Think about your average day: the foods you eat, the water you use, and the products you buy. How do you get from place to place? Do you walk or ride your bike when possible, instead of asking for a ride in the car? Ahhh, a well-deserved ice cream tastes delicious! But do we ever stop to think about the energy that went into making those yummy treats and shipping them to our local stores? …
Before the industrial revolution, our impact on the planet was fairly small. But in the mid-1700s, people began replacing human workers with machines. Where people had once relied on wind, water, and wood for their energy needs, they now powered their machines with the fossil fuels coal, oil, and natural gas. Power plants that burn coal produce more harmful carbon dioxide than all cars, truck…
Rain forests play an important role in the planet's health. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the Sun. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen that we need. Rain forests are home to many plants and animals, and they supply us with medicine and food found nowhere else on the planet. Rain Forests of the World People are destroyin…
Farmers use chemicals to keep bugs and weeds out of their crops. We use many of the same chemicals in our gardens. They work, but they can have harmful effects on the environment. When it rains, the soil absorbs the chemicals. They enter and pollute the groundwater, a source of much of our drinking water. A much healthier way to control pests is to use biological controls. Biological pest control…
Non-renewable energy sources, including the fossil fuels coal, petroleum, and natural gas, will eventually run out. Renewable energy sources, including energy from the Sun and wind, are not only clean sources of energy, but they exist in an endless supply. We already receive enough solar energy to fill all our energy needs; we just have to find a way to harness it so we can all use it. This s…
Switching to renewable, clean energy is a big step in the right direction. But what can each of us do to reduce our negative impact on the environment? It starts with being aware of the choices we make every day. What did you have for dinner last night? Were any of the foods grown locally? Think about the meals you've eaten in the last week. If you stopped for dinner at a fast-food …
How much water do you use in a day? A bath uses about 50 gallons of water. A shower, 2 gallons per minute. You'll use a gallon each time you wash your face or hands or brush your teeth. Flushing the toilet averages about 3 gallons. Don't forget about the water used in cooking, lawn watering, and clothes washing. We also need to keep the water supply safe. Never pour chemicals down …
Your carbon footprint calculates the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by your activities. Electricity and transportation can be two of the biggest producers of carbon emissions, so whenever you reduce your use of electricity, or take a bike instead of the car, you are reducing your carbon footprint. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb …
The best prescription for a healthy planet is for humans to leave little or no footprint on the Earth. However, this is a lofty goal that isn't easily accomplished. Fortunately, creative thinkers around the world are coming up with exciting new ideas that could help us achieve this goal. Engineers in Australia burn biomass to generate electricity. By burning it in an oxygen-free envir…
biochar (BYE-oh-char): a charcoal made when biomass is burned in an oxygen-free environment biofuels (BYE-oh-fyoo-uhlz): plant material, manure, and other organic materials used as fuel biomass (BYE-oh-mass): organic matter; matter that comes from living things, such as plant material and animal waste ecological footprint (ee-kuh-LOJ-uh-kuhl FUT-print): a measure of how much of the Earth's…