WAYS
YOU CAN HELP THE ENVIRONMENT 
Do you love plants, animals,
and nature in general? Even though the Earth is a big place, every little
bit you can do to take care of it is very important. Here are some ways
kids like you are volunteering all around the world:
- Kids in New York
City organized a rally to help save the endangered Leatherback Sea Turtle
at the United Nations on World Ocean Day
- Students from Troy
High School in Michigan organized a fundraiser for Global Response called
“Run for the Environment” and made over $1,600
- Members of the Beautiful
Bale Nature Club in Ethiopia planted 5,000 seedlings for World Environment
Day
- First Graders from
Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School West read a book called The Great
Kapok Tree, and then wrote letters and created artwork about saving
the rainforest.
- 15-year-old Jana
Rajnohova from the Republic of Slovakia wrote to the Bahamas’
Prime Minister and sent a letter to the editor of a Bahamian newspaper,
where it was published! Here’s part of her letter:
“During the summer holiday (in July 2004) I
visited Bimini Island. Here, I have found out what the word paradise
means. I tried scuba diving for the first time. Very exciting was my
experience with dolphins, sharks, fish, sting rays and with other island
animals. In this underwater world I had an experience that will influence
me for the rest of my life.
The mangrove forests were my favourite place. I named the mangroves
Green Paradise. After this nice experience, I saw big machines, which
were dredging sea beds and destroying all the life in them. Later I
heard that most mangrove areas will be destroyed. I was very disgusted
and furious. The nature in Bimini will be replaced by an artificial
golf course. Disaster! Why do they have to destroy the mangroves? Only
mangroves give life to this island. I believe that we will save the
mangroves and I hope that many other people will help.”
25 SIMPLE TIPS TO
HELP CREATE A BEAUTIFUL WORLD
1. Take shorter showers and don’t
let the water run while your shampooing or conditioning your hair or washing
your body
2. Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth
3. Use reusable cloth bags for shopping; keep them in your car. Don’t
know where to fin one? We sell them at our store!
4. Use rechargeable batteries, instead of disposable ones
5. Turn off your lights and any electronics when not in use
6. Use rags or hand towels instead of paper towels or napkins.
7. Avoid disposable plates, cups and utensils.
8. Buy fruits and veggies loose, and not in plastic bags.
9. Decrease TV watching and increase creative learning. Read some of these
highly recommended books:
Dinosaurs
to the Rescue: A Guide to Protecting Our Planet
By Laurie Krasny Brown & Marc Brown
Little, Brown & Company
The creators of Arthur suggest many ways that young children can
protect the Earth.
Fernando's
Gift
By Douglas Keister
Sierra Club
You can read this book in English and Spanish. Find out what Fernando
and Carmina, children who live in the rainforest of Costa Rica, do when
Carmina's favorite tree is cut down.
I
Want to Be an Environmentalist
By Stephanie Maze
Harcourt
Meet people—such as botanists, economists, organic farmers, biologists,
and scuba divers—who work to protect the Earth.
Kid
Heroes of the Environment: Simple Things Real Kids Are Doing to Save the
Earth
Catherine Dee, Ed.
Earth Works Press
Read about what kids across the country are doing to help the environment.
Find out what steps to take to complete a volunteer project and get contact
information for environmental organizations.
The Lorax
By Dr. Seuss
Random House
The Once-ler greedily chops down the Truffula Tree tufts to make Thneeds.
Will he listen to the Lorax's warnings before all of the trees are gone?
The
Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
by Lynne Cherry
Harcourt
This lushly illustrated book is a plea for the rainforests of the earth.
10. Recycle paper products (newspaper, office paper, cardboard, etc),
aluminum, glass, tin, steel, plastic, batteries and everything else possible.
11. Use non-toxic, environmental-friendly products for cleaning
12. Use reusable containers (Tupperware) to store food in your refrigerator
instead of wrapping food in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or using zip-loc
bags (if you are going to use zip-loc bags, wash them out and reuse them).
13. Mend and repair, rather than discard and replace.
14. Pick up litter when you walk, and support litter pick-up days in your
neighborhood.
15. Dispose of leftover food, yard trimmings, and weeds by starting a
compost pit in your backyard. When contents decompose into soil use the
soil for plants and gardening.
16. If your family celebrates Christmas, buy a living Christmas trees,
and plant it somewhere after the Christmas season.
17. Plant trees in your community.
18. Hang your clothes out to dry whenever possible.
19. Before you throw away plastic six-pack holders into the garbage, make
sure you cut each circle with scissors.
20. Put plastic bottles filled with water and rocks (for weight) in your
toilet tank to conserve water each time you flush.
21. Try to find alternative means of transportation as often as possible
to conserve gas, and decrease air pollution. Ride the bus, the subway,
the train, a bicycle or simply walk at least once a week.
22. Avoid supporting fast-food restaurants.
23. Buy a water bottle for yourself. Refill, use it, and carry it with
you at all times, so you don’t have to waste money and plastic on
a disposable water bottle when you’re thirsty.
24. Strive to buy only recycled products.
25. Organize a beach, lake, river, or creek clean up.
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