Vegan: Its not Just for Hippies

Going vegan could change the world's global carbon foot print, moreover it could help our Mother Earth become more sustainable. Not eating any type of dairy product/meat, is this some out there landish fairy tale? Or can it be done in a healthy, logical way that many people can try...


I recently read an article entitled "How Going Vegan Can Make You Healthy and Happier". This article talked about how going vegan was not just for hippies and that going vegan has several components that are key to becoming happier.


A.) Compassion


B.) Respect and Reverence for all forms of life


C.) Exclude animal products from their diet, their clothig and overall life


THe mantra that reigns in a vegan's soul is: Avoid harm and do good. This is the vital source of happiness that reigns within vegans.




There will be a rockin' interview with two vegans coming UP very soon.....








Written and Posted by: Callie Beth Angsten

The Gang's all Here

This is our Urban Ecology Center Volunteer Team!

Washington Park

Today the four of us went to Washington Park to volunteer with the Urban Ecology Center. When we got there, Joel had us start pulling weeds and I have never done that before, I always hated weeding with my mom!!! But I sucked it up and started weeding away. We actually all had a fun time weeding, because we would have little races to see who could pull out the most weeds!

Going to Washington Park was an experience for all of us, because on the way there we got lost and didn’t really know how to turn into the park! But we found our way there!

I found weeding to be kind of fun and if your doing it with the right people than it can be a lot of fun and it makes the time go by!

By weeding, it takes out those weeds and their roots and allows actual plants and flowers to have more room for their roots. The soil that is being occupied is being used by plants that are important and beautiful in the environment.

Posted by Cheyanne Clure 

Cheyanne's First Tree!

My First Taste of Service Learning!!

It was a Friday night and I had to go to bed early in order to wake up at 6:30 in the morning, and I knew that was not going to be easy.

After I got back to my room, my roommates asked why I was going to bed so early on a Friday night, I told them I had to volunteer at some place I have never heard of before and I had no idea where this Urban Ecology Center building was, they just looked at me and laughed.

It is now Saturday morning, my alarm is going off and it is raining outside. I thought to myself, “do I really have to wake up this early and start my volunteer work with some crazy, outgoing girl I hardly know?”

I texted Callie, the crazy girl I was telling you about, and asked her if we were still going to go to the Urban Ecology Center. I was hoping she would say no, because it was rainy and cold out, but she said we had better go. So, I finally woke up and got ready to this new adventure.

We meet at the Union Grind, drank some coffee, and headed to the Urban Ecology Center. We both did not know where this place was but luckily she had the directions texted to her phone. We began walking to Riverside Park where the Urban Ecology Center is located. However, we realized we had started walking the opposite way of Riverside Park. We turned around and we were on our way, once again.

After taking a few wrong turns here and there, we arrived at the Urban Ecology Center. When we got there, we had no idea what to expect. We opened the doors and it was beautiful inside, it looked like a cozy log cabin.

Joel, are supervisor from the Urban Ecology Center, gave Callie and I our first task, planting trees. Both Callie and I have never planted anything before, so I knew this was going to be a moment I would never forget.

We each grabbed a shovel, a pair of gardening gloves, and a tree. We did not know where begin, so Callie called Joel over by us to give us a few helpful planting tips. I got down on my hands and knees and began digging a hole where I was going to plant my tree. Luckily it was wet outside so the soil would come up a lot easier. My hole was about eight inches deep, just the right size to plant my first tree. I put my tree in the hole, planted it into the wet dirt, and put a big mound of wood chips around it. I learned that the wood chips actually protect the trees from drying out. I took a step back and looked at my tree planting abilities and it actually looked pretty dang good.

I peeked over my right shoulder to see how Callie was doing with her new tree and she was having some issues. Callie planted her tree in about a two-inch hole and looked at me and said, “Does this look right to you?” I just looked up at her with my wet, snarly hair covering my face and started laughing. I gave Callie a helping hand and her tree was finally in the ground.

Planting these trees made me feel good about myself, because I knew I was helping the community of Milwaukee out. Joel was telling Callie and I that, when we are seventy years old, we can walk through Riverside Park and say, “I planted that tree right there.” After I planted my tree that was the first thing that popped into my head. I could come back to see how big my tree has gotten, but most importantly I could come back to that very spot where I knew nothing about plants whatsoever and admire my work of art.

Our first day of service learning was over with and I felt good about myself. The two hours we were there went by so fast I could not believe it was time for Callie and I to walk back to the Union. We said goodbye to the wonder people we had met on our new adventure and we were on our way home. We were both covered in mud from head to toe, our shoes were now ruined, and we had to walk back to UW-Milwaukee looking like we just rolled around in mud. I did however try washing my clothes from when we planted trees and the mud is STILL on my jeans, it just does not want to come out. Despite the rainy weather and muddy clothes, this was a totally new experience for both Callie and I, but at the end of the day we were proud that we were able to help out the city of Milwaukee.

I walked to the Urban Ecology Center with a crazy, outgoing girl who I knew nothing about and walked back with someone I could call a friend.




Written and Posted by:Cheyanne Clure

Each day is new. Start by the simple things of helping out Mother Earth! Do something today to help it out!

Trees. Rain Drops. Mud. Need I say more? Hello Mother EARTH!

Day One Of Service Learning Project

It was a cold, rainy Saturday and to be frank I wanted to sleep in... but there rings my phone at 6:30 am.. my co-volunteer for the Service Learning Project. The text read: "You still up for going right?" I laid in bed.. thinking "Callie go, you must go and explore this service project, besides its the first day too and you have been planning this all week."


A few minutes later I texted her and I said, "yes I am going.. rain or shine. lets go."


So off we were to the Urban Ecology Center. I was rather intrigued I mean.. living in a huge city, and yet we were going to be working with the dirt, getting immersed with the birds, flowers and nature.. I was ready for this new adventure.


Cheyanne and I got there a bit too early.. we walked down from UWM, arrived around 9:45 ish.. and the weather was cold, dreary and it looked as if rain was going to come pouring down at any second. We realized we had walked the back way.. but then luckliy cell phones come in handy we phoned the head worker at the Urban Ecology Center and we went the front.


As I walked in I was amazed, I felt like I had just woken up in a cabin and I was about to go fishing in Hayward, Wisconsin! But--- wait no,  I was still in good ol' Milwaukee! Log cabin feel, old rustic, natury look.. I was absorbed by a rustic, Mama Patcha feel... everywhere I looked...


Today Cheyanne and my task was to plant trees. GET READY FOR A REAL EXPERIENCE OF MOTHER NATURE!
There were several other men and women with us.. but Cheyanne and myself were the newbies to this excursion, planting trees.


We grabbed our shovels, rolled up our sleeves, grabbed several treees that we were about to plant.... And thus began our epic experience of planting trees.


Written and Posted by: Callie Beth Angsten