Global Youth Network presents

Earth Guide

Writeen by Abby B.


Green light, yellow light, red light...
Check out what's good for the planet and what's not.
Air today, gone tomorrow
Here's where you'll learn about the effects of air pollution, along with some interesting facts and tips.
Let it rot!
Want the dirt on composting? This is where you'll find some information on composting and a link to The Compost Resource Page.
Every little drop counts
Get the facts on water conservation as well as interesting facts.


Green light, yellow light, red light...

Now is the time for paying attention to what we're doing to the environment. Things that we should appreciate get the green light. They're good, so we don't want to lose them.

Some things, like plastic, which can be both good and bad, get the yellow light for caution. Plastic has improved our lives in many ways, but too much of it - especially when it becomes garbage - is cause for concern. We have to draw a line between when plastic is necessary, like in some medical devices, and when it is unnecessary, like in excess packaging. Plus, we need to find more responsible ways to manufacture, dispose of, and recycle it.

The red light means STOP the bad things that are destroying our planet.

GREEN LIGHT

Conservation Windpower Precycling
Rechargeable batteries Fluorescent light bulbs Borrowing, instead of buying
Hand-operated tools Organic gardening Products made from recycled materials
Energy-efficient buildings and appliances Things made from renewable resources Fresh air
Nature parks Wildlife Clean water
Plenty of trees Worms and bugs Recycling
Solar energy Rainforests Bikes
Carpools Compost

YELLOW LIGHT

Polystyrene foam Plastic Aerosol sprays Polystyrene foam
Too many cars Junk mail Disposable diapers Landfills

RED LIGHT

CFCs Smog Poachers Littering
Oil spills Acid rain Excess packaging Toxic household cleaners
Destroying the rainforests Toxic farm and yard sprays Burning fossil fuels Garbage in our oceans, lakes, and streams
Disposable lighters, razors, flashlights The hole in the ozone layer People who don't know People who don't care about the Earth

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Air today, gone tomorrow

Cars and trucks are responsible for 30% of the carbon dioxide emissions, a major cause of air pollution and acid rain. CFCs, used in refrigerators, air conditioners, foam packaging, and aerosol sprays, are destroying the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful effects of too much sun.

FACT: Trains and buses don't pollute the air as much as cars do. They use less fuel to carry more passengers. We have to get more people to leave their cars at home.
TIP: Buy eggs in cardboard cartons instead of polystyrene foam. You'll cut down on harmful CFCs and they're recyclable.
TIP: Buy reusable picnic items intead of paper, foam, or plastic plates and cups.
FACT: Burning a litre of gasoline produces about 9 kilos of carbon dioxide.
TIP: Get one more person to be in your carpool. If we all did this, we could save as much as 100 million litres of gasoline and keep about 3 million kilos greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere every day.
FACT: In Japan, so many people ride bikes that there are special parking garages for two-wheelers.

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Let it rot!

Chances are, more than half the trash you throw out every year is organic... made up of things like yard waste and foods that were once alive. You can reuse it, by composting. That's turning it into rich soil for your garden. For more info, go to The Compost Resource Page at http://www.oldgrowth.org/compost.

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Every single drop counts

Most of the water on our planet (about 97%) is unusable, because it's salty ocean water. Another 2% is frozen. This means that all our drinking comes from the remaining 1%... which is mostly groundwater from beneath the Earth's surface. It's very important to conserve water and prevent toxic wastes from contaminating our groundwater, keeping it safe to drink.

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