Earth Day 2010 by Phil Beebe

Earth Day 2010

Every year a new challenge

Brought to you by the Muncie Sanitary District & Stormwater Management

Happy Birthday, Earth Day E

arth Day was born 40 years ago on April 22, 1970, and every year since then the nation has marked its anniversary with special activities and observances. This spring, millions of people— including millions of students—will celebrate Earth Day’s 40th anniversary by taking time to debate, discuss and explore issues involving nature and the environment. Politicians and government leaders will be talking about the environment. And best of all, millions will roll up their sleeves, get outdoors and DO SOMETHING to improve the natural world. You and your classmates may be among them. You may pick up trash, plant trees or flowers, work to clean up waterways, or “adopt” endangered animals. Every move you make to help the environment is a move in the right direction. Thinking “green” is the way to go. When U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson came up with the idea for Earth Day, he never could have imagined how important an event it would turn out to be. The first Earth Day was a “teachin” and protest about environmental

issues. About 20 million people participated in the first Earth Day. By the 1990s, more than 100 million took part each year in more than 100 countries around the world. This year, as many as 500 million people are expected to participate in Earth Day in almost every nation. Earth Day is credited with launching the environmental movement in this country. It helped convince the U.S. Congress to pass important environmental bills, including the Endangered Species Act and the bills that formed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It helped clean up polluted lakes like Lake Erie, which was once so dirty scientists said it was “dead.” It helped clean waterways like Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River, which once had so many chemicals in it that the water caught fire! Today, fish are swimming in Lake Erie and the much-cleaner Cuyahoga will never burn again. That’s progress! There’s more progress in other

areas. Leaky landfills and oozing chemical waste sites have been closed down. Curbside recycling programs — which did not exist in 1970 — now turn glass, aluminum and newsprint back into new products. While this progress certainly gives us reason to celebrate, we also need a special day to RE-COMMIT ourselves to the work that remains to be done. You see, Earth Day is much more than a party on the planet. It’s a reminder that environmental problems remain serious… that species are still disappearing… that chemical waste still pollutes many bodies of water… that smog makes summer air unhealthy to breathe in many urban areas. The pages ahead offer 10 different challenges. Some are ways to celebrate Earth Day by connecting with plants and animals. Other challenges help you explore your impact on Earth’s environment and find ways to reduce that impact.

Earth Day 2010 Marks 40 Years of Action

Every year, Earth Day is one of the most important days for people who care about nature and the environment. This year, Earth Day takes on even more importance, as the event marks its 40th anniversary. As in the past, Earth Day observances will be a mix of challenge and celebration. The challenge is how to move nations to tackle worldwide problems like global warming and to inspire individuals to work for change in small ways every day. The celebration is for the environmental gains that have been achieved year by year, community by community, since the first Earth Day in 1970. The core of Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary program is the Billion Acts of Green campaign. For this, the Earth Day Network is coordinating large and small-scale projects EARTH DAY | PAGE 2

— from tree plantings to school greenings to water projects — to combat global warming and promote greener lifestyles of individuals. In addition, a Global Day of Action will be held on April 22 on which people in communities around the world will call on local, national and world leaders to take steps to reduce the impact of global warming. On April 25, people from around the world will join in a Global Day of Celebration to support green programs and initiatives. The main Earth Day event in the United States will be held on this date on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Events around the country will include eco-villages where attendees can learn how to adopt green practices in their daily lives. Information on Earth Day activities around the nation may be obtained online at www.earthday.net or www.enn.com.

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Pick one environmental issue from the list below. Working alone or in pairs, research the issue to answer the questions that follow. If your library has a computer with access to one or more newspaper databases, these can be a great source of up-to-date information. a. What causes the problem? b. What effect does the problem have on people? c. What effect does the problem have on other living things? d. What are some possible solutions to the problem? e. What has been done already to solve the problem? f. What can your class do about the problem? Use your research to write a report, create a poster, or present a speech to your class. Global warming Ozone depletion Endangered species Nuclear waste Solid waste Air pollution Noise pollution Rain forest loss Water pollution Pesticides in food Acid rain Soil erosion Wetlands loss Energy conservation Animal rights Ocean dumping

Extra!

Many TV stations present Earth Day specials. Check this newspaper’s TV listings for any shows that teach you more about the environment.

CHALLENGE 1:

Understanding Earth’s Problems Fill in the blanks with words selected from the list at the bottom of this page.

On Earth Day let’s remember that we share the planet with millions of species of plants and ______________________. Every one of these species requires air to breathe, _____________________ to drink, food to __________________, and a ____________________ that is a suitable place to live. When a species cannot meet its survival needs, it begins to die out. Some species, such as pandas and ____ ___________, become ___________________ species that need our help to survive. Earth Day reminds us that, like other animals, we need air, water, and ____ _____________ as well. Forests filled with trees remove pollution from the atmosphere and produce fresh ________________. Clear rivers provide us with drinking water and fresh _____________________ to eat. Earth Day reminds us of the importance of ___________________, using wisely the resources we need to survive. Earth Day is also a day to learn about ways each of us can help the _____ __________. What can we do to reduce air and water ________________? What can we do to reduce the amount of solid __________________ each of us creates? On the pages of this newspaper supplement you will learn about the environment and some things you can do to protect it.

Word Choices: Earth habitat food animals water oxygen eat whale pollution endangered conservation

pollution - Rain forest loss -

Water Pollution - Pesticides in food - Acid rain - soil erosion - Wetlands loss - Energy conservation - Animal

Find Out!

Global warming - Ozone depletion - Endangered species - Nuclear waste - Solid waste - Air pollution - Noise

rights - ocean dumping -

EARTH DAY | PAGE 4

fish waste

Friend of the Earth Picture Find Since the first Earth Day in 1970, people have become much more aware of the things humans do that are harmful to our environment, and things we can do instead that are Earth-friendly. Look at the drawing on this page to find the following Earth-friendly actions: •

•

person who has just planted a garden child using a bicycle for transportation person hanging a birdhouse on a tree •

•

person putting leaves in a compost bin

child discarding empty soda can in a marked aluminum recycling bin

student discarding old school papers in a marked paper recycling bin •

student in school cafeteria who brought lunch in reusable containers •

•

person watering flowers

person pushing motorless lawn mower. •

While you were looking, did you see any actions that are not Earth-friendly? EARTH DAY | PAGE 5

CHALLENGE 2:

Climb into Trees On Earth Day, millions of people will gather to plant trees in places as far flung as New Jersey and New Delhi. Like watching fireworks on the Fourth of July and parading on Memorial Day, planting trees has become a traditional way of celebrating Earth Day. That makes sense, because trees help the environment in so many ways. Look at this drawing of a tree. Below is a list of 10 good things trees do. Draw a line from each of the 10 functions listed to the part of the tree (roots, leaves, etc.) you think performs that function.

Connect with Trees

Trees prevent soil from washing away ■ Trees make fresh oxygen ■ Trees provide food for people and animals ■ Trees remove pollution from the air ■ Trees absorb extra noise ■ Trees provide homes for animals ■ Trees provide shade ■ Trees slow the wind ■ Trees provide lumber for homes and furniture ■ Trees absorb water from the soil and recycle it ■

Illustrate this Habitat

One tree can be a habitat for hundreds of plants and animals! On this tree, draw the following 20 living things sharing the tree: ■ ants march up and down searching for food ■ an owl uses the hole for a nest ■ a robin nests in a branch ■ a spider builds a web ■ a caterpillar eats its leaves ■ a woodpecker digs holes in its trunk ■ a mushroom sprouts from its roots ■ poison ivy climbs up its side ■ a squirrel eats its seeds

Trees in the Classroom DoAs It! a class, plant an Earth Day tree In your classroom are many products made from trees. As a class, brainstorm a list of forest products you can see right in your room. Can you come up with a dozen? Hint: You’re looking at one right now — this newspaper!w

Find Out!

Choose a tree near your school or home. What kind is it? Research and write a report about it, including how people might use this kind of tree.

EARTH DAY | PAGE 6

in your school’s yard. Ask a local nursery to donate one, or raise the money to buy one. Choose a tree that blossoms around Earth Day, a tree that is native to your region, or a tree that makes good shelter or food for wildlife. Plan a ceremony to be held by the tree every Earth Day.

Extra!

Read Dr. Seuss’s book, The Lorax. What does this very special book say about trees?

Conserve & Preserve

Every day, we use gallons and gallons of water to clean ourselves and to flush the toilet. We also use water for cooking and in dishwashers and washing machines, as well as washing the car. Once we’ve finished with water, it goes down the drain. Then, it’s cleaned and recycled, so we can use it again. There always seems to be fresh water. But, if there’s not much rain—like a drought— there’s not enough water to go around. So we must try to reduce the amount of water we use. Conduct a water survey to see how much water is used at home by your family. Fill in your findings on the chart below. Write the number of times it is used in each category: Daily, Weekly or Monthly. Estimate how much is used in quarts or gallons.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Another way to help the Earth is to understand the solid waste produced by your school. Then look for ways to cut down on waste or to recycle. Survey the waste produced by your school. Determine the following: • What types of paper are used and how much? • What happens to the used paper? • What about bottles and cans in the lunch room? • What happens to the food waste?

TRASH COUNT

With your principal’s permission, do this activity measuring all the waste created by your classroom in a week. To do this, bring in five trash cans or large boxes. Separate every bit of trash

or garbage from your classroom. Put all paper waste in one container, all cans in another, all plastic bottles in another, glass bottles in another, food wastes in another (lined with a closeable trash bag). At the end of the week, weigh each container of waste (for food waste you may want to weigh every day, throw out and add up at the end of the week). Then, for each waste, divide the total weight by the number of students in class. Then multiply by the number of weeks you go to school in a year. For example: 14 total pounds of paper divided by 28 students equals 1/2 pound (.5) each per week. Then multiply by 36 weeks of school.The answer would be 18 pounds of paper per student per school year. EARTH DAY | PAGE 7

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CHALLENGE 5:

Fly with the Birds Around Earth Day, many species of birds — warblers, swallows, swifts, bluebirds — fly north from their winter migration grounds. On Earth Day, we remember that protecting birds often means saving their habitats in two places: their nesting grounds in North America as well as their winter retreats in the rainforests of South America. At right is a rhyming riddle about birds, many of which may live near your home and school. Can you guess the names of each one?

I’m the color of the sky and my call is a shriek And I love to devour acorns in my beak Too close to my nest? I’ll scare you away! I’m bigger than a robin and called a ______________. I stare into the night with eyes big and round And my ears hear even the smallest sound To claim my territory I let out a howl A feathered mouse-eater, my name is the ____________.

Do It!

I’m very small and brown, and I live on your street. And I’ll eat just about any bug or seed I meet. Give me bread, or a thistle, or the seed of the yarrow. Hear me chirp, see me hop, I am a ______________.

1. Build one or more birdhouses and install them at your home or school for for Earth Day. Use library resources to find instructions for making a style of birdhouse that is designed to attract a species that lives in your area. (Hint: Nature magazines such as Ranger Rick often show ways you can re-use common items to make birdhouses and feeders.) 2. Place a birdfeeder outside your classroom window, and take turns stocking it with seed. Keep near the window a book that identifies bird species. Write down the different species that visit your window.

I’m the smallest bird of all, not much bigger than a bee. My wings flap so fast that you just can’t see. As I hover in the air, sipping nectar, my word! I just love long red flowers, I’m a ______________.

Find Out!

Learn more about your feathered neighbors by inviting a speaker from your local chapter of the National Audubon Society to come to your class and make a presentation on local birds.

Extra!

Use the Sports pages of this news-paper to help you list teams that are named after birds. What do you know about the kinds of birds on your list? For each one, note whether you think it makes a good name for a sports team, and why.

Think About It!

One of America’s biggest owls, the great horned owl, loves to eat skunks. Would you eat a skunk? Why or why not? Can you think of a possible reason why a skunk’s famed defense does not work with owls?

I’m black as the night but I fly during day And my caw! scares all of the smaller birds away. I’ll eat snakes, I’ll eat eggs, I’ll eat dead things, you know. But I’m a very smart bird, I am the ______________. See me running on the sand, on the beach Or flying over waves just out of reach With gray wing feathers and white ones on my skull I’m the beach’s vacuum cleaner, I am the ______________.

EARTH DAY | PAGE 10

Six Earth Day Events for the Whole School Earth Day’s a great day for the entire school to join together in a challenge of your choosing. Here are some ways you can raise school spirit, celebrate Earth Day, and have a great time!

Be Green

Since trees and plants and so many living things grow green, green has become something like the official color of Earth Day. Pick a day near Earth Day, and invite every student in the school to wear a green outfit or something green.

Earth Day Poll

Poll the school with this question: “What three things have you done in the last year to help the environment?” Write a summary of the poll results and distribute a copy to each classroom.

Envirominute

Rap it Up

During the week leading up to Earth Day, add an “enviro-minute” to morning announcements. Volunteer your class members to read what famous writers have said about the environment. Ask your librarian to help you find appropriate readings. Consider these writers: Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Annie Dillard, Aldo Leopold.

Have your class write a rap about Earth Day, the environment, and what people should should do to help the environment. Rehearse it with your music teacher. Write down the lyrics and teach the rap to other classes. For Earth Day, have the entire school assemble outdoors— near the trees you just planted!— and do the rap together. InviteThe Star Press to film the event for thestarpress.com Web site.

Favorite Facts

Your school’s library is loaded with environmental books and magazines that contain extraordinary environmental facts like this one: “Americans throw away 8 billion disposable diapers every year,” or “the Earth’s population grows by three people every second.” Assign each class to make five 18-inch circles from posterboard and paint or color views of the Earth on both sides. Ask the class to research five eco-facts, write one on each Earth with black paint or marker, and hang their Earths in the hallway outside their classroom.

Local Experts

Find out what environ mental groups are active in your area. Invite a representative to visit your school. Ask the representative to send reading materials in advance; use these materials to prepare for a group interview of the representative. Better yet, if there’s a local environmental issue, invite both sides to debate the issue in front of the entire school. Invite The Star Press to send a reporter.

Energy Action Plan Now that you have some idea what you can live without, work as a class to come up with a list of actions you can take to reduce the amount of electricity you use. EARTH DAY | PAGE 11

CHALLENGE 7:

Dive into Water One of the traits we share with every plant and animal on the planet is that we all need water. People use a lot of water. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the typical American family of four uses 243 gallons of water every day. The bar graph on this page shows how that water is used. Which household use consumes the most water? Which one consumes the least? Are you surprised?

3. All families do not have four people. How many people live in your house? If the number is more or less than four, figure out how many gallons of water your family probably uses every day. Hint: Multiply the quotient in problem #2 by the number of people in your house. ________ gallons per day 4. If each person uses as much water as the average person in problem #2 above, what is the total amount of water used by the students in your class every day? Hint: Multiply the quotient in problem # 2 by the number of students in your class.

Water Math Problems

1. Oops! This family’s kitchen faucet has a drip. Over a full day, that drip adds another 50 gallons to the total amount of water used. Oops again! The family’s large lawn needs to be watered, and that uses another 100 gallons daily. At the bottom of the graph, find the categories “Drip” and “Lawn.” Add the appropriate bars to the graph. What’s the new daily water use? ________ gallons per day 2. If a family of four uses 243 gallons of water, and each family member uses an equal share, how much does each family member use? Hint: Divide 243 gallons by 4 people.

________ gallons per day 5. BONUS QUESTION: There are eight pints in one gallon. Your school’s milk is sold in 1/2-pint cartons. How many cartons of milk would you have to collect to hold as much water as one person uses in one day? No hint — this is a bonus question! ________ cartons

________ gallons per day

Do It!

Household Water Use Bar Graph

gallons of water used

100

Find Out!

Ask an adult in your family to check receipts from recent water bills to see how many gallons of water the household uses. Does your family use more water— or less— than the typical American family?

Toilet Flushing

Shower & Bathing

Laundry

Dish washing

Bathroom sink

EARTH DAY | PAGE 12

Kitchen sink

Drip

Lawn

Imagine that your state declares a water emergency, as California did a few years ago during a long period without rain. Using the information in the graph, come up with at least four ways you could use less water.

Extra!

Look for the weather almanac page in today’s newspaper. Does it tell how much rain has fallen in your area so far this year? Is that more or less than the average rainfall in your area? Will that have any impact on your use of water? How?

Find the Hidden Words in the Center 1. Man’s earliest method of transportation (still works).

2. Wheeled vehicle powered by

Clear the Air

Earth’s atmosphere — the air we breath — is made of gases. If you pay attention to news about the environment, you’ve probably heard a lot about one of these gases: carbon dioxide (CO2). This gas is the biggest villain in global warming — an unnatural increase in the average temperature on Earth. Almost all scientists agree that global warming has been occurring. Carbon dioxide is one of the “greenhouse gases” in Earth’s atmosphere that act like the glass roof of a greenhouse: They trap heat and warm the air beneath. The atmosphere has always contained CO2. Humans exhale it, and so do animals. Volcanoes and forest fires release CO2 too. But scientists think the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by about one-third since 1760. That’s when humans began burning fossil fuels — coal, oil, natural gas — to produce heat and power. You know that smoke and exhaust from the burning of fossil fuels pollute the air. But did you know that smoke and exhaust also contain huge amounts of CO2? If there is too much CO2 in the atmosphere, too much heat is trapped and the air gets too warm. Some scientists say global warming could cause dangerous changes in climate that might lead to floods from rising sea levels, more severe storms, too much rain in some places and not enough in other. Different scientists note that the rate of warming has slowed down— a good sign. About 40 percent of man-made CO2 is produced by the power generators that provide us with electricity and other utilities. Using less power —conserving energy — is an important way people can help reduce production of CO2. You will discover some ways to do this on Page 15. Another 30 percent comes from transportation: cars, trucks, buses, airplanes. The average car produces about five tons of CO2 each year. What are some ways you and other family members could change your transportation habits to help reduce production of CO2? Some suggestions are hidden in the puzzle on this page.

temperature.

burning calories.

8. A fuel found underground in deposits that

3. Forms of transportation that save

energy by carrying many people at once.

4. Energy-saving arrangement in which a group of people agree to take turns driving the entire group in one automobile.

CHALLENGE 8:

6. Solid fossil fuel dug from mines. 7. Unnatural increase in Earth’s average were formed millions of years ago.

9. Main use of oil and gas in homes. 10. Clean source of power captured from moving air.

11. Proper name for the fossil fuel commonly called oil.

5. Clean source of power captured

12. Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

from sunlight.

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EARTH DAY | PAGE 13

Solid Waste Table

CHALLENGE 9:

Pounds of Solid Waste of One Person in One Year 540 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .paper 300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yard waste 135 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . food waste 135 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . metal 120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . glass 105 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . plastics 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . wood 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rubber and leather 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cloth 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .other stuff

Find Out!

How much trash does your school produce in one day? Here’s one dramatic way to see. Arrange with your teacher and principal to make an exhibit of one day’s school trash. Ask the janitor to help you collect it in plastic trash bags. Display the bags in a school hallway or in the gym.

Do It!

Sponsor a trash-free lunch day at your school. Challenge students to create absolutely no lunchroom trash for one day. In the posters and fliers you make to advertise this event, make suggestions for reusable items to replace juice boxes, paper napkins, plastic wrap, etc.

Extra!

Look for the editorial cartoon in today’s newspaper. What point is the cartoonist making? Create an editorial cartoon that makes a point about trash.

Tackle the Trash

3. How many pounds of solid waste (all categories combined) does the average American toss out in one year? Hint: Add up all the numbers in the table.

Every day, people all over the planet toss out tons and tons of trash— old refrigerators, worn shoes, uneaten food, and on and on. This makes humans different from every other living thing on Earth. The waste produced by other living things is recycled by nature’s systems. In all of history, humans have invented only four things to do with their solid waste: burn it, bury it, recycle it, or reuse it. In this country, about 80 percent of solid waste is buried in landfills. Another 10 percent is burned in large incinerators. And about 10 percent is recycled. The average American tosses out slightly more than 4 pounds of trash daily. Here’s how that one person adds to the mountain of trash in one year:

________ pounds per year

Trash Math Problems

Use the solid waste table on this page to answer the following questions. 1. If each person throws away the average amount of paper, how much paper does your entire class toss out each year? Hint: Multiply 540 lbs. by the number of students in your class. _______ pounds of paper 2. Assume that one large tree provides about 100 pounds of paper. How many trees does your class consume every year for paper alone? Hint: Divide the answer you found in problem #1 by 100. ________ trees

EARTH DAY | PAGE 14

4. If you discard the average amount of trash, and 10 percent of your trash is recycled, how many pounds of your trash is recycled in a year? Hint: Divide your answer to problem #3 by 10. ________ pounds per year 5. BONUS QUESTION: How many tons of solid waste does your class produce each year? No hint — this is a bonus question! ________ tons per year

Word Find Puzzle

Find 10 items that use electricity in the puzzle below. List them on the lines provided, then add three more electric-powered items that you use at home.

• __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________

CHALLENGE 10:

Get the Power

washer dryer

Word find puzzle, pg. 15: (twelve listed only need ten) 1. walking 2. bicycle 3. mass transit 4. car pool

5. solar 6. coal 7. global warming 8. fossil fuel

9. heat 10. wind 11. petroleum 12. greenhouse

Message tube puzzle, pg. 13: Hidden words: Air Pollution

Now divide your class into teams of three or four students. Imagine that your group is being sent to live in a log cabin deep in the woods. Your only source of power is a small generator that creates enough electricity to power just three items. As a group, decide which three items you will take with you.

toaster Nintendo® television CD player VCR

Living with Less

refrigerator microwave stove oven lights

Like all plants and animals, we need clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. In challenge #9 on Page 14, you learned that one way humans are unlike other species is that we create a lot of waste that cannot be recycled by natural systems. Another way in which humans are unlike other species is that we use up a lot of natural resources to make energy. The production of electricity (just one form of energy) has tremendous side effects. Among them: • wells and mines pull fossil fuels from the Earth • millions of gallons of water are used to turn the turbine and cool the power plant • power lines march up and down the landscape • power plant smokestacks pollute the air • smoke and exhaust from energy production cause acid rain and, some say, global warming. So let’s think about how we use energy. Hidden in the Word Find Puzzle on this page are 12 ways many people use electricity in their daily lives. As you find each one, write it down to make a list. Then add to the list three more electric-powered items you use at home. From the 15 items on your list, choose the three you feel it would be most difficult for you to live without. Circle them.

• __________________ • __________________ • __________________

Credits • Hollister Publication Services, Inc. & the NIE department of The Philadelphia Inquirer. • The writer was Mike Weilbacher, an award-winning environmental educator and free-lance writer. EARTH DAY | PAGE 15

• Kim Landry, editor; Zoya Eydelman illustrator; Joe Rademan illustrator • Art also provided by Metro Creative Connection and graphic design by Elizabeth Richman, Star Press Media First edition 1995; updated 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 © by Hollister Kids