Saving Earth for Kids Summer 2021

HEY KIDS

LEARN ABOUT

SHOULD YOU EAT LESS MEAT & DAIRY?

ANIMALS IN CANADA THAT NEED YOUR HELP SUMMER 2021 EDITION BE A SAVING EARTH SUPERHERO summer 2021 edition/ $6.99 CAN FIND ALL MY FRIENDS INSIDE

Through the Maya Archaeology Initiative

THE MAYA ARCHAEOLOGY INITIATIVE preserves the past for a better future of the Maya people.

Please explore the sites we are preserving by visiting our website mayaarchaeology.org

To leave a donation please visit: mayaarchaeology.org/donate/

Maya Frieze from Holmul, Guatemala.

Over 500 animals and plants are at risk. Read how to help!

Can you complete 3 actions to help the environment?

WHAT WATER

Find the hidden waterways in your city.

5 things whales do that help the world.

10

Help solve Food Waste. Act with Community in Your Heart and Mind.

25

Read about the Young Farming Champions. Q&A WITH LOTUS KAY

Protecting our “Gentle Giants”.

Your inner magic can help. SAVING KOALAS TO SAVE EARTH YOU CAN DO ANYTHING MAKING BEESWAX WRAPS THE “US” IN CLIMATE JUSTICE ACTIVITIES! BC’S OLD GROWTH FOREST ANCIENT TREES OF BC

How big are the trees in your ‘hood?

an alternative to plastic. WHAT’S HOT INSIDE? savingearth savingearth savingearth savingearth Can you find all my monster friends in the magazine? Count them all, then go online to submit your answer. www.savingearth4kids.com

*Make

Hey kids, if you want to become a Saving Earth superhero like me, sign up online and complete our climate change challenges!

O

HOW TO BE AN SE SUPERHERO

Antonia Andúgar, Christine Cameron, Jay Clue, MarieChristine Fiset, Cait Foster, Ines Khouider, Angela Legh, Ingrith León, Dr. Fikile Nxumalo, Mandy McKeesick, Deb L. Morrison, Ellen Myers, Cassie Pearse, Eva Rachert, Marianne Schnall, Zoe Todd, Ellie Wyatt

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Magazines Canada & Royal Printers

COVER PHOTO

Hans-Jurgen Mager

Saving Earth for Kids Magazine has made every effort to make sure that its content is accurate on the date of publication. The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or editor. Information contained in the magazine has been obtained by the authors from sources believed to be reliable. You may email us at Saving Earth for Kids Magazine for source information. Saving Earth for Kids Magazine, its publisher, editor, and its authors are not responsible for any errors, omissions, or claims for damages, and accept no liability for any loss or damage of any kind. The published material, advertising, advertorials, editorials, and all other content is published in good faith.

©Copyright 2021 Saving Earth for Kids. All rights reserved. Saving Earth Magazine is fully protected by copyright law and nothing herein can be reproduced wholly or in part without written consent.

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FOREWORD

Ingrith León, Saving Earth for Kids Magazine’s Educational Exchange Coordinator, tells us why, how, and when she became passionate about sustainability and protecting our planet. Ingrith is a teacher and activist from Mérida, Mexico.

LEARNING HOW TO SAVE THE EARTH

WWelcome to the very first edition of Saving Earth for Kids. We created this magazine to help kids just like you learn about saving the planet.

Our planet faces important challenges and needs your help. In our magazine and on our website, you will find real science on climate change and solutions to environmental issues. We will show you how to be the superheroes our planet needs!

My name is Ingrith, and I am a teacher and an activist in Mérida, Mexico. I am the Educational Exchange Coordinator at Saving Earth for Kids. We are creating opportunities for students in Canada and Mexico to share ideas on sustainability and environmental projects. Visit our website for more information.

When I was young I remember taking field trips with my family, watching butterflies and other insects, being at the beach trying to find the most interesting shells, or playing in our backyard lifting rocks to see what we could find underneath. These adventures are what made me develop a sense of connection with nature and start asking questions about it.

As I grew up, these questions changed from “Why does the natural world work the way it does?” to “Why do humans live in such unsustainable ways?” I had the chance to re-educate myself and change how I live. Now, as a teacher, I am lucky enough to be able to share that knowledge with children and colleagues, as well as with my own family and friends.

When I started to understand how the world works and why caring about our planet is crucial for all the living organisms and future generations, I started to question everything. I started to think for myself. Reconsidering and rethinking my actions became my normal, an everyday exercise in every step I took. I started reducing my carbon footprint at home, then at my workplace, and I also talked to the people I ran into every day.

After all these experiences what most comes to my mind when thinking about the changes we need is meaningful education. We must re-educate ourselves. Schools need to play their part, but kids also need to learn, think, and decide for themselves. If we are serious about acting against climate change, we need everyone even more engaged. Knowing and understanding the issue is not enough, nor is worrying about it. We need people to make real changes now.

In these pages, we will teach you how climate change affects people, plants, and animals all over the world. Then we will give you real solutions to help fix these problems.

Our goal is to not only teach you, so you can learn what to do, but we also want you to have fun! In each issue we will have stories of real kids who are making a difference. We will also have games and activities. We want everyone to be a superhero and use their powers for good in saving Earth, so look for more of our superheroes in future issues. We also have a lot of fun monsters in the magazine-because sometimes you need a monster to get things done! In this first issue, if you count all the monsters, then visit our website to tell us how many you found, you will get access to secret pages on the site. Thank you for helping us make the world a better place!

“kids need to learn, think, and decide for themselves”

Ingrith León Saving Earth Magazine Educational Exchange Coordinator

CANADA’S ENDANGERED

SPECIES

By Cassie Pearse

Over 500 animal and plant species in Canada are at risk because of global warming and human actions. What’s happening? And how can we help keep the animals safe?

PPolar Bears

Most of the world’s polar bears live in the Arctic region of Canada. Polar bears use the Arctic sea ice to hunt seals. They sit by holes in the ice waiting for seals to pop up to breathe, and then they catch and eat them. Global warming is causing the sea ice to form later and melt earlier in the year, making it harder for polar bears to hunt, and putting them at risk of starvation.

In a few decades, we may have no summer ice in the Arctic Ocean for the polar bears to use, and by the end of the 21st century, polar bears could be extinct if we don’t all work together to stop global warming.

Barren-ground Caribou

There are over one million barren-ground caribou in Canada. That might sound like a lot, but it isn’t. In 2004, they were placed on an ‘at-risk’ register because of concern that changing climate conditions in the Arctic will be harmful to them.

Barren-ground caribou spend much of the year living in the treeless tundra of northern Canada where they eat lichen, but climate change and extreme weather mean it is getting harder for them to access it. If they can’t get to the lichen, then they don’t have enough to eat, which means they are at risk of starvation.

American Badger

Even though it’s called the American badger, this important creature also lives in BC and Ontario in Canada.

Badgers might be small and cute, but they also play an important role in controlling the numbers of burrowing rodents. For a long time, humans didn’t understand that badgers are important to the ecosystem, and they didn’t think about badgers when making changes to the countryside. Today, because of human actions, there are only 200 badgers in the whole of Ontario and 350 in BC. Now that we do understand how important badgers are to the ecosystem, experts are hopeful that conservationists will take action so the number of badgers in Canada can recover.

FUN FACTS FUN FACTS

Lichen: a mix of fungus and alga that live together in symbiosis. Many lichens look like flat, crusty blotches on rocks, trees, or the ground, but others can be leafy and even look like tiny forests. They are brown, orange, and yellow, and they live in places many other plants can’t survive, such as Canada’s frozen Arctic.

Symbiosis: a close, mutually beneficial relationship between two living things.

What Can You Do?

Look around you. How are the animals in your region doing? What can you do to help keep them safe?

Here are some ideas:

• Talk to your friends, family, and classmates about how climate change hurts animals.

• Come up with fun ideas with them for raising awareness.

• Think of ways you can raise money for local wildlife organizations.

• Plant trees because trees help keep our air clean by removing carbon dioxide.

• Save energy at home by switching off the lights when you leave a room.

• Remember your important Rs— reduce, reuse, recycle.

FROM LEFT: Hans-Jurgen Mager/Nick Myatt/Photodune

By Ellie Wyatt

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

The Ripple Effect was started by Eco Action Families, a British organization that is determined to leave its (positive) mark on our world. The challenge asks families to complete three actions that help the environment and to then encourage three more families to do the same, and so on… In the short interview below, Holly and Alice (both 11 years old), talk us through the process.

What got you interested in environmental action?

We both love nature, but watching David Attenborough films made us realize that our natural world is in trouble. Two years ago, we started hearing about a Swedish girl called Greta Thunberg who was calling on young people to start taking action for the environment. We wanted to get involved!

What is the campaign you are part of called?

We are taking part in The Ripple Effect campaign because our families are part of Eco Action Families.

What is the aim of the campaign?

The aim of The Ripple Effect is to inspire families to take three important actions that help the environment and then encourage three more families to take the actions, too, so that it has more impact.

What are the three actions?

There are three steps to the ripple effect: First, you change your energy supplier to a renewable energy company. Then you have to switch to an ethical bank. Third, you become an Earth protector with Stop Ecocide.

Why are these three actions important to you?

Being young, it can often feel like you can’t do much to make a change as the adults have most of the power. It is our future, though, and so it is important to us that our families take this seriously and do whatever they can. Knowing that the energy we use in our homes is coming from the sun and wind, rather than fossil fuels, which create CO2, makes us feel happier.

Even though we are too young to have bank accounts we found out that banks are doing a lot of harm to the planet. Our parents are showing they care by moving their money.

It makes us proud to be Earth Protectors. Being an Earth protector means that you believe damage to the Earth’s ecosystems should be a crime in International Law. It’s illegal to kill another person, so it should also be illegal to kill a river or a forest, as these are the things that keep us alive.

Photos Courtesy of The Ripple Effect

How can kids get involved?

Encourage your parents to make these changes, and talk about it with your friends who will hopefully tell their parents. Our two families have asked three friends each, so already that is eight families taking action! You can print out a ripple sheet and fill in the names of your friends.

What other Eco Actions have you taken?

We went on some of the school strikes before the pandemic. We have stopped eating meat and fish. We have also really tried to cut single-use plastic in our homes. For example, we use toothpaste tablets now, which come in a glass jar instead of plastic tubes, and we refill our shampoo bottles at a refill store.

What would be your message to other kids?

We want every young person to know that we can act together to tackle the climate crisis. What your family and your school and your community does makes a big difference. We believe we all have a duty to act, and we should fulfil it, then hopefully we will switch on a light at the end of a tunnel.

What is your vision for the world when you are both grown up?

We hope that nature is given the chance to regenerate. We hope everyone can live in an environmentally safe way where they are aware of the beauty of our Earth. We would like to see clean, green energy for our transport and homes, healthy food, trees and plants making our towns and cities beautiful, clean rivers to swim in, no plastic going into the oceans, and all the incredible wildlife on Earth no longer endangered. We hope that adults will take the action needed to protect this miracle we call our home, and that our children won’t have to worry.

Interview with Jackson Apollo Mancini, author of Dr. Jon Jon Saves the Moon

WRITING A BOOK CAN HELP SAVE THE PLANET

Jackson is a young boy who cares very much about our planet. He wrote a book to try and persuade other kids to care as much as he does. In this short interview, he tells us why he wrote it.

Hi Jackson. It’s so great to sit down with you today and talk more about saving our planet Earth. Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Jackson Apollo Mancini, and I wrote a book: Dr. Jon Jon Saves the Moon. I live in Alaska with my parents; my baby sister; my guinea pig, Charles Marshmallow Mancini; and my puppy, Eggo.

DR. JON JON SAVES THE MOON is such a wonderful story about what happens when we forget to take care of the world around us. Over time, kids started to notice the moon had turned green! The children of Earth send Dr. Jon Jon to give the moon a check-up, and when he comes back, he has a message: the moon is a reflection of what we do to our precious planet, and we must work together to care for our one and only home. Why did you write this book?

I saw lots of trash on the streets and the roads. I started learning from TV and social media about what happens to Earth when we do this. If we don’t pick up our trash, the Earth can die!

Plastic can turn into pellets in the sea, and if the fish eat the pellets, they can get sick and die. When the birds eat trash, they get really full. And when they are full, they don’t eat their food, which makes them super sick, too. When we pollute, it goes into the air and kills our trees. Without trees, we lose air, which then hurts us.

Every day, I try to save our planet, and I hope other kids learn how to save the planet from my book, too!

We should all make a promise to save the Earth. If thousands of people make this promise, then the Earth will be clean again — the ocean, the land, and the coral reefs, too!

Teamwork makes the dream work!

How can kids get involved in making this promise and taking action to help our environment?

Every kid should have a trash picker. Mine is half recycled and half new!

You should always pick up trash when you see it. Even if it’s not yours, pick it up. You can make a trash picker with things you have around the house, too. If you have a piece of string and a broken hanger, tie the string to the hanger and grab things using the hook.

Just like Legos, take what you have at home apart and reuse it to build something new!

We know the pandemic has made it tougher to get outside and help clean up in our communities. What are some fun and easy ways families can help save the planet during the pandemic?

1. Save water. Take shorter showers and turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth.

2. Plant a tree. If you plant a tree in your yard, birds can come and build a nest there and lay their eggs.

3. Grow berries. If rabbits or bears live in your environment, then you can grow any type of berry for them to eat. You can help make your community friendly for animals.

4. Recycle. The other day I made a dog toy out of an empty Pringles can and put a string through it. Eggo loved it.

5. Watch educational TV. My favorite shows are Blue Planet, Wild Kratts, and Octonauts. I get a lot of information from books, and my mom teaches me a lot of stuff, too.

About the Author

When Jackson Apollo Mancini isn’t in school, you can find him exploring the natural world where he is passionate about animal rights and the health of our planet. Jackson wrote Dr. Jon Jon Saves the Moon when he was four years old, making him one of the youngest authors to begin the publishing journey. He enjoys travelling and learning about different cultures and languages, playing with friends, and dreaming up new inventions. Most days you will find him picking up litter in his community. Jackson lives in Alaska with his parents, baby sister, his dog, Eggo, and his rescue guinea pig, Charles Marshmallow Mancini.

For more about Jackson, visit: www.jacksonapollomancini.com

About the Book

Since the beginning of time, kids have looked into the night sky and seen a glowing white moon and twinkling stars. But, over time, they started to notice the moon had turned green. Dr. Jon Jon Saves the Moon is the story of what happens when we forget to take care of the world around us. The children of Earth send Dr. Jon Jon to give the moon a check-up, and when he comes back, he has a message: the moon is a reflection of what we do to our precious planet, and we must work together to care for our one and only home.

Dr. Jon Jon Saves the Moon follows in the footsteps of Greta Thunberg and the many other young people fighting for the health of our planet. Join Dr. Jon Jon on a trip to the moon and back, and get inspired to help save the world.

Available online and in major bookstores. Visit www.beyondword.com for more information.

Written by Dr. Fikile Nxumalo and Narda Nelson, artwork by Dr. Zoe Todd

WHAT WATER TEACHES US

“All water has a perfect memory and

is forever trying to get back to where it was.” - Toni Morrison

How do you find your way around the place where you live? In cities and towns, we tend to figure out where we are by looking for landmarks like buildings or roadways, or by using maps on our phones. But there is more to these places than meets the eye! Have you ever stopped to wonder what lies deep beneath your feet? Maybe you’ve followed the gurgling flow of water after a rain as it winds its way to a storm drain. Or maybe you’ve fallen asleep to the sound of frogs croaking at each other about the possibilities for life that pooling water brings them in the spring.

Water is Life! as Indigenous water and land protectors remind us. In fact, water — and creatures like minnows, racoons, rainbow trout, frogs, and herons who depend on it—are powerful reminders of what settlements used to look, feel, and sound like before large networks of creeks and streams were buried

in culverts and pipes to make way for building gridlike housing and business developments as cities changed and grew.

Waterways that once flowed openly where cities and

“ We can learn a lot about what it means to live well with the Earth by seeking out Indigenous water stories in the cities where we live. ”

towns stand today have been vital to Indigenous Peoples for transportation, fishing, and food cultivation for thousands of years. Streams, rivers, and other bodies of water continue to hold important cultural connections for the Peoples on whose lands cities now sit. Today, streams and creeks are responding to the pressures of climate change by pushing back on the boundaries that were built by city developers hundreds of years ago, demanding our attention in new and exciting ways. What happens if we follow water bodies to think beyond the boundaries of neighbourhoods and districts?

We can learn a lot about what it means to live well with the Earth by seeking out Indigenous water stories in the cities where we live. For example, in the city of Toronto Niigani-gichigami (Lake Ontario) is an important waterway that holds Anishinaabe stories and teachings about the centrality of nibi (water) to all life. We can learn from the story of Anishinaabe Grandmother Josephine Mandamin, who led Water

Walks to teach about the importance of protecting the Great Lakes and to teach about nibi as kin.

Some waters and their stories are easier to find than others. For instance, in Toronto there are several creeks, such as Garrison Creek and Black Creek, that were buried, re-shaped, or changed into sewer pathways as the city was built. Walking alongside buried creeks can bring important questions about the environmental impacts of cities. How have fish responded to environmental change in the place where you live? What about the waterways themselves? How are the ones in your neighbourhoods responding to being moved?

In Toronto, you can see some of the places where buried waters have risen and surged to the surface, sometimes causing flooding after rainstorms. The persistence of water and fish have a lot to teach us about surviving and resisting environmental damage. On Lekwungen (Songhees and Esquimalt) territories in

Victoria, BC, First Nations have been working together with schools, government officials, and community groups to try to restore some of this damage by opening up the ground to ‘daylight’ sections of Bowker Creek. This allows oxygen to reach the creek and gives ducks and other water birds access. An outdoor classroom was built along one section of the newly exposed creek for Oak Bay High School students to learn alongside the creek, as well. For Lekwungen and neighbouring WSÁNEĆ Peoples, connections to water and land are inseparable and an important part of their identity. As Beangka Elliott from Tsartlip First Nation tells us, “We are people of the ocean, Salt Water People. Our lifestyle and the food we eat is all connected to the water.

We have a word in our language, which is the SENĆO EN language, that translates to land or water, so we don’t have a distinction between the two, which I think signifies how important the waterways are to us and how we are connected to the water.”

We invite you to do some research about hidden waterways and Indigenous water stories where you live. Take a walk with your family to listen and look for signs of the presence of water and creatures who continue to make their homes in the city. For some creeks, if you listen carefully, you can hear the water below the concrete, or you can see a symbol of fish imprinted on the concrete to indicate the presence of fish. You can find out if there are community organizations in your city that help to take care of hidden waterways and work to restore the ravines around hidden creeks.

By Ellen Myers, Photos By Jay Clue

OF THE SEA WHALESSUPERHEROES

Did you know that sailors used to think that whales were scary sea monsters? Imagine sailing along and spotting an animal larger than your entire ship emerging from the ocean right in front of your eyes!

NNow, of course, we know that the sea monsters we read about in old captains’ logs were actually whales. Obviously, whales aren’t sea monsters. To us, in fact, they’re sea superheroes!

Whales increase the number of fish in the ocean, produce oxygen, absorb carbon, protect helpless animals, and provide habitats for other animals after their death. Here are five important roles whales play in the ocean that make them sea superheroes.

1. Acrobatic Chefs

The ocean is like a huge mixing bowl full of nutrients, and it needs some really large chefs to mix it up. Luckily, whales are gigantic, so just by doing whale stuff, like moving up and down and side to side, they mix up the ocean every day. Sperm whales can dive as deep as 2,000 metres to feed on small fish called krill. When they dive down, they take oxygen and nutrients from the surface to the animals in the deep sea. Then they swim back up to the surface to breathe again, bringing nutrients from the deep to the plants and animals on the surface.

Humpback whales are especially good chefs. They can be seen dancing, plunging out of the ocean, and slapping their tails and pectoral fins on the surface. Every year grey whales bring nutrients from the rich waters of the icy Arctic to the warm waters of Mexico when they make their 19,000 kilometre journey — the longest migration of any creature in the ocean. All this movement by these giant creatures mixes the ocean to fertilize marine plants called phytoplankton and provide food for other fish species. More whales equal more phytoplankton.

The largest whale—the blue whale—is the size of three school buses!

A blue whale can consume up to six tons of krill every day—that’s more than an elephant weighs!

2. Super Poopers

Phytoplankton form the bottom of the food chain for the entire ocean. Phytoplankton need nutrients, such as iron and nitrogen, to grow, thrive, and provide food for the small fish that feed the bigger fish, sharks, and all the ocean creatures.

Whales feed on tiny fish, such as krill, and after a big meal they have a big poo. Whale poo is like a multivitamin for the sea, fertilizing the phytoplankton

with essential nutrients. But that’s not all. Whales eat massive amounts of krill, and the krill eat phytoplankton. Without whales, krill would quickly eat up the phytoplankton, but there would be no iron-rich whale poops to fertilize and produce more phytoplankton. So, without whales to eat krill and fertilize the phytoplankton, we wouldn’t be able to support all the marine animals that rely on the phytoplankton. More whales mean more fish in the ocean!

3. Shepherds of the Sea

Humpback whales are known to risk their own lives to come to the rescue of other animals, including humans. A researcher in Antarctica once watched a humpback rescue a seal trapped on an ice floe surrounded by hungry orcas. The humpback whale used its long pectoral fins to slide the seal off the ice onto its big white belly and safely balance it there until the orcas finally left it alone. Another whale scientist tells the story of how she was saved by a humpback whale. The whale nudged her and lifted her out of the water, protecting her from a circling tiger shark below.

4. Climate Changers

An increase in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere is warming our oceans and our planet. Whales help us reverse the warming and the damage it causes.

Whales have a huge layer of blubber that protects them from arctic water temperatures and stores energy for their long journey to the tropics. This fat layer can also store large amounts of carbon. One whale can remove 33 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere in its lifetime.

5. Big Providers

When a whale dies and sinks to the bottom of the ocean, it takes all the carbon that it stored in its fatty tissues with it. Scientists believe that over 140,000 tons of CO2 are transferred to the bottom of the ocean just from the bodies of dead whales each year, removing it from the atmosphere for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. The dead whales also serve as an all-you-can-eat buffet for sharks and other predators of the ocean for months after they die. Then, the body and bones create a new neighbourhood for hundreds of deep sea critters including shrimp, lobsters, and sea cucumbers.

Phytoplankton are like the lungs of the ocean. Phytoplankton produce more than half of the oxygen on Earth, and in return absorb and store CO2 from the atmosphere.

For adults:

Ask the children to think about marine or terrestrial debris issues in their area. What kinds of debris do they find? Is it near waterways? What is the closest sea, and what types of whales or cetaceans can be found there? What is their endangerment status?

Ask them to identify sources of single-use plastic in their lives and how they can replace them with sustainable alternatives today. Use www.awastefreeworld.com for ideas and sustainable swaps.

Now It’s Your Turn To Be A Super Hero!

One of the biggest things we can do today to help the whales is say no to single-use plastic! We might think the plastic we use gets recycled, but in reality, only around 20 percent of it does. In 2018, a sperm whale washed up in Indonesia with a whopping six kilograms of plastic waste in its belly. We can fight for whales and healthier oceans by saying no to plastic every day!

By Marie-Christine Fiset, Greenpeace Canada

COOKING OUR PLANET? NOT IN MY KITCHEN!

We all need to eat to survive, but how we eat and what we eat matter. In a world where 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the production and consumption of meat, we all have to think about what we put in our mouths and tummies.

Shocking Fact: Meat consumption causes about as much pollution as the emissions of all the cars, trains, ships, and airplanes in the world.

It gets worse. If the meat on our plates causes greenhouse gases, then every time we cook meat, we are also cooking our planet.

Cows caused the fires in the Amazon rainforest! Well, not really... but kind of. The fires are directly related to forests being cleared to make space for cattle rearing. Greenpeace is so worried about this that they made a short video called “There’s A Monster in My Kitchen” to explain it to kids. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGQQZ4QeTEI

Let’s dive in

While agriculture as a whole is responsible for 80 percent of all the world’s deforestation, it is important to know that most of it is used just to feed livestock (cows, pigs, and chickens). This means that the meat industry plays a major role in the extinction of amazing plants and wild animals all around the world. And like the meat we consume, cow milk is also terrible for the environment and this is why so many people are going for plant-based milk. There is a monster in our kitchen, indeed!

Canada’s Food Guide recommends that Canadians eat more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based protein as part of a healthy diet. Of course, choosing local fruits and vegetables is also a really good idea because very often, our food has travelled a long way before reaching our plates… producing… drum roll… greenhouse gas emissions on their way to our homes!

In short, too much meat, plus fruits and vegetables from thousands of miles away, equals a good recipe to transform our planet into a barbecue!

Good news: YOU can do something to make things better

It can be overwhelming to think about the climate crisis and where to even start to solve it. But thinking about what we eat and where we buy our food is a great first step and something we can control. We can start thinking about our groceries as empowering climate action!

So how would you feel about challenging your own family?

Start small! Every little change helps a lot. Try cutting 25 percent or even 50 percent of your family’s meat consumption during the week. It could be as simple as skipping meat every other day or even trying “Meatless Mondays”. Sometimes, the biggest challenge is really changing our “go-to” recipes to ones without meat. To help you out, we have created a Veggies Atlas with some recipes to try out at home. You can learn all about it on the Greenpeace website. Let your inner chef get creative and invite your parents to try it out as well! http://act.gp/Veggie-Atlas

FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT

Did you know that if food wastage were a country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitting country in the world, after China and the United States of America?

Each year, 58 percent of all food produced in Canada is lost or wasted. This is enough food to feed everyone in Canada for almost five months!

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE AT HOME:

• Remind your parents to plan meals in advance, to make a list, and to eat before going to the grocery store.

• Don’t judge a book, or a vegetable, by its cover. Smoothies, soups, and sauces don’t care if the fruits and vegetables look a little tired or nobbly.

• Help your parents manage the refrigerator by keeping older fruit and vegetables at the front of the drawer so they get used first.

• When you eat, start with a small portion and top up your plate if you need to.

• Several apps allow you to buy or sell fruits and vegetables and products that are close to their expiry date. Have a look: FoodHero / FlashFood / Second Life

• In our fight against climate change, no one is too little to help. YOU might actually be exactly the person the world needs to really help make a change. To help you get started, Greenpeace has created an Eco Menu with tips for climate-friendly food choices. http://act.gp/Eco-Menu

By Deb L. Morrison and Christine Cameron

THE “US” IN CLIMATE JUSTICE

Act with Community in Your Heart and Mind

As you likely know already, climate change is occurring globally, and communities are coming together to find solutions. As you learn more about what is causing climate change, you should also take time to learn about what is being done to solve this crisis in your community and beyond. It’s important to know that people of all ages are working together (right now!) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The basics of climate change are actually pretty simple. Currently, human release of greenhouse gases is the primary cause of global warming. Refrigerators leaking HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), methane-producing food waste in landfills, fossil fuel generated electricity—these and other human activities contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

In the atmosphere, these gasses act like a thick blanket, causing global temperatures to increase. The global increase in temperature—or global warming—is responsible for changes in the frequency and intensity of storm systems and events, as well as changing patterns of rain, snow, and drought. In turn, changing weather and climate influence all aspects of life on earth from human wellness to biodiversity and the healthy functioning of ecosystems.

If it’s your first time engaging in this kind of learning, you may run into conflicting resources and that could be confusing. However, stay grounded in science-based information sources from well-known organizations or government agencies.

These types of reliable sources will answer why we know what we know about the climate and how we can work together.

All sorts of people, including youth, are involved in climate solutions work. The Indigenous-led effort Learning in Places provides many different activities and ideas for understanding your own place in your community environment and the social history that can help you understand what you can do about climate change in your own context (learninginplaces.org/for-families/).

Use what you learn to talk with your family and make decisions about how you can address climate change at home, at school, and in your community.

What Is Climate Justice?

While there are many different ways to think about climate justice, the basic idea is that climate change doesn’t impact everyone the same way and not everyone has the same opportunities to participate in all climate solutions. These differences are known as injustices, and the climate justice movement seeks to name them and find solutions to these problems. Youth of all ages are involved in the climate justice movement, just like they are in all areas of climate change action. As youth leaders, it’s important to understand your position in the world and act accordingly—just as you would help a friend in need, it is equally important to give time and care to our planet.

As you deepen your learning around climate change and climate justice you will realize your impact on the Earth can start at home. This can be as simple as a conversation around the dinner table to share what everyone knows about climate justice and how they feel about it.

You can also have influence at your school and in your community. Start a climate justice group at school and ask your

teacher or librarian to provide books and resources for your peers to learn more about climate change. Reach out to those in your community who are organizing around climate justice and join their efforts—they want youth involved but may not know how to reach out to you.

Youth are influencing political and social decisions within local communities and at the international level. Groups like the

Learning Climate Change Science

The Canadian government has a site specifically for youth learning on climate change called Climate Kids (climatekids.ca). NASA also has a Climate Kids learning portal with great graphics and interactive activities climatekids.nasa.gov/menu/play/). The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has funded the compilation of resources for kids to learn climate change at this site: kidsagainstclimatechange.co/start-learning. The U.S. National Children’s Museum provides example actions that integrate learning about why these are effective climate fighting efforts (www.climate-heroes.org).

Learning about Climate Justice

How to act as a youth climate justice ally: A great organization for understanding youth climate justice work is the Climate Justice Alliance (climatejusticealliance.org/workgroup/youth/). There are also games that you can play in groups within your community or school to understand how economic injustices influence climate injustice. For examples, see: www.zinnedproject.org/materials/thingamabob-game

Talk Climate—Everywhere, All the Time

One of the most powerful things we can do about climate change is talk about it all the time, with everyone. Explore these resources from Talk Climate (talkclimate.org), which have fact sheets for use with different age groups. There are also some great videos of youth community organizing found at Young Voices for the Planet (www.youngvoicesfortheplanet.com).

Sunrise Movement (sunrisemovement.org) are helping youth learn how to do this kind of work. At the United Nations, YOUNGO (www.youngo.uno) helps young people across the world learn from each other and influence national and international decision making. We hear a great deal about the work of Greta Thunberg and her work for Fridays for the Future (fridaysforfuture.org/), but did you know that there are many other youth leaders such as Autumn Peltier, a water warrior from the Wikwemikong First Nation (https:// naaee.org/about-us/people/autumn-peltier) or Felix Finkbeiner who started Plant for the Planet (www1.plant-for-the-planet.org)?

In fact, there are organizations such as Youth Climate Leaders (www. youthclimateleaders.org) that are designed to foster youth action and careers in climate work.

So, as you learn about climate change, be filled with hope, and remember that you don’t have to wait until you’re older to engage in this work—it is all around you. Reach out to mentors in your own community or across reliable networks of learning and youth activism. Talk with your family and share what you are learning and most importantly: think positive, educate yourself and others, and take collective action.

THE FOOD MATTERS ACTION KIT & ACTIVITY GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS

By Antonia Andúgar

Saving the planet by stopping food waste

The challenge: Understanding why food waste matters

Food waste is what happens in our homes and in stores, restaurants, schools, and communities when we throw out edible food. You may be shocked to learn that about one-third of all food produced around the world goes to waste, even though there is nothing wrong with it. It’s ending up in the landfill instead of our stomachs, and this is, in part, due to everyday decisions we make.

More than just leaving hungry bellies empty, food waste that eventually ends up in a landfill creates a potent gas called methane—a greenhouse gas that is a major contributor to climate change. Not only that, when we waste food, we also waste all the water, resources, and energy that goes into producing and transporting it.

The goal: Inspire youth to believe food waste matters

Our main goal is to inspire and help kids to make a difference. Climate change and other environmental issues can be very complex. Some of the solutions require gov ernment decision-making, new technologies, and major cultural shifts. Nevertheless, preventing food waste in your community can make a huge impact.

The solution: Why taking action matters

Educating kids about food waste can encourage them to live sustainably and shape their habits into adulthood. By shopping more thoughtfully and cooking more creatively; by salvaging, preserving, and sharing food; and by ensuring that food scraps get composted or re-purposed and not sent to a landfill, we are saving water, energy, and land as well as helping to fight climate change.

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) created the Food Matters Action Kit to help make a difference. The kit features dozens of fun and impactful activities and tips to better equip youth with the knowledge and tools they need to make changes at home and within their communities. The full kit offers dozens of inspiring ideas for preventing food waste.

Saving Earth for Kids highly recommends downloading the full pdf document and watching the e-learning videos. http://www.cec.org/flwy/

Activities #4 & #14: Forgotten food

This capsule is based on activity #4 “Save Food, Money and the Planet” for kids and activity #14 “Agents of Change” for youth in the Activity Guide.

Images credit:

All images and graphics from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation

Don’t forget to register your school to earn superhero badges.

FOOD WASTE DETECTIVES

Time: 1-2 hours

Calling all food-waste detectives! Your mission is to prevent food waste at home by “shopping” from your kitchen with your family. Save money and the planet by making your next meal with food you already have instead of buying more!

Making it Happen

1. Find food in your kitchen that needs to be eaten.

2. Look for food that is wilting, spotting, or near its expiry date.

3. Add the food to your food inventory list. Does it smell okay? Can it be saved?

4. Make sure food is properly stored in the refrigerator (fruits and vegetables in the crisper, dairy on the top shelf, and meat on the lower shelf).

5. Freeze food that is still good but that you don’t plan to eat right away.

6. Share your food detective list with your family and friends.

7. Develop a meal plan based on ingredients you have and share it with your family. Need ideas for how to prepare your ingredients? Enter them at Supercook.com for recipe and meal ideas.

* Kid’s Activity #4

Sometimes we buy food but never get around to eating it. Maybe it was on sale and we bought too much. Maybe we didn’t make a plan for the food we have. Sometimes we throw food out because of the expiry and best-before dates. Or sometimes we forget about food in the back of the refrigerator. Now is the chance for you to be part of the solution and help your family save food and money.

Food Detective List

Uncover the root causes of food waste

Almost half of the all food waste across North America is produced in our own kitchens. You can make a positive impact and help prevent food waste in your own home. Take a look around, make a plan and you are well on your way to changing your habits. Start by looking at how food is bought, stored, cooked, and wasted where you live.

Making it Happen:

Food TrackingDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5

What did you Learn?

1. What are the top three reasons that food is wasted in your home? How can this be changed?

2. What new information have you learned about the way you eat and waste food?

3. Jot down ideas on how you can reduce and prevent food waste.

Want to do More?

• Create and share a food waste manifesto. Armed with the findings from your investigation, draft a food waste manifesto to publicly declare your commitment to prevent food waste. Post prominently where food is prepared and eaten.

• Share your manifesto #FoodMattersActionKit

SAVING KOALAS TO SAVE EARTH

BY MANDY MCKEESICK

In Australia, young people working in agriculture are connecting with school kids to help save our planet. These young people are known as Young Farming Champions.

The Young Farming Champions, or YFCs, collaborate with kids to talk about the big issues such as:

• protecting life on land and below the water

• using renewable energy

• being mindful of what we consume and how it is produced

• making sure everyone has enough to eat The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals cover these issues (and others) as part of 17 interlinked global goals. They were set in 2015 as the “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”.

Kreative Koalas is a group that works with YFCs to help kids connect to, and understand, the world around them. Through Kreate Koalas each student is given a giant fibreglass koala to decorate. Using art and multimedia to decorate their koala, this program inspires the next generation of consumers (that’s you) to investigate global sustainability issues and help solve these challenges by acting at a local level. The program empowers kids to be change-makers!

A champion is assigned to each school, so students can sit down and have personal, indepth chats about the Sustainable Development

Goal they have chosen to study and how it relates to agriculture.

Anika Molesworth is a YFC. She grew up in the city of Melbourne, Australia, but when her parents bought a sheep station in the Australian outback she fell in love with farming. Anika is passionate about her life on the land and how a changing climate is affecting this.

“Spending time outdoors with nature, feeding my horse, and riding my motorbike are fun things I do on my farm,” Anika says. “I also work hard to look after the environment, especially plants and animals, which make my home special and fill me with amazement every day. I really enjoy sharing what I learn on the farm with other people.”

Anika has been working with Kreative Koalas for seven years. “I love working with young people because they are so inquisitive and creative, and they come up with the best questions and ideas! To create the best future for the planet, we definitely need young people involved.”

Anika is a sheep farmer and founder of Climate Wise Agriculture. Other YFC members work as agronomists, shearers, biosecurity officers, research scientists, wool brokers, contract musterers, lawyers, and veterinarians.

They love going into schools to talk about modern hightech agriculture and to show kids how we can feed and clothe the world and help save the planet. The YFC have also come together to form the Youth Voices Leadership Team to amplify their support of young people as they solve tomorrow’s problems today.

YFC and Kreative Koalas show kids that they can take positive actions to create a brighter future for everyone and in doing so they can influence their friends, family, and community to make change. The koala stands as a visible reminder of what we can achieve together, and the YFC become their role models. But do you know what? When you make positive changes to save Earth, you become a role model for others. How cool is that?

FIND OUT MORE:

Kreative Koalas: www.kreativekoalas.com.au

Young Farming Champions: www.youngfarmingchampions.com

Picture You in Agriculture: www.pictureyouinagriculture.com.au

UN Sustainable Development Goals: www.un.org/ sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

WITH LOTUS KAY Q&A

SAVING EARTH FOR KIDS caught

up with Lotus

Kay to ask her some important questions about her writing and what she values most about our planet.

Lotus is a 19-year-old author who has published four books for children including her most recent, Jenny the Chimpanzee . The other three titles are More Beautiful Than Heaven , Billie the Octopus , and A Thanksgiving for the Turkeys . All her books deal with vital topics that educate kids about the importance and beauty of nature with the intention of motivating kids to start protecting the planet. Jenny the Chimpanzee reminds us of how interconnected and similar we are to our fellow animals.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I’ve always written. My whole family are writers, so I guess it’s naturally in my blood. I was writing as soon as I knew how to.

What advice would you give other young people who would like to make a difference?

There is no box to how brilliant, how courageous or how creative a person can be. You have the right to be all of it.

It is said that the future belongs to young people. What changes would you like to see happen in the future of the world?

That is such a loaded question for me because there are so many issues that I care about. I guess what

links it all together is to say I hope the world gets a lot kinder and more compassionate and that we live more from our hearts and put more value on kindness over all else.

A portion of the proceeds from the books (and

eco-friendly stuffed animals that go with the books) supports Roots and Shoots, Jane Goodall’s program that empowers kids to make positive change in their communities.

Learn more at www.bearsforcares.com

“Dear Lotus, It is fantastic that you are writing these books – thank you so much for sending me some copies, including, of course, Jenny. And it is such a good idea to have soft toys with them. Children’s books are really important – and even more so because of the pandemic. Congratulations.”

— Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots

“I received Lotus’s books and loved them! Well done! Thank you! With people like Lotus so aware and inspirational, I’m sure humanity can rise to the challenges we face.”

— Louie Psihoyos,

Director of Racing Extinction, Executive Director Oceanic Preservation Society

By Eva Rachert, Ines Khouider, and Cait Foster

BC’S OLD GROWTH FORESTS

ARE ENDANGERED & INSPIRING

How you can help protect our ancient forests

A beautiful old growth forest in the Cascade Mountains.

“

An old growth forest is composed of trees that are over 250 years old...and they’re taller than our homes and schools!

Dan Meyers

We are Our Earth Our Future (OEOF), a group of British Columbian youth who are passionate about environmental issues (just like you!), and we are working to help save our planet. Recently, we’ve been advocating for the protection of BC’s old growth forests. Many of us joined OEOF because we wanted to preserve the beautiful nature we are surrounded with every day. We all love walking among these towering trees, but do you know just how lucky we are to be able to adventure amongst some of the oldest, tallest trees in the entire world?

Old growth forests are some British Columbia’s most well-known, most historic natural resources. An old growth forest is composed of trees that are over 250 years old, meaning that they’re older than your great, great, great, grandparents. They’re also taller than our homes and schools. Old growth trees often grow to be 40 metres tall, which is the same size as a 13-storey building. BC is home to many of these giants, one of which, in Port Renfrew, goes by the name “Lonely Doug”. Big Lonely Doug stands 70 metres tall (that’s taller than the Leaning Tower of Pisa) and was once surrounded by hundreds of other colossal companions. Today, Lonely Doug stands alone: all his friends were chopped down by logging companies, leaving Doug as the last tree standing.

Old growth forests are extremely important to BC’s wildlife. They provide habitats for Canada’s spirit bears, cougars, Sitka deer, and many more species. These elder trees often develop cavities and tunnels, which then serve as homes for smaller forest creatures. These habitats have grown more and more scarce in recent years.

Unfortunately, BC’s logging industry has put old growth forests at risk. Because the trees are much larger than newer growth, logging companies can make a much greater profit from the deforestation and sale of these trees. However, old growth forests are not renewable resources: they do not grow back, and they cannot be replanted.

Deforestation of old growth forests puts wildlife at risk and destroys part of British Columbia’s history. Many Indigenous nations across British Columbia consider old growth forests to be places of cultural significance and use these environments as a means of healing and renewal. From the day they are born, many Indigenous youth are taught by their elders that they must not only respect but cherish these endangered ecosystems.

After a long series of protests and backlash from voters over the deforestation, BC’s government instituted protected areas of land, with the intent of preserving the old growth forests. However, logging is still permitted in these areas, causing some to wonder if the protections have actually done anything to preserve BC’s biodiversity.

Old growth forests are in danger from our warming planet, as well. Trees (especially old trees) like living in the same climate they have always lived in, and until recently, our climate was stable for hundreds of years. Now, as temperatures change because of global warming, it’s becoming harder for trees to grow. Some studies suggest that trees are dying twice as fast in Europe and the Americas than they were just 40 years ago. This is especially bad because old growth forests are also important for preserving the entire planet and fighting climate change! The trees and plants in these forests remove CO2 from the air, which helps the planet. It’s harder for younger and shorter forests to do the same work.

OEOF fights for environmental issues because although we are all young, it’s important for us to work to bring awareness and action to environmental issues, as the decisions made today will affect us when we are adults. If the old growth forests are cut down now, they will not be there when we grow up. If we don’t fight climate change now, it may be impossible to fight when we are older.

If you’re like us at Our Earth Our Future and you are amazed by these gentle giants, consider asking a parent or teacher to take you on a trip to visit these fascinating forests. Think about what the nature surrounding us means to you and talk to them about it! Remember, we humans are guests when we’re surrounded by such incredible biodiversity.

Our Earth Our Future is a youth organization dedicated to fighting climate change in Canada and around the world. You can contact them at ourearthourfuturevictoria@gmail.com

ANCIENT TREES OF BC

ACTIVITY

From the Sierra Club of BC

Time: 30 minutes

Age Range: Grades 3-8 (depending on adult help)

Visualizations of some Champion Trees in BC

Two-storey house

We are fortunate to share the land with many big trees that play a key role in the ecosystems they are part of. To learn more about specific trees, we will use UBC’s BigTree Registry. It was started by pioneering conservationist Randy Stoltmann with the goal of saving BC’s old growth forests from destruction.

The registry lists key information, including tree size, location, and type, and helps serve as an important tool when advocating to protect these giants.

The registry also lays out standards for measuring and describing tree sizes.

After exploring the registry, we’re going to use the stick method to measure the height of a tree in our neighbourhood! See page 32.

Sierra Club BC’s Education Program has been providing environmental education opportunities for students and teachers across B.C. since 1998. Our passionate educators engage K-8 students in age-appropriate, outdoor, sensory-based workshops, grounded in observation and inquiry. We blend themes of biodiversity, climate change and action, traditional ecological knowledge, and nature connection with the aim of inspiring environmental stewardship. Our workshops provide a counterbalance to increased screen time that children and youth are exposed to, while grounding them in place and reducing anxiety through nature connection practices that we guide teachers in incorporating in their class routine.

Douglas Fir Sitka Spruce

Western Red Cedar Western Hemlock Garry Oak

EXPLORING THE BIG TREE REGISTRY

BC’s champion trees are stored in one database at bigtrees.forestry.ubc.ca/bc-bigtree-registry/

Click on VIEW LIST for either the champion list, conifers (evergreen trees), or broadleaf trees to answer the questions below. Change the order the trees are in to sort by the height (Ht.), the width of the trunk called diameter at breast height (DBH), size of the canopy called crown spread (Cr.), and other features of the highest scoring tree for each species in the registry.

What tree is the tallest conifer? How tall is it?

What tree is the widest conifer? (largest DBH) How wide is it?

What tree is the tallest broadleaf tree? How tall is it?

What tree is the widest broadleaf tree (largest DBH)? How wide is it?

What is the name of your favourite tree on the list? How tall is it?

How tall are you? How many of you would it take to be the same height as the tallest tree?

(height of tree in cm ÷ your height in cm)

MEASURING TREES IN YOUR COMMUNITY WITH TRIGONOMETREE

Trigonometry (from Greek trigō "measure") is a branch of mathem between side lengths and angles use principals of right angle trian

Materials: A stick equal to or longer t your arm, and a measuring

Step one: Measure your step. Take a and plant your back foot and front fo from the back heel of your back foot your front heel (in cm) This is you step distance. Write it her

Step two: Find a tree in an open park with lots of space A tree on the edge of a playing field is perfect! Stand at the trunk of the tree you would like to measure Hold a stick that is equal to the length of your arm, or a stick grasped at a point where the length of the stick above your hand equals that of your arm straight up, at 90 degrees to your straight, outstretched arm.

Step three: Count your steps as you carefully walk backwards until the top of the tree lines up with the top of your stick Write the number of steps here:

Mark where your feet are The distance between your feet and the tree is roughly equivalent to the height of the tree If you lose count, don’t worry! Put your stick down when you get to the point where the stick is the same size as the tree, and count as you walk back to your tree

Tip: Look behind as you walk backwards now and then so you don’t trip!

Step Four: Calculate approximate height of the tree

Divide your approximate tree height by 100 to get height in metres. Write it here:

How does your tree compare with other trees in the BC BigTree Registry?

How tall are you? How many of you would it take to be the same height as your tree? (height of tree in cm ÷ your height in cm)

You can use the same 'Trigonometree' method to determine the height of your house, apartment building, etc Is your tree bigger or smaller than where you live?

WANT FREE ACTIVITIES TO CONNECT KIDS TO NATURE?

Have outdoor exploration guides, colouring pages, wildlife art lessons and more sent right to your inbox!

Sign up for Sierra Club BC’s nature education newsletter here: www.sierraclub.bc.ca/nature

AN ALTERNATIVE TO PLASTIC

BEESWAX WRAPS

By Ingrith León

1Good for your sandwiches, cookies, fruit, veggies, and nuts. You can also place them in the refrigerator to keep cheese and greens fresher.

The problem with plastic

Did you know that eight million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year? This is caused by the overproduction of plastics we humans generate. From toys made out of plastic, to single-use plastic bags, plastic bottles, disposable cutlery, and Styrofoam containers, we are creating huge mountains and islands of trash, disrupting land and marine ecosystems, and harming species, including our own.

We can be part of the solution to this huge problem by choosing to use and consume things that aren’t made of plastic. Things you buy bulk or things you can make yourself can also help a lot. In this activity, we will learn how to make a beeswax wrap. This alternative to plastic wrap is made from natural, biodegradable materials that won’t harm the environment. This wrap can be used and reused to transport or store any dry foods, and later, it can be composted. You can make it with beeswax, a cotton cloth, and coconut oil. Once finished, you can mold it with your hands to make an envelope or a bag.

Beeswax wraps made by Elementary 4th graders for their project on sustainability.

Photo credit: Ingrith León.

Materials needed to make your own beeswax wrap:

• 30 x 30 cm 100% thin cotton cloth (from a reused blanket or pillowcase, for example)

• 60 g of grated beeswax

• 8 tbsp coconut oil

• A pair of tongs

2 3

Directions:

1. With the help of an adult, use a double boiler to heat the coconut oil.

2. Add the beeswax and stir until the wax is completely melted.

3. Using the tongs, carefully soak the cotton cloth into the mixture.

4. Using the tongs again, carefully drain the cloth, and place it on a flat surface (cover the surface with paper first). Let it dry for three to five minutes. You are good to go!

A double boiler is made up of two saucepans, one inside the other. The bottom one has 5 cm of water in it. When the water heats up, steam is released and trapped between the two pans, heating the mixture in the top pot.

GAME THE PROBLEM WITH PLASTICS

(Kids can play alone or with two or more people).

Instructions:

Cut and paste the pattern to make a cube. (You can recreate the pattern on a piece of cardboard to make it last longer). Make sure the questions are facing out.

Take turns tossing the dice and reading the questions. Answer using your own words, according to the text, “An Alternative to Plastic.” You can reread the text if you need to.

When all the questions are answered, make a new dice and come up with your own environmental questions.

Questions:

• Give three examples of plastics we humans make and consume.

• Why do huge amounts of plastics enter the oceans every year?

• What name is given to natural materials that don’t harm the environment?

• What is a beeswax wrap?

• How can beeswax wraps help reduce the amount of plastic we use?

• What problems are caused by the plastics we humans generate?

Why do huge amounts of plastics enter the oceans every year?

What problems are caused by the plastics we humans generate?

How can beeswax wraps help reduce the amount of plastic we use?

What is a beeswax wrap?

What name is given to natural materials that don’t harm the environment?

Give three examples of plastics we humans make and consume.

You can recreate the pattern on a piece of cardboard to make it last longer.

For my future. For our future.