12 Ways Kids (and you) Can Respect The Earth

Our word this month is Respect. Respect means to hold someone or something in high regard or honor. We can practice Respect with our moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, teachers, friends, police and firemen, doctors, our environment and ourselves. Here we will focus on ways to practice respecting the Earth. Here's what YOU can do to make a difference for the EARTH: Pre-Cycle: ♥ Pre-cycling is the step before recycling. This is the process of making a conscious choice to purchase or use products and services, which will have a less harmful effect on the Environment, such as recycled paper and products with less packaging. Global Re-Leaf: ♥ Plant a tree, grow a garden or wildflowers. Recycle and Reuse: ♥ Recycle plastic bags by reusing them again at the store or purchase cloth reusable bags. ♥ Recycle water by reusing it to water plants. ♥ Many of our students create Recycled art using items put in the recycling bin. Conserve and Preserve: ♥ Turn off lights and appliances right after you finish with them. ♥ Take shorter showers or take baths instead of showers (you use less water). Don't throw it all away: ♥ When you no longer need a toy or clothing, give it away to someone who can use it.   ♥ Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. Use cloth towels instead of paper towels. ♥ Computers pose an environmental threat because much of the material that makes them up is hazardous. A typical monitor contains 4-5 pounds of lead. Find a Hazardous and Electronic Waste Collection place in your community to dispose of these items. They take old make up, old paint, disinfectants, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, herbicides, e-waste (cell phones, computers, televisions, etc). Great Ideas for School ♥Take your lunch in a reusable lunch box, or cloth bag instead of paper bags. Pack a cloth napkin instead of paper one. You can reuse it! ♥ Recycle any packaging in your lunch box. Info from PLANETPALS Fascinating Facts about the Earth: Approximately two million species of animals, plants and other organisms have been identified and named; it is estimated that approximately 50 million species have yet to be identified. Each person throws away approximately four pounds of garbage every day.  Most families throw away about 88 pounds of plastic every year. 14 billion pounds of trash is dumped into the ocean every year.  We each use about 12,000 gallons of water every year. 1/3 of all water is used to flush the toilet. Recycled paper requires 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp, and can save many trees. Every ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees. The amount of wood and paper we throw away is enough to heat 50 million homes for 20 years.  It takes 90% less energy to recycle aluminum cans than to make new ones. The energy saved by recycling just one aluminum can is enough to power a television set for three hours.  84 percent of all household waste can be recycled.  Here is an example of how long it takes garbage to break down: plastics take 500 years aluminum cans take 500 years organic materials take 6 months cotton, rags, and paper take 6 months