Spilling the Beans on Coffee Certifications: Consumer Values and Knowledge of Fair Trade and USDA Organic Coffee

Coffee certifications are one of the most prominent ways for consumers to influence environmental and labor practices in producing countries. However, their effectiveness has been seen by some as limited. Going forward, it is important to focus on certifications that are both effective in both producing countries as well as consuming countries. This study sought to determine the level of investment that consumers in Burlington, Vermont have on Fair Trade and USDA Organic certifications, and to assess their knowledge of these two labeling systems. To do this I used a close-ended survey executed through a random sampling approach. Generally, there was a strong positive correlation between the reported value of a certification and consumer knowledge of that certification, although knowledge and reported value were both fairly low. It is possible that more educational campaigns around these two certifications would boost sales, but given the rather contentious nature of certifications today it is unclear that more information will increase consumer buy-in

Does Nutrition Education in the Family and Consumer Sciences Classroom Promote Healthy Eating and Exercise Habits?

Many high school students do not practice healthy eating and exercise habits. According to the National Center for Disease Control, 18% of adolescents ages 12-18 are currently overweight (National Institutes of Health, 2006). Many are not aware of consequences associated with unhealthy lifestyles. To improve students' eating and exercise behaviors, students must acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with healthy practices. One venue for addressing this need is through nutrition education in the Family and Consumer Sciences classroom. The question of this study asks: Does nutrition education in the Family and Consumer Sciences classroom promote healthy eating and exercise behaviors? Findings of this study indicate that an increase in nutritional knowledge alone does not result in immediate changes of eating or exercise behaviors.  M.A.Ed

Daily organization of vocalizations of forest-edge birds in Wisconsin

The daily patterning of vocalizations was determined for 15 species of forest-edge birds at the UWM Field Station. Species that were predominately callers (gave few songs) had very erratic patterns of vocalizations. Species that were primarily singers had distinct morning peaks in singing ( dawn chorus ) and, for most species, smaller evening peaks. Some of the singers also had small mid-afternoon peaks when the overall singing rates were low. With the exception of the Field Sparrow, which had a peak before most other species, and the towhee, which had a peak after most other species, there was little interspecific variation in the timing of morning peaks

Behavioral studies of Black-capped Chickadees at the UWM Field Station

This report summarizes studies of the behavior of Black-capped Chickadees (Parus atricapillus) conducted at the UWM Field Station since 1970. Vocalizations and responses to predators are emphasized. Chickadees are very social and their calls are more complex than those of non-social avian species

Bird Hybrids in the Kettle Moraine

Since hybridization in birds is so rare in nature, it is unusual to have the opportunity to study what happens when two species interbreed. Blue-winged Warblers (Vermivora pinus) and Golden-winged Warblers (V. chrysoptera) produce hybrids wherever they occur together. Furthermore, such hybrids are fertile and there is pairing between these hybrids and both parental species. When we learned that both species breed in the northern Kettle Moraine State Forest, we decided to see what sorts of interactions between the two species were occurring there. Our objective initially was to determine if pairing was random between the species, e.g. were Blue-wings pairing with Golden-wings as frequently as they were with members of their own species

The Stadium Interstate Freeway and Cedarburg Bog

Although the initially favored corridor for the Stadium interstate freeway was adjacent to Cedarburg Bog, the highway department is now favoring a route at least a mile from the Bog. Many different individuals had written highway officials stressing the scientific, educational and recreational value of the Bog. It is appropriate that the highway officials of a state which has been a leader in preserving natural areas for scientific and educational use should show concern with preserving Cedarburg Bog as a wilderness area. A hearing about the proposed route will be held July 10 in Ozaukee County, and testimony will be presented stressing the value of the Bog and the importance of not having a highway in close proximity

Dynamic-reservoir lubricating device

Dynamic-reservoir lubricating device supplies controlled amounts of lubricating oil to ball bearings during operation of the bearings. The dynamic reservoir lubricating device includes a rotating reservoir nut, a hollow cylinder filled with lubricating oil, flow restrictors and a ball bearing retainer