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Earth Day 2010 Every year a new challenge Brought to you by the Muncie Sanitary District & Stormwater Management

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Muncie Sanitary District and Stormwater Management celebrate Earth Day by providing this special section filled with fun facts, games and action plans.

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Page 1: Earth Day 2010

Eart

h Da

y 2010 Every year

a new challengeBrought to you by the Muncie Sanitary District & Stormwater Management

Page 2: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 2

Earth 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 govern-ment 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 “teach-in” 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 move-ment in this country.

It helped convince the U.S. Congress to pass important envi-ronmental 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, alu-minum 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.

Happy Birthday, Earth Day

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 chal-lenge 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

— 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.

Earth Day 2010 Marks 40 Years of Action

Page 3: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 3

Page 4: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 4

Find Out!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 solu-tions 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 atmo-

sphere and produce fresh ________________. Clear rivers provide us with drink-

ing 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.

rights - ocean dumping -

Global warm

ing - Ozone depletion - Endangered species - Nuclear w

aste - Solid waste - Air pollution - N

oise

Wat

er P

ollu

tion

- Pe

stic

ides

in fo

od -

Aci

d ra

in -

soi

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sion

- W

etla

nds

loss

- E

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Anim

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

pollution - Rain forest loss -

Page 5: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 5

Friend of the Earth

Picture FindSince 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?

Page 6: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 6

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 fire-works 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 environ-ment 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 HabitatOne 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 ClassroomIn your classroom are many products made from trees. As a class, brain-storm 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.

Do It!As a class, plant an Earth Day tree

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?

Page 7: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 7

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 COUNTWith 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.

Conserve & PreserveEvery 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.

Page 8: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 8

Page 9: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 9

Page 10: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 10

CHALLENGE 5:

Fly with the Birds

Around Earth Day, many species of birds — warblers, swallows, swifts, bluebirds — fly north from their winter migra-tion grounds. On Earth Day, we remember that protecting birds often means saving their habi-tats 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 rhym-ing riddle about birds, many of which may live near your home and school. Can you guess the names of each one?

Do It!1. Build one or more birdhouses and install

them at your home or school for for Earth Day. Use library resources to find instruc-tions 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 bird-houses and feeders.)

2. Place a birdfeeder outside your classroom window, and take turns stock-ing it with seed. Keep near the window a book that identifies bird species. Write down the different species that visit your window.

Find Out!Learn more about your feathered neigh-

bors by inviting a speaker from your local chap-ter 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 pos-sible reason why a skunk’s famed defense does not work with owls?

I’m the color of the sky and my call is a shriekAnd I love to devour acorns in my beakToo 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 roundAnd my ears hear even the smallest soundTo claim my territory I let out a howl

A feathered mouse-eater, my name is the ____________.

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 ______________.

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 flow-

ers, I’m a ______________.

I’m black as the night but I fly during dayAnd 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 beachOr flying over waves just out of reachWith gray wing feathers and white ones on my skull I’m the beach’s vacuum cleaner, I am the ______________.

Page 11: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 11

Be GreenSince 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.

Rap it UpHave your class write a rap

about Earth Day, the environ-ment, and what people should should do to help the environment. Rehearse it with your music teach-er. Write down the lyr-ics and teach the rap to other classes. For Earth Day, have the entire school assemble out-doors— near the trees you just planted!— and do the rap together. InviteThe Star Press to film the event for thestarpress.com Web site.

Favorite FactsYour 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 peo-ple 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.

Earth Day PollPoll the school with this question: “What three things

have you done in the last year to help the environ-ment?” Write a summary of the poll results and distrib-ute a copy to each classroom.

EnvirominuteDuring the week lead-

ing up to Earth Day, add an “enviro-minute” to morning announcements. Volunteer

your class members to read what famous writers have

said about the envi-ronment. Ask your

librarian to help you find appro-priate readings. Consider these writers: Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman,

Annie Dillard, Aldo Leopold.

Local ExpertsFind out what environ

mental groups are active in your area. Invite a repre-

sentative 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.

Six Earth Day Events for the Whole School

Energy Action PlanNow 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’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!

Page 12: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 12

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?

Water Math Problems1. 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 fam-ily member uses an equal share, how much does each family member use? Hint: Divide 243 gallons by 4 people. ________ gallons per day

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.

________ gallons per day

5. BONUS QUESTION: There are eight pints in one gal-lon. 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

Do It!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?

Household Water Use Bar Graph

100

80

60

40

20

gallo

ns o

f wat

er u

sed

ToiletFlushing

Shower & Bathing Laundry Drip Lawn

Bathroom sink

Kitchen sink

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

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?

Dishwashing

CHALLENGE 7:

Dive into Water

Page 13: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 13

1. Man’s earliest method of transportation (still works).

2. Wheeled vehicle powered by burning calories.

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.

5. Clean source of power captured from sunlight.

6. Solid fossil fuel dug from mines.

7. Unnatural increase in Earth’s average temperature.

8. A fuel found underground in deposits that 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.

12. Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

CHALLENGE 8:

Clear the AirEarth’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: car-bon 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 green-house: 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 transporta-tion habits to help reduce production of CO2? Some sug-gestions are hidden in the puzzle on this page.

Find the Hidden Words in the Center

E P O T A N W A L K I N G E L

E H L R A K B C Y C L E K A

V A M A S S T A N S I T R A

G I D E C A R O O L P S R I

A N T I C H S L A R T A N B

S A Q U C O A R V A M O W Z

P E G L O B A W A R M I N G

F O S S I L F E L V O H C K

O C O M H E A I O N K O G R

F A B R O C W N D E M U J Y

A C R P E T R L E U M C O K

V A X G R E E H O U S E N S

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Page 14: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 14

CHALLENGE 9:

Tackle the Trash

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 differ-ent 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:

Trash Math ProblemsUse the solid waste table on this

page to answer the following ques-tions.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

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.

________ pounds per year

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 prob-lem #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

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.

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

Solid Waste Table

Page 15: Earth Day 2010

EARTH DAY | PAGE 15

CHALLENGE 10:

Get the PowerLike 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.

Living with LessNow 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.

Word Find PuzzleFind 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.

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

• __________________• __________________• __________________

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.

• 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

Word find puzzle, pg. 15: (twelve listed only need ten)

refrigeratormicrowavestoveovenlights

toasterNintendo®

televisionCD playerVCR

washerdryer

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

1. walking 5. solar 9. heat2. bicycle 6. coal 10. wind3. mass transit 7. global warming 11. petroleum4. car pool 8. fossil fuel 12. greenhouse

Page 16: Earth Day 2010