Planet Earth , livre ebook

Nomad Press - M. Reilly Kathleen

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146 pages

English

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Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself provides an engaging guide to the natural world and encourages children ages 9 and up to get their hands dirty and actively connect with the environment. It then introduces key environmental issues-wind and solar power, pollution, endangered species, global warming, and recycling-and posits potential solutions. Trivia, fun facts, and 25 captivating hands-on projects investigate ecology basics, such as the food chain, oxygen, and animal habitats, as well as ways to lessen the strain on Earth's resources by reducing human consumption and waste. With Planet Earth kids will learn how to respect and protect our unique planet.

Informations

Publié par	Nomad Press
Date de parution	01 avril 2008
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781619300743
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0600€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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Nomad Press
A division of Nomad Communications
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © 2008 by Nomad Press
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. The trademark "Nomad Press" and the Nomad Press logo are trademarks of Nomad Communications, Inc. Printed in the United States.
ISBN: 978-1-9346700-4-0
Questions regarding the ordering of this book should be addressed to
Independent Publishers Group
814 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
Nomad Press
2456 Christian St.
White River Junction, VT 05001
Nomad Press is committed to preserving ancient forests and natural resources. We elected to print Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself on 100% postconsumer recycled paper, processed chlorine free. As a result, for this printing, we have saved:
Tree(s): 39
Solid Waste: 2,499 lb
Water: 23,588 gal
Suspended particles in the water: 15.8 lb
Air Emissions: 5,488 lb Natural Gas: 5,719 ft 3
It’s the equivalent of:
Tree(s): 0.8 american football field(s)
Water: a shower of 5.0 day(s)
Air Emissions: emissions of 0.5 car(s) per year
Nomad Press made this paper choice because our printer, McNaughton and Gunn, is a member of Green Press Initiative, a nonprofit program dedicated to supporting authors, publishers, and suppliers in their efforts to reduce their use of fiber obtained from endangered forests.
For more information, visit www.greenpressinitiative.org
Other titles from Nomad Press
Contents

Introduction Planet Earth: Our Ecosystem
Part I Understanding Our World
Chapter 1 Earth Our Spot in Space
Chapter 2 Air, All Around Us
Chapter 3 Water, Water Everywhere
Chapter 4 Our Star, The Sun
Chapter 5 Life on Earth

Part II The Problems the Environment Faces
Chapter 6 Pollution
Chapter 7 Global Warming
Chapter 8 Ozone Depletion
Chapter 9 Nature at Risk
Chapter 10 Recycling
Chapter 11 The Balance of the Environment
Glossary
Resources
Index
Early Environmentalists
Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was a naturalist and philosopher who tried to live a simple life off the land.
John Muir (1838–1914), the "Father of Our National Parks," was one of the first preservationists. Muir believed in keeping natural areas untouched.
Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) was the 26th president, but he also was passionate about the outdoors. He created the first national bird preserve and was the last trained observer of the passenger pigeon before its extinction. President Roosevelt designated many of our national monuments, including Muir Woods and the Grand Canyon.
Aldo Leopold (1887–1948) was considered the father of wildlife management; he founded The Wilderness Society.
Rachel Carson (1907–1964) was a biologist who wrote Silent Spring, a book that had a major impact on the way people looked at the environment.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910–1997) was an underwater explorer who introduced sea life to people with his films and cared about the protection of the marine world.
James Lovelock (1919–) suggested that Earth is a whole, living organism, which he called the "Gaia" hypothesis.
Edward Abbey (1927–1989) wrote Desert Solitaire and was an outspoken environmentalist.
Major Organizations Protecting the Environment
Major Organizations Protecting the Environment
Conservation International, seeks to demonstrate that human societies will thrive when in balance with nature.
Earthwatch Institute, brings science to life for people concerned about the Earth’s future.
National Wildlife Federation, seeks to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for their children’s future.
World Wide Fund for Nature, protects wildlife and the natural environment around the globe.
Nature Conservancy, works to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.
Sierra Club, is America’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization, protecting communities and the planet.
The Wilderness Society, protects wilderness and inspires Americans to care for our wild places.
Planet Earth
Our Ecosystem

W hat’s the world like outside your window? A grassy backyard, full of trees? Maybe some swaying palm trees or pine trees brush gently against your window at night. Or maybe there aren’t any trees but dry, desert air drifts in through your window. Maybe pigeons gather on your window ledge, far above the urban streets below.
Whatever you see out your window that’s the environment. Everything natural that’s out there, living and nonliving, is what people are talking about when they say "the environment." The plants, like grass and trees; the animals, like birds, bugs, and bears; the rain falling; the sun shining down even you. You’re part of the environment, too.
It’s nature, the world around us, the world that existed before the first human invention was even a dream. It’s the things you can see like critters and rocks and water and things you can’t see, like earthworms pushing through the ground under your feet and the air that’s hugging you right now. And what’s really neat to know is that all these elements, all these parts, are connected somehow, working together to create what we call the environment. Talk about teamwork! Imagine the environment like an heirloom blanket, knitted from different pieces of yarn by someone a very long time ago. When it’s whole, you can snuggle in its comfort. But if a thread is pulled, an entire section of your blanket can unravel unless you catch it in time, that is. When you hear people talking about the environment lately, they’re probably talking about the overall health of the earth, because more often now than in the past, scientists are studying the impact people have on the environment. They’re studying how our habits, behaviors, and inventions are affecting the natural world.

And those scientists and people who care about the environment don’t always agree about what’s going on. Some believe the state of the environment is worse than ever, while others believe that it’s part of a natural cycle. Some believe certain extinctions thousands of years ago happened because of humans, while some feel those extinctions occurred because of a changing global climate. Why the debate? Usually, it’s because these people are so passionate about the environment that they want others to understand what they believe in order to help care for our planet.
If you’re new to learning about the environment, the best advice is to listen to everyone’s viewpoint, learn as much as you can, and figure out where you stand on the issues. This book will give you an overview of what’s going on. The first half of the book explores the parts that make up the environment, and the second half touches on some of the issues that the environment currently faces. If a topic really interests you, head to the library to learn more or check out the list of resources in the back of the book. Environmentalists are usually eager to talk with others to share their knowledge.

About the Projects
In the first half of the book, you’ll explore the different elements of the environment land, water, air, sun, and life. Use the projects to enjoy how amazing our planet really is. It’s so easy to forget. After all, you’ve lived here all your life and you may barely even notice the trees you pass every day on your way to school or that water you just slurped up from the water fountain. But all those parts are crucial to our existence. In the second half, you’ll find projects that will help you take steps toward protecting the environment.

As you read and explore, be aware of the materials you use. For instance, you’ll see many of the activities call for plastic, two-liter bottles. If you already get your drinks in this kind of bottle, it’s a great way to recycle the container. If you don’t get drinks in two-liter bottles, ask a neighbor or friend to save you one of theirs that way, you’re not making a purchase you don’t need, and materials aren’t being used to make an extra bottle that you wouldn’t have purchased otherwise. Same with other materials used for activities. Ask at photo-processing centers for leftover film canisters or hardware stores for the scraps that are destined to be tossed out. See if you can buy items in bulk to reduce packaging, then divvy up the contents with a friend. Maybe you can come up with alternative materials for the projects so you can reuse something you already have. It’s surprising the creative ways you can use things if you try to look at them differently.
Some of the projects involve living creatures or plants. Handle everything with great care, and return them, unharmed, to the place where you found them so they can continue playing their part in the environment. And (but you knew this already!) be sure to stay safe when you’re working near a body of water or using a knife or tool.

Words to Know
environment: everything in nature-living or nonliving including plants, animals, rocks, and water.
environmentalist: someone who works to preserve the environment.

Everyone Plays a Part
Most people do really care people do love animals and nature. Few would think it’s okay to pave over the national parks and chop down all the trees. People have humanity, people care about living things, and that’s what you can tap into when you learn all you can about the environment even parts of it that aren’t cute and cuddly, like jaw-snapping crocodiles or freaky-looking spiders.
Although it can be easy to just sit back and say humans are responsible for all the woes in the environment, the fact is we’re woven into the environment just as much as a leaf on a tree or the soil we walk on. If we had the power to mess things up a bit, we surely have the power to straighten things back out. As you learn about the environment, you’ll find some people are e