Climates all over the planet are changing. This is called climate change. Places that used to be very cold, like the Arctic, are starting to get warmer. Other places experience extreme weather like tornados and floods. Scientists and environmental experts think that part of the reason this is happening is because of global warming. Global warming means the Earth's temperature is rising.
Explore Environmental Elementary to find out how you can reduce your contribution to global warming.
- Leading scientists and environmental experts believe that human activity is causing the Earth's temperature to rise, and that this rise has already started causing trouble for the planet. This is called global warming.
- Did you know that composting helps reduce global warming? When food goes in the garbage, it releases methane (a greenhouse gas) as it decomposes. Compost instead! Composting turns food waste into soil you can use in the garden!
- The greenhouse effect is a natural and necessary process that warms the Earth. But the things humans do every day add huge amounts of extra greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This causes the Earth to warm up too much!
- Ask your teacher to open the blinds on sunny winter days. The sunshine will warm the classroom and the thermostat can be turned down. This will reduce greenhouse gas since the furnace does not have to work so hard.
- Unplug the computer and printer at the end of the day. Even when they are turned off, they still use up electricity while plugged in. This is called "phantom power". What a scary way to send extra greenhouse gas into the air!
- Turn off the lights when your class leaves for recess or lunch. We burn fuel, like coal and natural gas, to create electricity. When we burn these materials, greenhouse gases are created and released into the atmosphere.
- The polar bears in Northern Ontario are feeling the heat of climate change! Ice is melting, leaving them with smaller areas to mate and hunt. Scientists say polar bears in Northern Ontario will survive another 25 years at most.
- Learn about alternative energy sources like solar power (from the sun) and wind power. These energy sources do not produce greenhouse gasses. Do your part by starting to use a solar-powered calculator!
- Use cool water to wash your hands instead of hot. It takes a lot of energy to power a hot water heater. Using less hot water means using less energy, and this means less greenhouse gas is released into the air!
- Remind your teachers and family to keep car tires properly inflated. This helps the car run smoothly, which burns less gasoline. The less gasoline cars burn, the less greenhouse gas they release into the atmosphere. Whenever you can, take the bus instead of the car, or walk or ride your bike.
