Does your child wonder what one person can do to help save our planet? Here are seven simple Earth-friendly strategies from World Book’s Earth’s Changing Climate series:
8 Ways Your Children Can Reduce Their Environmental Impact
- Eat less meat. Animal farming is one of the biggest sources of gases that are warming Earth like a greenhouse. By eating less meat, people can help reduce these gases.
- Conserve water. Save water by turning off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth. Use the dishwater and washing machine only for full loads.
- Turn off the lights. Turn off computers and other electronic devices when no one is using them. Unplug chargers when electronic devices are not being powered up.
- Update the light bulbs in your house. Many people still use incandescent light bulbs to light their homes. Newer kinds of bulbs use less electricity and can last much longer.
- Spend less time in front of a screen and more time in front of a book. Or join a school- or church-sponsored environmental group. Battery-powered devices still are using electric power, after all.
- Recycle paper, glass, and metal. Recycling helps conserve raw materials and energy needed to make new products. It also keeps wastes from being buried in landfills, saving scarce landfill space. Recycling helps reduce the pollution that may result from waste disposal.
- Volunteer at a local nature center. The centers will help you discover many different ways you can help protect and improve the natural habitats around your home.
- Join a nature-friendly organization, like Roots & Shoots. Roots & Shoots, founded by famed naturalist Jane Goodall, is a program in which young people around the world help animals and their habitats. Kids work with adult mentors to help preserve habitats in their own communities. http://www.rootsandshoots.org/