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Learning how to protect our diverse environments and keep our communities healthy for the future.
Imagine if every piece of trash you ever threw away stayed in your backyard forever—how would your neighborhood look, and what could you do to change it?
To keep our communities healthy, we use three special tools called the Three Rs. First is Reduce, which means using less of something so we don't create waste. For example, turning off the lights when you leave a room reduces the energy we use. Second is Reuse. This means finding a new way to use an old item, like using a glass jar to hold your pencils. Finally, there is Recycle. This is when we send items like paper, plastic, and metal to a factory where they are turned into brand-new things! By using the Three Rs, we keep our landfills from getting too full and keep our streets beautiful.
Let's look at three items and decide which 'R' fits best: 1. An old cereal box: Recycle it so it can become new paper. 2. A plastic water bottle: Reuse it by refilling it with water from the tap. 3. A lunch bag: Reduce waste by using a cloth bag that you can use every day instead of a paper one that you throw away.
Quick Check
If you use an old jelly jar to hold your paintbrushes, which of the Three Rs are you practicing?
Answer
You are practicing Reuse.
Our communities depend on natural resources. These are things found in nature that we use every day. Trees are a huge treasure because they clean our air and give us oxygen to breathe. They also provide homes for birds and squirrels. Water is another vital resource. Every living thing—people, pets, and plants—needs clean water to survive. When we protect these resources, we are making sure the future is bright for everyone. If we waste water or cut down too many trees without planting new ones, our environment becomes less healthy for the diverse plants and animals that live there.
Imagine a leaky faucet drips liter of water every hour. To find out how much water is wasted in a school day ( hours), we can use math:
By fixing the leak, we save liters of a precious natural resource every single day!
Quick Check
Name two reasons why trees are important for our community.
Answer
Trees provide oxygen for us to breathe and provide homes (habitats) for animals.
You don't have to be a grown-up to help the Earth! You can create a Community Action Plan. This is a simple list of steps to solve an environmental problem. First, Observe: look around your neighborhood for a problem, like litter near a storm drain. Second, Act: choose a safe way to help, like asking an adult to help you pick up the trash. Third, Share: tell your friends and family what you did so they can help too! When many people do small things, it adds up to a big change for our planet.
Here is how to build a plan for a messy local park: 1. Identify the Problem: There are too many plastic wrappers on the playground. 2. Set a Goal: Pick up all the trash near the swings by Saturday. 3. Gather Tools: Get gloves and two bags (one for trash, one for recycling). 4. Take Action: Spend 30 minutes with a parent cleaning the area. 5. Prevent: Ask the park manager if they can put a 'Please Don't Litter' sign near the gate.
Which of the Three Rs involves turning old materials into something completely new at a factory?
Why is water considered a 'natural resource'?
True or False: The first step in a Community Action Plan is to observe your neighborhood for environmental problems.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to name the Three Rs and give one example of how you used one of them today.
Practice Activity
Walk around your home or school and find one 'natural resource' and one item that could be 'recycled' instead of thrown away.