1. Ask your School and Parents to buy Environmentally Friendly paper and school supplies. Look for content up to 100%
2. Organize a recycling drive for your community and help recycle anything from cans and bottles to computer equipment and scrap metals.
3. Hold a school fundraiser to raise money to donate to an organization that works to conserve the environment. Like WOWEE.
4. Do not use plastic water bottles or utensils. Instead use a filtration system on you tap or in your fridge, look for 100% corn or Soy based plastic bottles and utensils available on the internet and use recycled water bottles when you travel.
5. Use less paper—re-use paper instead of throwing it out. Cut it up to use as a notepad, or recycle the paper you have used.  Double side all printing.  Ask your parent and teacher about how they recycle paper.
6. Refill Ink cartages rather then buying new ones and consider Soy ink as a replacement.
7. Get a list from your garbage collectors or town and make a plan for your household to recycle more items. Bring that to school and make a class project in regards to recycling.
8. Find out what your carbon footprint is and how you and your family can improve your use of energy and global resources. A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.
9. Do not use paper or plastic bags when you shop, instead us canvas recycled shopping bags. If you walk your dog try  not to use plastic bags for clean up, instead look for bags that are bio-degradable and will disappear in a few as 30 days in a compost situation.
10. Get involved with community projects that involve recycling. Also read about global issues including the preservation of the rainforest and learn about buying products that are grown and harvested in a sustainable way which means a way that is safe for the environment, wildlife, and for people.
11. Conserve water. Take shorter showers. Ask your parents to install water controlled shower heads. Turn the water off when you are doing dishes and water every other day on gardens and lawns.
12. Use compact florescent bulbs rather then standard light bulbs and remember to turn off lights when you leave the room. Compact Florescent light bulbs use 60-80% less energy then a standard incandescent or halogen bulb. Consider putting lights on timers or sensors rather then leaving them on, especially outdoors.
13. Turn off your Computer at night to conserve energy.
14. Organize your school to help clean up a stream, river or park in your neighborhood. Plant a tree as a group or on your own. Trees convert Carbon Dioxide into the Oxygen that aids in our ability to breathe on Earth.
15. Continue to log onto our website www.woweewildlife.org and check our new information on Recycling and Environmental Education.

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 ENVIRONMENTALTIPS FROM THOMAS:

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 Trees and Oxygen--Living things need oxygen to survive.  We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. This is called respiration.  Plants then take the carbon dioxide, convert it into carbohydrates, and release oxygen.  Then we use that oxygen to breathe, and the cycle continues.  Over 20% of the world’s oxygen comes from the Amazon rainforest.  Rainforests are critical to ensure we have clean oxygenated air to breathe on earth.  This is a primary reason we need to conserve the rainforests worldwide. 

If you would like to leave a comment or give us your own tips then please email TGeorge@woweewildlife.org

 Rainforest fact-- What is a rainforest?  A forest of trees in an area of heavy rainfall.  The largest being the Amazon of South America.  Rainforests are described as the "lungs of our planet."

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Trees-

Did you know that trees are the longest living things on the planet, with a longer life then any other organism on earth?

Each tree makes 260 pounds of oxygen per year.  1 acre of trees supplies enough oxygen in a year for 18 people to breath.

One of the tallest trees know on earth is the giant redwood sequoia in California, reaching up to 257 feet tall.

Trees not only make oxygen and remove carbon dioxide but also do several other things critical to the environment and our success in living on earth.  These include adding shade and shelter to wildlife, holding soil with their roots to prevent soil erosion, lower air temperature, reduce noise pollution and block wind.

Consider planting trees on your own or as a school group and you will be doing a great service to the planet earth.

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Do you know where your shopping bags come from?  Have you considered the environmental impact of using paper or plastic shopping bags when you grocery shop or walk you dog?

 Paper bags are made from trees that are often illegally taken from the rainforest and feed the need for continued destruction and deforestation of forests worldwide. It has been proven that paper bags take more resources to make, store and distribute then plastic bags.

Paper bags also take up more space in landfills.

Bio-degradable poop-bags are available online to use when walking your dog and break down in a compost pile in about 30 days. 

Plastic bags are made from petroleum and much of this is mined in rainforests all over the planet.  Plastic bags may take 2000 years to break down in landfills.  Pictures from space have shown drifting beds of plastic bags in the oceans that trap and kill wildlife and fish.  Sea turtles often eat the plastic bags thinking they are jellyfish.  This can block their stomach and make them starve.  Dolphins, whales and seals often get caught in these floating icebergs of plastic and drown.  Many countries have banned or taxed plastic bags. 

What is the alternative?  Re-usable canvas shopping bags are available at most major grocery chains or can be purchased online.  These bags can be used over and over and alleviate the need for paper or plastic.  So next time you are asked paper or plastic in the grocery line, reply that you have your own and use a reusable shopping bag and do your part in helping the environment.

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