Your contribution to environment protection

We live in a wonderful world full of life, full of colour, full of beauty. But in recent years our world’s been devastated by hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and droughts.

What does the future hold for the planet Earth? The place we all call “home” …

Climate change and our thoughtless acts could destroy the world that we live in. Listen to the environmental fact file.

·                   57% of a raw coffee bean is not needed. the waste pulp gets thrown in rivers causing pollution. Growing coffee causes deforestation and soil erosion, too. Clearing trees to grow coffee reduces the number of birds in an area by 97%.

·                   In central London 40 thousand cars every hour use the road, causing pollution.

·                   The pile of rubbish at New York’s Fresh Kills landfill was so big that it could be seen from outer space. In 2001 it was closed and transformed into a modern park.

·                   Every year around 2 million sea birds and animals die after eating or being tangled up in thrown away plastic.

·                   Animals are killed each year on farms to provide fur for humans or for sport.

·                   It costs around 150 million pounds to clean the gum off the UK streets. Chewing gum is illegal in Singapore.

A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

Scientists predict that within 50 years many parts of our world could be under 20 cm of water.

We can prevent this, if we all work together. There is still time for us to save our world.

Solar panels, wind farms and underwater turbines are being used to produce renewable energy. These are sources that can be used again and again.

Although there are still many more thing that we could be doing. Things that you and your family can do together.

First, you can reduce the amount of waste you produce. This could be done by being more resourceful with the things that you use and buy. Before you buy anything ask yourself if you really need it.

You and your family can recycle many items in your home.

Just look at what you can reuse:

jars

bottles

plastic bags.

Did you know that 100000 tons of plastic bags are being thrown away every single year? This is the same weight as 70.000 cars.

You and your family can stop this by simply reusing your bags rather than just throwing them away.

Many items that you use can be recycled: cans, glass and paper. Even electrical goods and food can be recycled.

It is important! We just don’t throw them away.

Your used can become easily the part of a new car.

And your used glass bottle could be made into a new window for your home.

So, make sure that you use a recycle bin every time.

There are still many things inside your house that you and your family could do to save energy.

·                   Fit at least one energy saving light bulb. They use just one quarter of the electricity than the ordinary bulbs do.

·                   Turn off unnecessary lights. A TV, Video and DVD on standby still use up electricity.

·                   Don’t stand with the fridge door open while you wonder what to eat. Make your mind up before you open the door. The fridge warms up when the door is open and it takes extra energy to make it cold again.

·                   Take showers instead of baths. A shower can use less than half as much water as bath.

·                   Do not keep your tap running while you clean your teeth. Turn it off!

By the way, do any of your taps drip? Did you know that a dripping tap can waste a liter of water in twenty minutes?

There are many simple things that you and your family could do around your home.

·                   Plant a tree in your garden and watch it grow.

·                   Make compost of your left food and grow new food.

·                   When the weather is nice, hang your clothes out to dry.

·                   Collect and use rainwater for watering your garden plants instead of using tap water.

All these things could not only save the environment but they could also save your family money.

What we have now is the chance to preserve our future.

And in conclusion, listen to the nursery rhyme.

For Want of a Nail

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe the horse was lost.

For want of a horse the rider was lost.

For want of a rider the message was lost.

For want of a message the battle was lost.

For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

The rhyme is a good illustration of the “butterfly effect”, which shows that small actions can result in large after effect and …even change the world.

Tell your parents, and your grandparents and your friends to do the small things that count.

We must take it step by step to make sure that you have a future to grow up there.

Person by person, family by family, community by community together we can make a difference.