30,” Roxborough Park Foundation General Manager Don Yowell said. “And we haven’t been unreasonable in its enforcement.”
Yowell points to statistics from Nov. 6 to Dec. 5, 2012, published in the Foundation’s Echoes newsletter. More than 1,300 cars went above 40 mph in the park. More than 130 vehicles went anywhere from 50 to 80 mph. Four times during daylight hours, Yowell said, someone went above 80 mph.
“I don’t want to be a police force, but something has to be done before something terribly bad happens,” he said.
Yet, a Roxborough resident named Ligita (who did not want to provide her last name) says the fines she now faces after four letters from the HOA are unreasonable.
“They’re a Homeowners Association. They don’t have any police powers,” she said. “They might be able to prevent me from painting my house purple, but I don’t think they have any authority to pass or try to enforce a regulation like this.”
Yowell says the association simply wanted to enforce a specific section of its rules and regulations regarding vehicle speeds.
“What good is a rule if you can’t enforce it?” Yowell said.
Douglas County Sheriff Spokesman Ron Hanavan says Colorado law limits what traffic violations deputies can cite on Roxborough Park Foundation’s roads: Those include DUI, DWAI, improper backing, certain parking violations, and reckless and careless driving.
“We still go back there,” Hanavan said. “We do increased patrols.”
Since Douglas County is limited in its speed enforcement on private roads, Yowell says the HOA was forced to take action.
“I’d love for it to go to court,” he said. “I would challenge a judge to say, ‘No, it’s not within the association’s jurisdiction to do that.'”
9NEWS Legal Analyst Scott Robinson said, “If they follow those rules, and it was passed by whatever majority they needed, then it’s probably within their control.”
However, Robinson says residents facing fines could challenge the association’s rules in court. He also said the rules regarding a resident’s responsibility for their guest’s speeds may be challenged in court.
“I think the HOA has a responsibility to try and deal with the issue,” Jim Donaldson, Ligita’s neighbor, said. “I think this is one step in trying to do it.”
However, Ligita says she has no plans, as of now, to pay the fines she faces.
“Most of us live up here because we want to be left in peace,” she said. “We don’t expect to be harassed by our association all the time.”
* WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS ISSUE?
Published By: KUSA-TV © 2013 Multimedia Holdings Corporation Publish Date: Feb 21, 2013 9:19 PM Publish Site: www.9news.com/news/article/318474/188/HOA-enforcing-speed-limits-in-community
Zeller Lifts Indiana Over Michigan, Wins Big Ten Regular-Season Title
Ann Arbor, MI – Cody Zeller’s lay-in with 13 seconds remaining proved to be the difference-maker as the No. 2 Hoosiers survived on the road to down seventh-ranked Michigan, 72-71, to clinch their first outright Big Ten Conference regular-season title since 1993.
Zeller finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds and Victor Oladipo added 14 points and 13 boards for the Hoosiers (26-5, 14-4 Big Ten), who won six of eight to end the regular season en route to picking up the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Conference Tournament.
“I’ve been saying all year long, he should be the player of the year,” Oladipo said of Zeller. “If you don’t give it to him, something’s wrong with y’all.”
Glenn Robinson III gave Michigan a 71-66 edge with 52 seconds remaining as he made 1-of-2 free throws before the Hoosiers capped off an improbable 6-0 run to close the contest with Zeller’s baseline lay-in.
Trey Burke scored 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting from behind the arc for the Wolverines (25-6, 12-6), who had a chance to earn a share of the conference title for the second straight season and were looking to remain unbeaten in Ann Arbor for the first time in 36 seasons.
Michigan has the fifth seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament and will play Penn State on Thursday. Indiana plays the winner of Illinois versus Minnesota, which will also take place on Thursday.
Burke got the ball and drove the hoop after Zeller’s go-ahead basket, but his finger roll rattled around the rim. Jordan Morgan, though, came out of no where to try for the tip-in, but his shot also painfully hung on the rim before falling and Indiana got the ball back to secure the victory.
After an Indiana turnover on a Zeller travel, Michigan took the ball out of bounds with one minute to play. Robinson was found wide open and looked to have an easy layup, but Christian Watford came from behind for a hard foul. Robinson made 1-of-2 for a 71-66 lead.
Zeller ended a brief Indiana drought with a layup to cut the edge to three points and Indiana was forced to foul Tim Hardaway Jr. He missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and on the other end, Morgan fouled Zeller, who made another two from the charity stripe to make it 71-70 with 29 ticks left.
Still, Michigan had another chance to distance itself as Will Sheehey fouled Burke to go to the free throw line, but he missed the front end of another 1-and-1 as well, all but giving Indiana life again.
“This game wasn’t blown on the free throw line,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “Those two are our leaders, and they’ve won a lot of games for us. We’re never going to put this on them.”
Yogi Ferrell tried to find Zeller inside the paint down two with 1:30 to play and counting, but his bounce pass was off the mark and went out of bounds. Hardaway made the most of the turnover and nailed a jumper to stretch the margin to 70-66 with 1:10 to play and it looked like Michigan had the game wrapped up.
“We’ve been working on that all year - closing out games,” Zeller added.
With under three minutes to play, Watford tossed up a desperation heave from behind the arc as the shot clock winded down, but Oladipo was waiting perfectly underneath for an unplanned alley oop lay-in. Burke, though, answered with a jumper to tie things at 66-66 with 2:14 remaining.
Robinson had a tip-in to make it 46-42 Michigan just under seven minutes into the second half, but the Hoosiers struck with two treys, one by Jeremy Hollowell and another by Sheehey to take a 48-46 edge with 12 minutes remaining.
Indiana jumped out for a 10-3 edge just four minutes into the contest. The home team, however answered with a 15-2 surge, as Robinson capped off the run with a three-point play. Nik Stauskas had eight straight at one point to highlight the flurry.
Burke then hit a triple with five minutes to play in the first half to increase the margin to 27-16, but an 11-4 swing by Indiana brought the Hoosiers within 31-27 with just over two minutes to play.
Michigan took a 33-30 lead into halftime.
“There was a strong belief (in a comeback),” Indiana coach Tom Crean said, “but obviously they had to miss some shots with the free throws to make that happen and they did.”
Game Notes
Indiana had lost two of its last three, including a 67-58 home defeat at the hands of Ohio State on Tuesday … Michigan is now 17-1 at home this season and 32-2 in Ann Arbor over the past two years … Indiana defeated then-No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 2 and came away with an 81-73 victory … Sheehey had 10 points and Jordan Hulls added nine for IU … The Hoosiers shot 42.9 percent (30-of-70) and won the rebounding battle, 53-30.
Heavy Snow Begins to Impact Central Indiana Roads
Heavy snow is falling in downtown Indianapolis and in much of central Indiana at this hour.
Indianapolis could see anywhere from five to seven inches with this snowstorm, with areas to the north getting higher snow totals.
At 5:00 pm, bridges and overpasses on I-65 and I-74 in the Lafayette State Police District were becoming slick as temperatures dropped. That includes White, Carroll, Clinton, Montgomery, Fountain, Warren, Benton and Tippecanoe Counties.
US, State and County roads were becoming snow-covered and slick due to the changeover from sleet to snow.
State Police advise you to avoid traveling tonight if it’s not necessary.
Current crashes:
Left lane blocked at I-865 W at I-465
Southport Road at Emerson
Boone County preparations
Crews got an early start pre-treating streets before the snow began.
Nick Parr is one of the guys tasked with making sure you can get to work in the morning. On Tuesday, he was out on the road along with the rest of the Boone County Highway Department.
“I’m actually a heavy equipment operator but I plow snow in the winter,” Parr explained.
In Boone County, crews will spend the next 24 hours salting and plowing 800 miles of county roads. Parr has been over these roads many times this year.
“If it is a big event and we have a lot of snow then you could run 12 -14 hours straight, and then take a break,” he said.
Before noon today he was putting salt down on intersections and mentally preparing for what could be a short night or one that goes on well into the night.
Lebanon and most of Boone County is right on the line for this snowstorm. Parr may be dealing with a few inches of snow or several inches along with ice.
It’s been a long winter for his department. Parr is hoping this will be the last time he puts salt down in Whitestown - at least until next year.
Posted Date: Mar 05, 2013 5:19 PM EST Update Date: Mar 05, 2013 6:59 PM EST Publish Site: www.wthr.com/story/21526475/heavy-snow-begins-to-impact-central-indiana-roads
Community Calendars
Friday, March 1
The Central Indiana Dance Ensemble combines classical and contemporary dance in a performance at the Tarkington at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Sunday. The show takes place at 4 pm. For more tickets, click here.
Exercise, get health tips and meet a Biggest Loser contestant at the IPS Super School Wellness Festival tomorrow. It’s free at the Frederick Douglass School from 10 am to 1. To learn more, click here.
And Wishard offers Free Smoking Cessation classes at the Forest Manor Health Center every Monday in March. The next sessions start on Monday, March 4th. To sign up for these confidential group classes, call Health Connection at 317-287-3717 or click here.
Saturday, March 2
Join the fight against breast cancer with WTHR and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Central Indiana. Register today for the Race for the Cure at Military Park on April 20th. Join some 30,000 men, women and children in the race to end this devastating disease. To register, click here.
Maya Angelou speaks at Clowes Hall March 26th. She’s here for Butler University’s Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series. The event is free but tickets are required. For details, click here.
And what a way to make a living! See “9 to 5: The Musical” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre through March 24th. Click here (http://www.beefandboards.com/) for tickets.
Sunday, March 3
Parents and teens, you might want to check out “Alky”, a Young Actor’s Theatre play about the dangers of binge drinking among teens. It’s free at the Central Library March 5th and 10th. The show is funded by the Indiana Coalition to Improve Adolescent Health. Learn more, here.
Support people with developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges. Attend the Damar Guild Dinner Dance and Casino Night, at the Regions Bank Tower, on March 9th. For more details, click here.
And, help end domestic abuse. Get tickets for an “Evening of Hope and All that Jazz”, a benefit for Beacon of Hope, on Saturday, March 9th. Enjoy dinner, dancing and live music at the Sheraton Hotel Indianapolis, Keystone at the Crossing. For tickets, click here.
