Hi All,
Today is BLOG ACTION DAY?
What is that you may ask? "Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance."
This year's theme is Climate Change.
I think many people are not truly aware of the difference between Global Warming and Climate Change. "Global warming" refers to the increase of the Earth's average surface temperature, due to a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. "Climate change" is a broader term that refers to long-term changes in climate, including average temperature and precipitation. As a homeschooler I am constantly looking for the educational aspect in everything we do.Here are some excellent sites that we found for the kids and adults:
- Climate Change Education: For Students, Teachers, and Families
- Clean Air Kids (United Kingdom)
- European Space Agency's Kids Page
- Games, Quizzes, Videos, and More
- National Geographic Kids
- Nickelodeon's The Big Green Help: Simple ways to help protect the earth
- Time For Kids – Global Warming Page
- Lick Global Warming Campaign
- Hippo Works: Cartoons to Explain Global Warming
- EPA Kids Site
In the scramble of getting back to school or not back-to -school, in our case, making decisions that are better for the environment can fall to the bottom of your list. Here are 10 easy tips that you won’t forget for how to REDUCE, REUSE, and RECYCLE during the academic year:
BEAC’S Top 10 Tips
- Want to do some last-minute summer reading? Buy used books instead of new ones; take books out from the library, where they can be reused again and again; or lend and borrow favorites with friends!
- Gather your OSP! While getting ready to print out all those elegant essays you’re planning to write this year, make a pile of OSP right next to your printer so that you can use it for drafts, outlines and drawings.
- Looking for a style? Buying clothing from companies that are eco-conscious and/or use sustainable fabrics, or buying from a thrift store saves the energy and resources that would be used to produce new clothing.
- Unplug all of your battery chargers and turn off all of your unused electronics(computer, lights, kitchen appliances) before you leave the house. Even if you leave the charger or cord plugged in without the gadget attached, it is still using up electricity.
- Play on a sports team? Have a new baby? Use a BPA-free, reusable water bottle to practice or bottle and sippy cups for the kids, instead of disposable plastic ones that require lots of energy and petroleum to produce, and can leach chemicals into the water or beverage.
- Minimize your carbon footprint! Take the bus or subway,carpool or if you can, walk all or part of the way.
- Are you an educated consumer? Look for products that are made from post-consumer waste (PCW) or from recycled products. Products that bear the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) badge are made from wood and paper materials that have been managed responsibly.
- Now that it is getting cooler, minimize the use of your air conditioner, which is a big energy waster. Instead, keep the blinds or shutters closed while you are not in, so that the room stays naturally cool, or keep the windows open for cool fall breezes!
- Need supplies? Reuse your old binders and notebooks. Simply rip out the used pages and/or redecorate the cover with paper and labels so that you can finish the notebook before getting a new one.
- Check out NYCWasteLe$$ for more information on how to be green!
