Are You a Sustainability Steward? LESSON 4

Transcription

1 Are You a Sustainability Steward? LESSON 4

2 Let s Spread Sustainability Everything we rely on for survival is related to the environment and its natural resources in some way. It is important that we remember to maintain and improve the environmental conditions, as well as the social responsibility and economic growth, of the communities in which we live, in order to make the world a better place to live for us and for future generations. What is sustainability? As stated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations. If everyone took a small step toward sustainability, we would create more of an ecological balance between the well-being of the environment and our lives. Make Your Classroom Sustainable Recycle Don t throw away your old notebook paper or plastic bag from snack time, instead, recycle it! Paper, plastic, aluminum and other recyclable materials can be recycled and reused reducing the amount of waste. Buy Local Products Buy apples or carrots from the local farmers for a daily afternoon snack and paper, pencils and crayons from the local office supplies store in order to help sustain and grow the local economy in your school s community. Reduce Energy Before heading to the lunch room or outside for free time, remember to turn off the classroom s lights, fans or lamps. Reducing the amount of electricity used in the classroom when you leave will help sustain energy resources. Help the Community Begin a Help the Community corner in your classroom. In this corner, the class can begin collecting items such as trash bags and plastic gloves to use for picking up litter at the local park, or extra dog and cat food to be taken to the local animal shelter. Giving back to the community helps create a sustainable community! For more information on sustainability, visit the following websites provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Eastman:

3 Virtuous Volunteering The act of volunteering can include gathering canned food for a local shelter, collecting items like toothbrushes and books to be sent to troops overseas, or even helping wash and groom cats and dogs at an animal shelter. Volunteering and lending a helping hand can build a sense of togetherness among neighbors and citizens in the community. In recent years, natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the Nashville flood, have provided a need for volunteers to lend a helping hand. And because of the help of so many generous people, those affected by such natural disasters are able to overcome many of the hardships with which they are faced. In addition to volunteering to help those in distress, you can find a way to use your talents to volunteer in your community. There are many non-profit organizations that can use your help, so think about what you are good at and what you like to do, and then talk to your area nonprofits to see where you can use these to help someone in need. Did You Know? In the U.S., approximately 40% of all chemical fertilizers used eventually break down into ammonia and are released into the atmosphere. Find natural ways to help your garden, and you ll have a tremendous impact. A standard showerhead may use up to 25 liters of water per minute whereas a waterefficient showerhead might use as little as 7 liters per minute. A tap leaking at the rate of 1 drip per second could waste more than 12,000 liters of water a year. Reusable materials, such as Eastman Tritan copolyester, are durable and can be used in 600 applications, including food serving and storing items, reusable sports bottles, baby bottles and small appliances. A large-screen television turned on for 6 hours a day can generate half a ton of greenhouse gas a year. That's about the same amount as running a fridge for a whole year. Each old-style incandescent bulb you replace with a compact fluorescent light could save you around $40 in electricity costs. It will also last 6 times as long. Many plastics can be recycled and reused again and again without losing their quality. Hazardous products such as motor oil, pesticides, oven cleaner and pool chemicals can catch alight at relatively low temperatures, or react with air, water or other substances, and explode or produce toxic vapors. Up to 90 percent of the materials used in a mobile phone can be recycled.

4 Stanley the Sustainability S Instructions: Color Stanley the Sustainability S and explain how you will become a steward of sustainability. To become a steward of sustainability, I will:

5 Sustainability Word Search Instructions: Find these words dealing with sustainability. They may run left to right, right to left, up and down, backward and even diagonally. Good luck! Recycle Growth Environment Conserve Maintain Earth Responsibility Community Reuse Volunteer Future Nature Economy Resources Reduce H J S T N K S B D J K Z Q O P R E C Y C L E S D J E A R T H D C O M M U N I T Y Y E O G K A R N I A T N I A M U S U R C N E S H P C V X M S W V R O P A J E E S W V Z E W N O C W X T G R E S P O S I B I L I T Y U J V W B D S R V N Y U R H E R R E S O U R C E S K N C T C E W E V N J R V J S H T B E U H R V N T Y M O N O C E I P D Q T N E M N O R I V N E M K E B D R S A C B F U T U R E L R C L I V O W X Z K Y E V B M D

6 How Clean are Your Cleaning Supplies? Did you know that store-bought household cleaners can be damaging to you and to the environment? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, certain ingredients in cleaning products can present hazard concerns to those exposed to them or be toxic to aquatic species in waters receiving inadequately treated wastes. Well, no worries. The problem is solved! Here are a few recipes for non-toxic cleaners you can make at home to make the chores more environmentally friendly. Kitchen Counter Disinfectant Ingredients: 2 cups of water 3 tablespoons of liquid soap 20 to 30 drops of tea tree oil Mix ingredients listed above together and spray or rub on your kitchen counters killing harmful germs and bacteria. Window and Mirror Cleaner Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of white vinegar 1 gallon of water Mix ingredients listed above together and dispense into a reusable spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto your window or mirror and rub with a newspaper instead of a paper towel, which causes streaking. *And if you don t like the smell of vinegar, you can substitute it with lemon juice or club soda. Clogged Drain Flusher Fluid Ingredients: ½ cup of baking soda 2 cups of boiling water Pour ½ cup of baking soda down the clogged drain. Then, follow it up with the 2 cups of boiling water. But if the drain is heavily clogged, chase the ½ cup of baking soda with a ½ cup of vinegar and cover the drain opening tightly. This allows for the fizzing reaction to break up the gunk clogging the drain. Then, flush the drain with 1 gallon of boiling water. *Be careful handling the boiling water. It is very hot!

7 Playground Sustainability Sustainability not only protecting the health and safety of our environment but also ourselves. It s important to get out and exercise every day, but did you know that each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital emergency rooms for playground-related injuries? Whether you re enjoying free time on the playground at school or you are at a friend s birthday party at the local park, it is important to always follow the playground instructions and play safe! Tips for a safe playground experience: Play on appropriately-sized playground equipment for your age, height and weight. Use all playground equipment as it was intended to be used. Take turns on slides, swings, etc. with friends and others on the playground never push or rough-house! Watch the weather in the summer, equipment can be hot and burn you; in the winter, it may be icy and in the rain, it can be slick and dangerous. Wear sunscreen while enjoying an outdoor playground. Wear shoes to protect your feet from sharp objects, such as rocks or broken glass. Pay attention don t walk too close in front of or behind a swing. Always go feet first down the slide, and make sure only one person is on at a time. Have an adult with you at all times while playing on the playground. Create a sustainable playground: Never leave litter on the playground always use trash cans and recycle bins, and pick up litter left by others. Make your playground green talk to your teachers, parents and community, and find ways to make your playground green. Add recycle bins, naturalized green space, nature trails/habitats, reduce water usage, use earth-friendly materials, etc. Consider adding an outdoor classroom and natural equipment to your playground. It will help children s physical, cognitive, and emotional development, and provide a natural setting to do it in.

8 Carbon Footprints and You Carbon Footprint Activity Have students paint the bottom of their feet and make prints on paper. While waiting for the pain to dry, teach students about the effects our carbon footprints have on the earth and atmosphere. Once the paint has dried, have the class write examples of how to reduce their carbon footprint. Try to come up with one example per student. Hang the poster in the hall to give awareness to other classes.