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AP

New York City's do-gooders are at it again, this time looking to put a 10-cent fee on each plastic bag that stores normally provide to their customers without charge.

This isn't just another burden on the city's beleaguered small retailers, it's also a terrible idea for public health.

When then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg pushed a similar proposal a few years back, it never even got a hearing. But the new bill already has 19 City Council members signed on as co-sponsors.

And Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris told WNYC radio this month that the fee is a direction the de Blasio administration is "very supportive of."

I long ago lost count of how many regulations of the past decade have unintended, bad consequences that hit the city's small retailers the hardest.

These beleaguered store owners already face an army of enforcement agents who treat them like a cash cow. The city's bids to promote "the public good" never take into consideration the health of these stores or the neighborhood economies that they support.

Our local army of regulators belongs to what the author Saul Bellow called the Good Intentions Paving Co.

This company's projects are always well-meant, but when they turn out to have undesired costs, tradeoffs and side-effects, the company leaders sincerely believe that none of the blame can possibly attach to them. After all, their intentions were good!

The irony here is that the bag fee poses a direct threat to New Yorkers' health.

The point of the bag tax is to force consumers to substitute reusable bags for the no-longer-free plastic ones.

Problem is, reusable bags play a significant role in food contamination unless they're properly washed on a regular basis - something people rarely do.

In a public-health study done at the University of Arizona, researchers found that only 3 percent of shoppers with multi-use bags said they regularly washed them. The same study found bacteria in 99 percent. Half carried coliform bacteria, and 8 percent carried E. coli - an indicator of fecal contamination.

"I classify them as pretty dirty things, like the bottom of your shoes," said Ryan Sinclair of the Loma Linda University School of Public Health, a co-author of the study.

As the study showed, the reusable bags function as a Petri dish for all kinds of contaminants. Further, three-fourths of their users acknowledged that they don't use separate bags for meats and for vegetables, and about a third said they used the bags for, well, all sorts of things (storing snacks, toting books).

A study by the Centers for Disease Control verified the dangers: "Reusable bags, if not properly washed between uses, create the potential for cross-contamination of foods.

"This potential exists when raw meat products and foods traditionally eaten uncooked (fruits and vegetables) are carried in the same bags, either together or between uses. This risk can be increased by the growth of bacteria in the bags."

What about the environmental benefit? At best, it's smaller than the do-gooders imagine.

It takes less energy to make plastic bags than the canvas ones that the "reusers" usually push - and, in fact, consumers find multiple post-store uses for the plastic, from in-home trash bags to padding in a storage box.

Yes, most wind up in the garbage eventually - but before we restrict them, let's figure out ways to make plastic-bag recycling more efficient - something that the Department of Sanitation has failed to do.

Polls throughout the country find that people overwhelmingly reject bans and regressive taxes. Imagine the results if people knew more about the health threat posed by reusable bags.

Let's shelve the bag fee and search for better ways to aid the environment that don't burden our small businesses and threaten our citizens' health.

Brad Gerstman is a lawyer, lobbyist and co-founder of the New York Association of Grocery Stores.

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The City Council's plan to promote E. coli

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New York City's do-gooders are at it again, this time looking to put a 10-cent fee on each plastic bag that stores normally provide to their customers without charge. This isn't just another burden...

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*may be one that you want to steer students toward during Session 12 “Who Said What? Studying Perspective”

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Plastic retail bags - the kind you get from your grocer or at the corner store - are being targeted for bans and taxes in communities around the country, regardless of the unintended consequences. Bans and taxes have a negative impact on working families and seniors on fixed incomes, but they don't help the environment in any meaningful way-in fact they can cause bigger problems.

Banning and taxing recyclable, reusable products doesn't make sense, even in the most well-intentioned scenarios. Keep reading to find out why.

Environment
Plastic bags are the most environmentally friendly option at the checkout. Find out the surprising green truth for yourself.

Recycling
Plastic bag recycling is simple and effective, thanks to thousands of recycling drop-off locations across the country.

Jobs and Economy
Bag bans and taxes make trips to the grocery store more expensive, especially for low- and fixed-income families - with no meaningful impact on the environment to back them up. They also threaten thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Health
Be mindful with your reusable canvas and non-woven bags. Without frequent washing and appropriate storage, reusable bags can harbor dangerous bacteria.

Reuse
Nearly 90% of Americans reuse plastic bags. What do you do with yours?

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Bans and taxes have a negative impact on working families and seniors on fixed incomes, but they don't help the environment in any meaningful way-in fact they can cause bigger problems.

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Toronto is banning plastic shopping bags in stores.

Starting in January 2013, you'll have to bring your own reusable bag to the store to cart your goods away.

More than 250 million bags end up in landfill every year, never breaking down into compost, according to a report by CBC News.

Plastic bags can also clog drainage systems and, when they are washed out to sea, can hurt fish and other marine animals.

Plastic bags are banned or restricted in about a quarter of the countries in the world, according to online encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Countries including Italy and South Africa have banned plastic bags. Many large cities have also banned them.

Toronto currently charges five cents per bag-for instance, for people who want a plastic bag to carry their groceries home.

The five-cent fee was put in place to discourage people from using the non-environmentally friendly product. Instead, people are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to stores.

After Ireland put a fee on plastic bags in 2002, 90 per cent fewer bags were used. In 2010 Washington D.C. began charging five cents per plastic bag and that city's consumption of them went down from 22.5 million to three million in the first month.

In Toronto, the plastic bag fee has cut down on the number of plastic bags used by half, according to Metro newspaper.

A ban was not exactly what Toronto mayor Rob Ford had in mind when he brought up the subject at City Council on Wednesday. In fact, he wanted to end the five-cent fee on bags.

However, Councillor David Shiner proposed a very different motion. He suggested Toronto do away with plastic bags altogether.

That motion passed, 24 to 20. Starting on Jan. 1, 2013, retailers in Toronto will not be allowed to give out or sell any plastic shopping bags, including ones that claim to be "compostable or biodegradable."

According to Metro, "Ford appeared upset after the vote, blinking rapidly." Ford said council's decision didn't make any sense, and said he felt the motion will be overturned.

Council also voted to stop the five-cent fee for plastic bags, from July 1 until the ban takes effect. That means stores will be able to hand out plastic bags free in Toronto for six months.

Ford later told a news radio station that he would like to see Torontonians come down to City Hall to protest the ban. He said he thinks the ban is the dumbest thing Toronto council has ever done.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly

Writing/Discussion Prompt
What do you think should be done about plastic bags. Should they be free of charge, cost 5 cents, or be banned altogether. Make a jot list of reasons to support your answer.

Reading Prompt: Purpose
Use the information in today's article to write a letter to Toronto's City Counsel. OK, now go ahead... and send send it. Let them know what you think!

Primary, Junior, & Intermediate
Identify a variety of purposes for reading and choose reading materials appropriate for those purposes (OME, Reading: 1.2).

Grammar Feature: Verbs
Verbs are action words. Every sentence includes at least one verb. The verbs authors choose help readers understand the text. Underline the "key" verbs in today's story that help you understand it. How do these verbs affect your understanding?

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Mayor Ford is furious that Toronto's city council voted to ban all plastic bags in 2013. Read the facts and form your own opinion! Kids News

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Explore National Geographic. A world leader in geography, cartography and exploration.

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Where Will Your Plastic Trash Go Now That China Doesn’t Want It?

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Last year, China drastically cut back its imports of plastic waste to recycle. Now the U.S. and other wealthy nations must figure out what to do with their discards.

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GIANT PANDAS AND KOALAS NEED YOU!

Climate change will eventually alter where bamboo ( giant pandas' primary food source) and eucalyptus ( koalas' primary food source) can grow, which could shrink habitats in the future. Here's how you can help save energy-and protect these animals:

* Turn off the lights when you leave a room.

* Hang up your freshly washed clothes to dry.

* Walk or bike as much as you can instead of driving.

FLORIDA MANATEES NEED YOU!

Here's how you can protect these marine mammals:

* If you see manatees in the wild, don't give them food or water. Feeding them encourages the mammals to swim too close to boats.

* Stash your trash so manatees won't get entangled in it.

* If you live near water, ask your parents not to use fertilizer on your lawn. It can dump extra nutrients into the water system, creating wildlife-killing algae blooms in rivers and ocean.

GRAY WOLVES NEED YOU!

Here's how you can protect these canines:

* Many people don't know that wolves are in trouble. Write a school report, draw a poster, or just howl about how cool they are to all your friends.

* Keep pets indoors: Conflict between pets and predators makes people less likely to want to protect wolves.

* Learn about how the Endangered Species Act protects gray wolves and other animals in North America and around the world.

GOLDEN LION TAMARINS NEED YOU!

Here's how you can help save these primates:

* Visit zoos approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA); part of your entry fee will be donated to conservation causes.

* Look for products that have a label confirming their ingredients were grown in a rainforest-friendly way.

* Work a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to a group that supports tamarin conservation.

SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOS NEED YOU!

Here's how you can help save rhinos:

* Avoid souvenirs made from endangered animal parts, including rhino horn.

* Tell all your friends about cute rhino calves and why they're in trouble.

* "Adopt" a rhino by saving up your allowance to donate to a rhinoceros conservation organization.

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You can help these critters. Find out how.

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Learn about wildlife conservation including saving animal habitats, captive breeding, and tracking animal populations.

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Protecting Wildlife Archives - Earth.Org Kids

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Learn about the sixth mass extinction, the animals that are nearing extinction and how organisations and governments are protecting wildlife.

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Teaching Kids About Conservation - John Muir National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)

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Teaching kids about conservation is vital for fostering an appreciation of the natural world and encouraging environmentally responsible behavior. Here are some effective ways to introduce conservation concepts to children:

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Wildlife conservation aims to protect plant and animal species as the human population encroaches on their resources.

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What can a tree do for you? A lot! Check out all the great things trees do for us every day.

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In most situations, light helps us see. But when it comes to looking at the night sky, light is actually a kind of pollution.

It hampers our view of some of life's most spectacular sights: stars, planets, and even galaxies. "When I was a little boy, I loved the night sky," recalls Robert Gent of the International Dark-Sky Association, an organization working to reduce light pollution.

"I remember looking up and the sky was filled with stars, and I asked, 'How many are there? How far away are they? Can we visit them?' I became an astronomer because I was amazed by their beauty," he says. "Now in most big cities kids can't see the stars like I did."

Normally, about 2,500 individual stars are visible to the human eye without using any special equipment. But because of light pollution, you actually see just 200 to 300 from today's suburbs, and fewer than a dozen from a typical city.

Only one in three Americans can see our own galaxy, the dazzling Milky Way, with the naked eye. Those people live far away from the lights of big cities, office buildings, and shopping malls.

Fortunately, there is a solution that is inexpensive and has benefits right away, says Gent. "If we shine lights down at the ground instead of up into the sky, and use lower brightness levels, we can save enormous amounts of energy and preserve the beauty of the night skies."

Many cities and towns have passed laws limiting lights at night, making sure enough shine for safety without creating a lot of light pollution.

Light pollution affects more than our view of the heavens. Research shows that lots of nighttime light can harm wildlife.

Migrating birds sometimes fly over cities and become confused by the brightness, flying in circles until they drop from exhaustion. Sea turtles need dark beaches for nesting and won't approach bright lights. Too much light at night may even affect human health; scientists are still learning more.

For all these reasons, researchers are working on ways to use lights only when and where they are truly needed. "Everyone deserves to look up at the infinite sky and wonder about the unbounded universe," says Gent.

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Learn about the effects of excess light coming from cities at night.

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Most environmental pollution on Earth comes from humans and their inventions. Take, for example, the automobile or that miraculous human-made material, plastic. Today, automobile emissions are a major source of air pollution contributing to climate change, and plastics fill our ocean, creating a significant health hazard to marine animals.

And what about the electric lightbulb, thought to be one of the greatest human inventions of all time? Electric light can be a beautiful thing, guiding us home when the sun goes down, keeping us safe and making our homes cozy and bright. However, like carbon dioxide emissions and plastic, too much of a good thing has started to negatively impact the environment. Light pollution, the excessive or inappropriate use of outdoor artificial light, is affecting human health, wildlife behavior, and our ability to observe stars and other celestial objects.
That Earthly Sky Glow
Light pollution is a global issue. This became glaringly obvious when the World Atlas of Night Sky Brightness, a computer-generated map based on thousands of satellite photos, was published in 2016. Available online for viewing, the atlas shows how and where our globe is lit up at night. Vast areas of North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia are glowing with light, while only the most remote regions on Earth (Siberia, the Sahara, and the Amazon) are in total darkness. Some of the most light-polluted countries in the world are Singapore, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Sky glow is the brightening of the night sky, mostly over urban areas, due to the electric lights of cars, streetlamps, offices, factories, outdoor advertising, and buildings, turning night into day for people who work and play long after sunset.

People living in cities with high levels of sky glow have a hard time seeing more than a handful of stars at night. Astronomers are particularly concerned with sky glow pollution as it reduces their ability to view celestial objects.

More than 80 percent of the world's population, and 99 percent of Americans and Europeans, live under sky glow. It sounds pretty, but sky glow caused by anthropogenic activities is one of the most pervasive forms of light pollution.
Is it Time to Get Up?
Artificial light can wreak havoc on natural body rhythms in both humans and animals. Nocturnal light interrupts sleep and confuses the circadian rhythm-the internal, twenty-four-hour clock that guides day and night activities and affects physiological processes in nearly all living organisms. One of these processes is the production of the hormone melatonin, which is released when it is dark and is inhibited when there is light present. An increased amount of light at night lowers melatonin production, which results in sleep deprivation, fatigue, headaches, stress, anxiety, and other health problems. Recent studies also show a connection between reduced melatonin levels and cancer. In fact, new scientific discoveries about the health effects of artificial light have convinced the American Medical Association (AMA) to support efforts to control light pollution and conduct research on the potential risks of exposure to light at night. Blue light, in particular, has been shown to reduce levels of melatonin in humans. Blue light is found in cell phones and other computer devices, as well as in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the kinds of bulbs that have become popular at home and in industrial and city lighting due to their low cost and energy efficiency.
Animals are Lost and Confused, Too
Studies show that light pollution is also impacting animal behaviors, such as migration patterns, wake-sleep habits, and habitat formation. Because of light pollution, sea turtles and birds guided by moonlight during migration get confused, lose their way, and often die. Large numbers of insects, a primary food source for birds and other animals, are drawn to artificial lights and are instantly killed upon contact with light sources. Birds are also affected by this, and many cities have adopted a "Lights Out" program to turn off building lights during bird migration.

A study of blackbirds ( Turdus merula) in Germany found that traffic noise and artificial night lighting causes birds in the city to become active earlier than birds in natural areas-waking and singing as much as five hours sooner than their country cousins. Even animals living under the sea may be affected by underwater artificial lighting. One study looked at how marine animals responded to brightly lit panels submerged under water off the coast of Wales. Fewer filter feeding animals, such as the sea squirt and sea bristle, made their homes near the lighted panels. This could mean that the light from oil rigs, passing ships, and harbors is altering marine ecosystems.

Even in places meant to provide protected natural habitats for wildlife, light pollution is making an impact. The National Park Service (NPS) has made maintaining a dark night sky a priority. The NPS Night Skies Team has been monitoring night sky brightness in some one hundred parks, and nearly every park showed at least some light pollution.
You Shouldn't Need Sunglasses at Night
There are three other kinds of light pollution: glare, clutter, and light trespass. Glare is excessive brightness that can cause visual discomfort (for example, when driving). Clutter is bright, confusing, and excessive groupings of light sources (for example, Times Square in New York City, New York). Light trespass is when light extends into an area where it is not wanted or needed (like a streetlight illuminating a nearby bedroom window). Most outdoor lighting is poorly positioned, sending wasted electricity up into the sky.
Bring Back the Dark Sky
There are several organizations working to reduce light pollution. One of these is the U.S.-based International Dark Sky Association (IDA), formed in 1988 to preserve the natural night sky. IDA educates the public and certifies parks and other places that have worked to reduce their light emissions. In 2017, the IDA approved the first U.S. dark sky reserve. The massive Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, which clocks in at 3,667 square kilometers (1,416 square miles), joined eleven other dark sky reserves established around the world. As of December of 2018, IDA lists thirteen dark sky reserves on their site.
Stop Wasting Energy: Things We Can All Do
More people are taking action to reduce light pollution and bring back the natural night sky. Many states have adopted legislation to control outdoor lighting, and manufacturers have designed and produced high-efficiency light sources that save energy and reduce light pollution.

Individuals are urged to use outdoor lighting only when and where it is needed, to make sure outdoor lights are properly shielded and directing light down instead of up into the sky, and to close window blinds, shades, and curtains at night to keep light inside.

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People all over the world are living under the nighttime glow of artificial light, and it is causing big problems for humans, wildlife, and the environment. There is a global movement to reduce light pollution, and everyone can help.

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Light Pollution: Why We Need to Turn Off the Lights

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You might have heard that looking at bright lights like TVs and phones at night can affect your sleep and be bad for your health. But did you know that lights at night are also bad for animals and plants in nature? Human-made light that reaches the environment at night is called light pollution. Lights at night often kill many insects, baby sea turtles, and migrating birds. Light pollution is easy to fix—only turn the lights on when they are needed! In this article, we review how light pollution affects people and the environment, and we describe some ways you can help.

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What do you see when you look up at the night sky? One hundred years ago, people could admire the Milky Way from almost anywhere in the world. Today, bright city lights illuminate the night sky, making it difficult to see more than a handful of stars. But light pollution does more than block our view of the cosmos. Read on to learn about this phenomenon and why it is important to preserve our night sky. -
What Is Light Pollution?

Light pollution refers to the excessive use of artificial outdoor light. Most light pollution comes from sources like cars, buildings, and streetlights in cities. Many of these lights either shine or get reflected up into the sky, turning dark nights bright.

More than 80% of the world's population lives under a bright night sky, also known as sky glow. In Hong Kong, one of the worst cities for light pollution, the night sky is many times brighter than anywhere else in the world.

The Effects of Light Pollution

The invention of light has improved our lives in many ways, allowing us not to be bound by the rising and setting of the sun. Yet, for all life on Earth, the sun is like a clock. The rhythm of day and night tells us humans and other living species when to rest, feed, and migrate. The excessive use of artificial lights at night can throw off this age-old rhythm, confusing both humans and wildlife.

One common problem caused by light pollution is trouble sleeping. When it is dark, our bodies release the hormone melatonin to help us feel tired and ready for sleep. Bright light at night can trick our bodies into thinking it is still daytime, making it harder for us to produce melatonin.

For animals that are active during the night, such as frogs, bats, and owls, light pollution can affect how they hunt, feed and mate. A bright night sky can make it harder for them to see or drive away the small creatures that they feed on.

Light pollution can also interfere with how animals navigate. Birds, for example, rely on moonlight to find their way when migrating or hunting at night. City lights can cause them to become disoriented. Every year, millions of birds die when they fly into lit-up buildings.

Other animals like insects are affected by light in a unique way. Think of bugs that fly into the light, like a moth to a flame. This interesting phenomenon, known as phototaxis, can be deadly for insects that use light sources to control their flight . In doing so, they often end up circling around light sources such as streetlights and dying from exhaustion or predation. Amid an insect apocalypse - the alarming decline of insect populations around the world - artificial light at night has been reported as a key cause , affecting almost every part of insects' behaviour, from feeding to mating.

Lights Out

In comparison to other problems we face, light pollution may be an easy one to solve. Cities can adopt laws to control outdoor lighting, such as using smart street lighting that dims when no one is around. In our homes, simple actions such as turning off unnecessary lights and drawing our curtains at night can reduce the amount of light that spills into our environment.

But to truly tackle this problem, we may need to change the way we understand darkness. Many of us have been conditioned to think of light as safe and darkness as something to fear. Yet, darkness is just as important and natural as light. It is an essential part of the environment for many plants and animals. By learning to value darkness, we can help safeguard ecosystems and the amazing creatures that live in them.

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What Is Light Pollution And Why Is It a Problem? - Earth.Org Kids

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Light pollution refers to the excessive use of artificial outdoor light. Common sources are cars, buildings, and streetlights in cities.

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Composting is a natural fit with school garden programs as it provides a responsible way to reuse waste with numerous science and math connections. It's also a way to teach students about the natural cycles of life, death, rebirth, and the recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem. Composting can also help remind students they are part of a bigger picture. What they do matters. By composting they are taking a step to care for our environment and give back to the garden. Just as each microorganism deep within the compost pile individually is small, when all the organisms work together they are able to decompose large amounts of waste and contribute beautiful, rich soil to the garden. Empowering students to work for a healthy cause at a young age can translate to make them more positive and influential leaders in the future.

Decomposition is an important process in our world. As living matter dies, organisms known as decomposers consume it, breaking it into smaller components that are then incorporated into the soil. The end product of the decomposition process is called humus, composed of a complex mix of nutrient rich, biologically stable kinds of organic matter. Humus helps create a beneficial soil structure for plants roots and also provides the nutrients needed for new plant life. Common decomposers include earthworms, insects and smaller microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.

What is Compost?
Compost is also decomposed organic matter, although it is not decomposed to the level of humus and is created in a controlled setting. Gardeners collect organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, and food scraps and then expose them to conditions that encourage microbial activity. By design, composting speeds up the decomposition process so the materials break down faster than if left to decompose in nature.

If a compost pile is built with the right mix and amount of organic matter, moisture, and air, "hot composting" occurs. The pile gets hot as millions of microbes release heat as they actively decompose the organic matter in the pile. The elevated temperatures in hot composting produce finished compost in one to three months and help to reduce the amount of plant pathogens and weed seeds it contains.

However, many gardeners aren't able to stockpile the raw materials needed to build a "hot" pile all at once. Instead, they add materials to their pile piecemeal as they become available. This results in a "cool" compost pile that doesn't heat up. Decomposing microbes are still at work, but at a slower rate than in a "hot" pile. It may take 6 months to a year to reach its finished state, but you'll still end up with beneficial compost to add to your garden. However cold composting doesn't produce temperatures high enough to kill pathogens and weed seeds, so it's important to exclude diseased plant materials, weed seeds, and the roots of many perennial weeds.

Just like humus, adding compost to the soil helps to create ideal growing conditions for a successful garden. Because of its structure, compost helps to make an excellent environment for plant roots, contributing to good air and water pore space in the soil that's necessary for strong root development. It contains the nutrients plants need for healthy growth in a form that makes them readily available for absorption. Additionally it contains beneficial microorganisms and stabilizes the soil pH (acidity or alkalinity).

Composting also provides numerous environmental benefits. It decreases the amount of waste going to the landfill conserving both space and decreasing costs. Additionally, it prevents the loss of nutrients and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.

How to Make Compost
For the fastest decomposition to occur, a compost pile should be at least 3 feet tall, wide, and deep and include a combination of "green" or high nitrogen-containing organic materials (e.g, fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings) and "brown" or high carbon-containing organic materials (e.g., branches, dry leaves). This will provide the decomposing organisms with the nutrients (carbon and nitrogen) they need in the correct proportion. A good general rule of thumb is to use roughly 2 parts of "brown" material for every 1 part of "green" material by volume. Alternating layers of these materials in the presence of adequate moisture (provided by rain or hand watering so material is as damp as a wrung out sponge), oxygen (incorporated through the turning the pile) and decomposers (add a sprinkling of soil between layers to introduce these microbes) provides the right environment for microbial activity to thrive. You know you have proper conditions and active composting taking place when the temperature in the center of the pile reaches at least 130ºF.

For the best results, locate your pile in a partial shade to full sun location, cut all ingredients into pieces 6 inches or less, and turn the pile regularly to add oxygen. The center of the pile will decompose fastest so you need to keep mixing the materials in the pile to even the rate of decomposition. You can use an aerator, shovel, or pitchfork to help with this task.

Depending on conditions and the size of the pile, decomposition should be complete in 6 to 12 months and ready to use when the mix has a warm brown color, crumbly texture, and a pleasant, earthy odor. Before adding your compost to your garden, use a framed sifter to sort out larger pieces that still need more time to fully decompose.

When composting is done correctly, it should not produce offensive odors. Offensive smells are indicators of an imbalance of materials in the compost. Avoid adding protein-based additions (e.g., meat or animal by-products) that can create problems with rodents, flies, and smells.

Compost Safely
While it's convenient to place compost bins near the garden, be sure to locate them where runoff from the bins will not drain into areas where edible plants are growing. If this is difficult to do on your site, consider using a completely enclosed, tumbler-type composter.

Keep bins enclosed or bury food wastes in the center of the pile to avoid attracting animals like rats and raccoons to the pile. Don't add cafeteria waste that could contain meat scraps, dairy products, or other foods of animal origin to your compost bin.

We do not recommend adding any animal manures to your compost pile. While "hot" composting (where temperatures in all parts of the pile reach 130 degrees F or higher) will kill many pathogens, it can't be relied on to kill all the harmful bacteria that animal manures may harbor. Hot composting is a batch process that requires stockpiling materials and then building a pile with the correct proportion of green and brown materials to fuel rapid decomposition. Instead many gardeners practice add-as-you-go "cold" composting - simply piling materials in any proportion as they accumulate and letting them breakdown slowly with time. These cold piles never reach temperatures that will kill off pathogens. This is also why it's a good idea not to add any obviously diseased plant material or plants with mature weed seeds to your pile to avoid carrying over problems from season to season.

How to Make a Compost Bin
While you can build a freestanding 3' to 5' compost pile, many gardeners prefer to contain their compost piles in bins. While there are many commercially constructed composters available, DIY designs are readily available; bins can be made from a wide range of materials such as wire, wood, concrete blocks and even old trashcans.

Bins can help with sorting the materials during the collection process, and once the piles are created, they can keep the materials contained and provide a neat and tidy appearance. Some bins are even designed to ease the turning of the materials to increase the rate of decomposition. Some compost bin models are enclosed, discouraging visits from unwanted animal pests.

How to Begin Composting at School
Composting at school can be a very rewarding endeavor. It not only decreases the waste your school produces, it allows students to participate in an activity that benefits their community and environment. The compost produced can be used in your school garden, providing savings on the purchase of fertilizers and other soil amendments. Here are a few key steps to help navigate the process.

Determine the amount of compostable materials you plan to collect. You can choose a small scale effort where you simply compost materials that are a byproduct of your garden activities, or you can approach it on a larger scale and collect organic waste from snacks and lunches from the cafeteria. You can choose to collect waste every day, once a week, or even just on special occasions or at specific events.

Research composting techniques. Research the different composting techniques and decide which one is the best fit for your facility and for your needs. Determine if you want to compost using indoor bins, outdoor bins, or a mixture of both.

Develop a collection process. Set up an efficient process for collecting food waste and for delivering it to your bins. Educate staff and students about each step of the process before beginning the program. Recruit additional volunteers beyond your composting committee to help.

Incorporate the program into the curriculum. Provide lesson and activity ideas for teachers on how to integrate the new composting efforts into their existing curriculum. If you are not using the composting program as a tool to support your educational efforts, your program will eventually lose the support of educators and administrators.

Involve the students. Encourage students to take active roles in the monitoring and processing the compost. Most importantly, complete the cycle for the children - use the compost created in gardening projects to make sure they see how their food waste turns into new food resources.

Build support for composting. Educate students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators about the benefits of composting. Establish a composting committee to explore ways your school could incorporate composting activities.

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Composting provides a responsible way to reuse waste, with numerous science and math connections. It's also a way to teach students about the natural cycles of life, death, rebirth, and the recycling of nutrients.

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Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant, food waste, recycling organic materials and manure. The resulting mixture is rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, nematodes and fungi. Compost improves soil fertility in gardens, landscaping, horticulture, urban agriculture, and organic farming and can reduce dependency on commercial chemical fertilizers.

At the simplest level, to make compost you need to gather a mix of 'greens' (green waste) and 'browns' (brown waste). Greens are materials rich in nitrogen such as leaves, grass, and food scraps. Browns are woody materials rich in carbon, such as stalks, paper, and wood chips. It takes months for the materials to break down into humus. Composting can be a multi-step, closely monitored process with measured inputs of water, air, and carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials.

The decomposition process is faster when the plant matter is shredded. Adding water and regularly turning over the mixture with a pitchfork also helps to accelerate the process. Fungi, earthworms, and other detritivores further break up the organic material.

Composting is an important part of waste management, since food and other compostable materials make up about 20% of waste in landfills, and these materials take longer to biodegrade in the landfill. Composting also provides economic and environmental co-benefits. For example, compost can also be used for land and stream reclamation, wetland construction, and landfill cover.

Fundamentals

Composting is an aerobic method of decomposing organic solid wastes. It can therefore be used to recycle organic material. The process involves decomposing organic material into a humus-like material, known as compost, which is a good fertilizer for plants.

Composting organisms require four equally important ingredients to work effectively:

Carbon is needed for energy; the microbial oxidation of carbon produces the heat required for other parts of the composting process. High carbon materials tend to be brown and dry.

Nitrogen is needed to grow and reproduce more organisms to oxidize the carbon. High nitrogen materials tend to be green and wet. They can also include colourful fruits and vegetables.

Oxygen is required for oxidizing the carbon, the decomposition process. Aerobic bacteria need oxygen levels above 5% to perform the processes needed for composting.

Water is necessary in the right amounts to maintain activity without causing anaerobic conditions.

Certain ratios of these materials will allow microorganisms to work at a rate that will heat up the compost pile. Active management of the pile (e.g., turning over the compost heap with a pitchfork) is needed to keep the right oxygen and moisture level. The air/water balance is critical to maintaining high temperatures 130-160 °F (54-71 °C) until the materials are broken down.

Nearly all dead plant and animal materials have both carbon and nitrogen in different amounts. Fresh grass clippings have an average ratio of about 15:1 and dry autumn leaves about 50:1 depending upon species. Composting is an ongoing and dynamic process, adding new sources of carbon and nitrogen consistently as well as active management is important.

Organisms can break down organic matter in compost if provided with the correct mixture of water, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen. They fall into two broad categories: chemical decomposers which perform chemical processes on the organic waste, and physical decomposers which process the waste into smaller pieces through methods such as grinding, tearing, chewing, and digesting.

Chemical decomposers

Bacteria - the most abundant and important of all the microorganisms found in compost. Bacteria process carbon and nitrogen and excrete plant-available nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium. Depending on the phase of composting, mesophilic or thermophilic bacteria may be the most prominent.

Mesophilic bacteria get compost to the thermophilic stage through oxidation of organic material. Afterwards, they cure it, which makes the fresh compost more bio-available for plants.

Thermophilic bacteria do not reproduce and are not active between −5 to 25 °C (23 to 77 °F), yet are found throughout soil. They activate once the mesophilic bacteria have begun to breakdown organic matter and increase the temperature to their optimal range. They have been shown to enter soils via rainwater. They are present so broadly because of many factors including their spores being resilient. Thermophilic bacteria thrive at higher temperatures, reaching 40-60 °C (104-140 °F) in typical mixes. Large-scale composting operations, such as windrow composting, may exceed this temperature, potentially killing beneficial soil microorganisms but also pasteurizing the waste.

Actinomycetota are needed to break down paper products such as newspaper, bark, etc and other large molecules such as lignin and cellulose that are more difficult to decompose. The "pleasant earthy smell of compost" is attributed to Actinomycetota. They make carbon, ammonia, and nitrogen nutrients available to plants.

Fungi such as mold and yeast help break down materials that bacteria cannot, especially cellulose and lignin in woody material.

Protozoa - contribute to biodegradation of organic matter as well as consuming non-active bacteria, fungi, and micro-organic particulates.

Physical decomposers

Ants - create nests, making the soil more porous and transporting nutrients to different areas of the compost.

Beetles - grubs feed on decaying vegetables.

Earthworms - ingest partly composted material and excrete worm castings, making nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium available to plants. The tunnels they create as they move through the compost also increase aeration and drainage.

Flies - feed on almost all organic material and input bacteria into the compost. Their population is kept in check by mites and the thermophilic temperatures that are unsuitable for fly larvae.

Millipedes - break down plant material.

Rotifers - feed on plant particles.

Snails and slugs - feed on living or fresh plant material. They should be removed from compost before use as they can damage plants and crops.

Sow bugs - feed on rotting wood, and decaying vegetation.

Springtails - feed on fungi, mold, and decomposing plants.

Hot and cold composting - impact on timing

The time required to compost material relates to the volume of material, the particle size of the inputs (e.g. wood chips break down faster than branches), and the amount of mixing and aeration. Generally, larger piles will reach higher temperatures and remain in a thermophilic stage for days or weeks. This is hot composting and is the usual method for large-scale municipal facilities and agricultural operations.

The 'Berkeley method' produces finished compost in eighteen days. It requires assembly of at least 1 cubic metre (35 cu ft) of material at the outset and needs turning every two days after an initial four-day phase. Such short processes involve some changes to traditional methods, including smaller, more homogenized particle sizes in the input materials, controlling carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) at 30:1 or less, and careful monitoring of the moisture level.

Cold composting is a slower process that can take up to a year to complete. It results from smaller piles, including many residential compost piles that receive small amounts of kitchen and garden waste over extended periods. Piles smaller than 1 cubic metre (35 cu ft) tend not to reach and maintain high temperatures. Turning is not necessary with cold composting, although there is a risk that parts of the pile may go anaerobic as they become compacted or water-logged.

Pathogen removal

Composting can destroy some pathogens and seeds, by reaching temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F). Dealing with stabilized compost - i.e. composted material in which microorganisms have finished digesting the organic matter and the temperature has reached between 50-70 °C (122-158 °F) - poses very little risk, as these temperatures kill pathogens and even make oocysts unviable. The temperature at which a pathogen dies depends on the pathogen, how long the temperature is maintained (seconds to weeks), and pH.

Compost products like compost tea and compost extracts have been found to have an inhibitory effect on Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia sp., and Pythium debaryanum, plant pathogens that can cause crop diseases. Aerated compost teas are more effective than compost extracts. The microbiota and enzymes present in compost extracts also have a suppressive effect on fungal plant pathogens. Compost is a good source of biocontrol agents like B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, and P. chrysogenum that fight plant pathogens. Sterilizing the compost, compost tea, or compost extracts reduces the effect of pathogen suppression.

Diseases that can be contracted from handling compost

When turning compost that has not gone through phases where temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F) are reached, a mouth mask and gloves must be worn to protect from diseases that can be contracted from handling compost, including:

Aspergillosis

Farmer's lung

Histoplasmosis - a fungus that grows in guano and bird droppings

Legionnaires' disease

Paronychia - via infection around the fingernails and toenails

Tetanus - a central nervous system disease

Oocytes are rendered unviable by temperatures over 50 °C (122 °F).
Environmental Benefits
Composting at home reduces the amount of green waste being hauled to dumps or composting facilities. The reduced volume of materials being picked up by trucks results in less trips which in turn lowers the overall emissions from the waste management fleet.

Materials that can be composted

Potential sources of compostable materials, or feedstocks, include residential, agricultural, and commercial waste streams. Residential food or yard waste can be composted at home, or collected for inclusion in a large-scale municipal composting facility. In some regions, it could also be included in a local or neighborhood composting project.

Organic solid waste

There are two broad categories of organic solid waste: green waste and brown waste.

Green waste is generally considered a source of nitrogen and includes pre and post-consumer food waste, grass clippings, garden trimmings, and fresh leaves. Animal carcasses, roadkill, and butcher residue can also be composted and these are considered nitrogen sources.

Brown waste is a carbon source. Typical examples are dried vegetation and woody material such as fallen leaves, straw, woodchips, limbs, logs, pine needles, sawdust, and wood ash but not charcoal ash. Products derived from wood such as paper and plain cardboard are also considered carbon sources.

Animal manure and bedding

On many farms, the basic composting ingredients are animal manure generated on the farm as a nitrogen source, and bedding as the carbon source. Straw and sawdust are common bedding materials. Non-traditional bedding materials are also used, including newspaper and chopped cardboard. The amount of manure composted on a livestock farm is often determined by cleaning schedules, land availability, and weather conditions. Each type of manure has its own physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Cattle and horse manures, when mixed with bedding, possess good qualities for composting. Swine manure, which is very wet and usually not mixed with bedding material, must be mixed with straw or similar raw materials. Poultry manure must be blended with high-carbon, low-nitrogen materials.

Human excreta

Human excreta, sometimes called "humanure" in the composting context, can be added as an input to the composting process since it is a nutrient-rich organic material. Nitrogen, which serves as a building block for important plant amino acids, is found in solid human waste. Phosphorus, which helps plants convert sunlight into energy in the form of ATP, can be found in liquid human waste.

Solid human waste can be collected directly in composting toilets, or indirectly in the form of sewage sludge after it has undergone treatment in a sewage treatment plant. Both processes require capable design as there are potential health risks that need to be managed. In the case of home composting, a wide range of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses and parasitic worms can be present in feces, and improper processing can pose significant health risks. In the case of large sewage treatment facilities that collect wastewater from a range of residential, commercial and industrial sources, there are additional considerations. The composted sewage sludge, referred to as biosolids, can be contaminated with a variety of metals and pharmaceutical compounds. Insufficient processing of biosolids can also lead to problems when the material is applied to land.

Urine can be put on compost piles or directly used as fertilizer. Adding urine to compost can increase temperatures and therefore increase its ability to destroy pathogens and unwanted seeds. Unlike feces, urine does not attract disease-spreading flies (such as houseflies or blowflies), and it does not contain the most hardy of pathogens, such as parasitic worm eggs.

Animal remains

Animal carcasses may be composted as a disposal option. Such material is rich in nitrogen.

Agriculture and gardening

On open ground for growing wheat, corn, soybeans, and similar crops, compost can be broadcast across the top of the soil using spreader trucks or spreaders pulled behind a tractor. It is expected that the spread layer is very thin (approximately 6 mm (0.24 in)) and worked into the soil prior to planting. Application rates of 25 mm (0.98 in) or more are not unusual when trying to rebuild poor soils or control erosion. Due to the extremely high cost of compost per unit of nutrients in the United States, on-farm use is relatively rare since rates over 4 tons/acre may not be affordable. This results from an over-emphasis on "recycling organic matter" than on "sustainable nutrients." In countries such as Germany, where compost distribution and spreading are partially subsidized in the original waste fees, compost is used more frequently on open ground on the premise of nutrient "sustainability".

In plasticulture, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, melons, and other fruits and vegetables are grown under plastic to control temperature, retain moisture and control weeds. Compost may be banded (applied in strips along rows) and worked into the soil prior to bedding and planting, be applied at the same time the beds are constructed and plastic laid down, or used as a top dressing.

Many crops are not seeded directly in the field but are started in seed trays in a greenhouse. When the seedlings reach a certain stage of growth, they are transplanted in the field. Compost may be part of the mix used to grow the seedlings, but is not normally used as the only planting substrate. The particular crop and the seeds' sensitivity to nutrients, salts, etc. dictates the ratio of the blend, and maturity is important to insure that oxygen deprivation will not occur or that no lingering phyto-toxins remain.

Compost can be added to soil, coir, or peat, as a tilth improver, supplying humus and nutrients. It provides a rich growing medium as absorbent material. This material contains moisture and soluble minerals, which provide support and nutrients. Although it is rarely used alone, plants can flourish from mixed soil, sand, grit, bark chips, vermiculite, perlite, or clay granules to produce loam.[relevant? ] Compost can be tilled directly into the soil or growing medium to boost the level of organic matter and the overall fertility of the soil. Compost that is ready to be used as an additive is dark brown or even black with an earthy smell.

Generally, direct seeding into a compost is not recommended due to the speed with which it may dry, the possible presence of phytotoxins in immature compost that may inhibit germination, and the possible tie up of nitrogen by incompletely decomposed lignin. It is very common to see blends of 20-30% compost used for transplanting seedlings.

Compost can be used to increase plant immunity to diseases and pests.

Compost tea

Compost tea is made up of extracts of fermented water leached from composted materials. Composts can be either aerated or non-aerated depending on its fermentation process. Compost teas are generally produced from adding compost to water in a ratio of 1:4-1:10, occasionally stirring to release microbes.

There is debate about the benefits of aerating the mixture. Non-aerated compost tea is cheaper and less labor intensive, but there are conflicting studies regarding the risks of phytotoxicity and human pathogen regrowth. Aerated compost tea brews faster and generates more microbes, but has potential for human pathogen regrowth.

Field studies have shown the benefits of adding compost teas to crops due to organic matter input, increased nutrient availability, and increased microbial activity. They have also been shown to have a suppressive effect on plant pathogens and soil-borne diseases. The efficacy is influenced by a number of factors, such as the preparation process, the type of source the conditions of the brewing process, and the environment of the crops. Adding nutrients to compost tea can be beneficial for disease suppression, although it can trigger the regrowth of human pathogens like and Salmonella.

Compost extract

Compost extracts are unfermented or non-brewed extracts of leached compost contents dissolved in any solvent.

Commercial sale

Compost is sold as bagged potting mixes in garden centers and other outlets. This may include composted materials such as manure and peat but is also likely to contain loam, fertilizers, sand, grit, etc. Varieties include multi-purpose composts designed for most aspects of planting, John Innes formulations, grow bags, designed to have crops such as tomatoes directly planted into them. There are also a range of specialist composts available, e.g. for vegetables, orchids, houseplants, hanging baskets, roses, ericaceous plants, seedlings, potting on, etc.

Compost can also be used for land and stream reclamation, wetland construction, and landfill cover.

The temperatures generated by compost can be used to heat greenhouses, such as by being placed around the outside edges.

Regulations

There are process and product guidelines in Europe that date to the early 1980s (Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland) and only more recently in the UK and the US. In both these countries, private trade associations within the industry have established loose standards, some say as a stop-gap measure to discourage independent government agencies from establishing tougher consumer-friendly standards. Compost is regulated in Canada and Australia as well.

EPA Class A and B guidelines in the United States were developed solely to manage the processing and beneficial reuse of sludge, also now called biosolids, following the US EPA ban of ocean dumping. About 26 American states now require composts to be processed according to these federal protocols for pathogen and vector control, even though the application to non-sludge materials has not been scientifically tested. An example is that green waste composts are used at much higher rates than sludge composts were ever anticipated to be applied at. U.K guidelines also exist regarding compost quality, as well as Canadian, Australian, and the various European states.

In the United States, some compost manufacturers participate in a testing program offered by a private lobbying organization called the U.S. Composting Council. The USCC was originally established in 1991 by Procter & Gamble to promote composting of disposable diapers, following state mandates to ban diapers in landfills, which caused a national uproar. Ultimately the idea of composting diapers was abandoned, partly since it was not proven scientifically to be possible, and mostly because the concept was a marketing stunt in the first place. After this, composting emphasis shifted back to recycling organic wastes previously destined for landfills. There are no bonafide quality standards in America, but the USCC sells a seal called "Seal of Testing Assurance" (also called "STA"). For a considerable fee, the applicant may display the USCC logo on products, agreeing to volunteer to customers a current laboratory analysis that includes parameters such as nutrients, respiration rate, salt content, pH, and limited other indicators.

Many countries such as Wales and some individual cities such as Seattle and San Francisco require food and yard waste to be sorted for composting (San Francisco Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance).

The USA is the only Western country that does not distinguish sludge-source compost from green-composts, and by default 50% of US states expect composts to comply in some manner with the federal EPA 503 rule promulgated in 1984 for sludge products.

There are health risk concerns about PFASs ("forever chemicals") levels in compost derived from sewage sledge sourced biosolids, and EPA has not set health risk standards for this. The Sierra Club recommends that home gardeners avoid the use of sewage sludge-base fertilizer and compost, in part due to potentially high levels of PFASs. The EPA PFAS Strategic Roadmap initiative, running from 2021 to 2024, will consider the full lifecycle of PFAS including health risks of PFAS in wastewater sludge.

Composting dates back to at least the early Roman Empire, and was mentioned as early as Cato the Elder's 160 BCE piece De Agri Cultura. Traditionally, composting involved piling organic materials until the next planting season, at which time the materials would have decayed enough to be ready for use in the soil. The advantage of this method is that little working time or effort is required from the composter and it fits in naturally with agricultural practices in temperate climates. Disadvantages (from the modern perspective) are that space is used for a whole year, some nutrients might be leached due to exposure to rainfall, and disease-producing organisms and insects may not be adequately controlled.

Composting began to modernize somewhat from the 1920s in Europe as a tool for organic farming. The first industrial station for the transformation of urban organic materials into compost was set up in Wels, Austria in the year 1921. Early proponents of composting within farming include Rudolf Steiner, founder of a farming method called biodynamics, and Annie Francé-Harrar, who was appointed on behalf of the government in Mexico and supported the country in 1950-1958 to set up a large humus organization in the fight against erosion and soil degradation. Sir Albert Howard, who worked extensively in India on sustainable practices, and Lady Eve Balfour were also major proponents of composting. Composting was imported to America by the likes of:

J. I. Rodale - founder of Rodale, Inc. Organic Gardening

Paul Keene - founder of Walnut Acres in Pennsylvania

and Scott and Helen Nearing - inspired the back-to-the-land movement of the 1960s

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Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant, food waste, recycling organic materials and manure. The resulting mixture is rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, nematodes and fungi.

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Did you know that every time you leave the tap running while you brush your teeth, you are wasting up to four gallons of water? Water is a precious resource, and it is important that we all do our part to conserve it. In this article, we explore the importance of water conservation and share some simple ways that kids can help save water and protect our planet's most important resource.

What Is Water Scarcity?

Water scarcity is when there is not enough clean water for people to drink, wash, and use for other things. The United Nations says that 2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and 3.6 billion people do not have good sanitation. This is a big problem that affects many parts of the world.

Water shortages can cause many problems for people and the environment. For example, water shortages can lead to food shortages because farmers need water to grow crops. It can also cause people to get sick from drinking contaminated water or not having enough water to keep clean.

In some parts of the world, people have to walk long distances to get water, and they may not even be able to find enough to drink or use for cooking and cleaning. This is especially hard on children, who may have to miss school to help their families find water.

To help solve this problem, it is important to conserve water whenever possible. This means using less water when we brush our teeth, take showers, and wash dishes. We can also use plants that do not need a lot of water in our gardens and collect rainwater to use for our plants. It is also important for governments to make laws that protect our water sources and make sure everyone has access to clean water.

Governments can also help by making laws that protect our water sources and charging more money for people who use a lot of water. We need to work together to make sure everyone has enough clean water to drink and use.

How Do We Make Sure That Everyone Has Access to Clean Water?

Ensuring that everyone has access to clean water is a big challenge, but there are several things we can do to make it more likely:

1. Increase investment in water infrastructure: Governments and organisations can invest in building water treatment plants, drilling wells, and installing pipelines to bring clean water to areas without it.

2. Improve water conservation: Encouraging people to use water more efficiently, such as by fixing leaks, taking shorter showers, and watering plants during cooler hours, can help ensure that water is not wasted and that it is available for everyone.

3. Address climate change: Climate Change is causing droughts and water shortages in many areas, so it is important to take actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.

4. Support education and public awareness campaigns: Educating people about the importance of clean water and how to conserve it can help ensure that everyone understands the need to protect this precious resource.

5. Promote international cooperation: Countries can work together to share water resources, invest in infrastructure, and address global water scarcity challenges.

By taking these steps, we can work towards ensuring that everyone has access to clean water and that our water resources are protected for future generations.

Water Conservation: Useful Tips

There are many ways we can conserve water in our daily lives. Here are some more ideas:

1. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean outdoor areas like driveways and patios. This can save a lot of water.

2. Fix leaks in your home. Even a small leak can waste a lot of water over time.

3. Install low-flow showerheads and faucets. These use less water than traditional fixtures and can save a lot of water over time.

4. Only run the dishwasher and washing machine when they are full. This can save a lot of water and energy.

5. Water your plants early in the morning or late in the evening when it is cooler. This will help prevent evaporation and ensure that the plants get the most water possible.

6. Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation and keep your pool clean.

7. Take shorter showers. Even cutting one minute off your shower time can save a lot of water over time.

8. Use a bucket to catch water while you're waiting for the shower or sink to warm up. You can use this water for plants or cleaning later on.

These are just a few ideas for conserving water. By making small changes in our daily lives, we can all do our part to help conserve this precious resource.
Check this out next: Educating Children on How to Cope With Climate Disasters Through Books

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Understanding the Importance of Water Conservation - Earth.Org Kids

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Water is a precious resource, and it is important that we all do our part to conserve it. In this article, we explore the importance of water conservation and share some simple ways that kids can help save water and protect our planet's most important resource.

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Saving energy - Energy Kids: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

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It's good safety practice to unplug device chargers when not in use, and it also saves energy. "Phantom energy" is the electricity that's absorbed by appliances from the grid, even when they are not turned on. The good news here is that devices manufactured in recent years comply to regulations that reduce how much energy they draw when not in use.

So while unplugging unused appliances and chargers may not reduce your energy bill in a noticeable way, it is still a great way to teach children to be conscious of their energy use. Device chargers are everywhere now, so teach children to unplug them when they are finished charging, and to unplug the chargers, as well (or, if they are too young to unplug devices by themselves, ask them to let you know when it is time to unplug chargers or devices.)

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We all know about kid's seemingly limitless energy, but do your kids know about the earth's limited energy? Find energy facts for kids here!

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All of the changes that happen in the universe depend on energy. To cause a change to occur, energy may change form. For example, the chemical energy in wood changes to…

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This primary resource features 25 ways that pupils can help save water, keep our oceans, rivers and streams clean, and protect our planet's aquatic animals. It shows children that they can do their bit to protect the environment, and that a few small changes can make a big difference.

The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for discussion about conservation, pollution and ways to help protect the environment. The resource can be used as a printed handout for each pupil to review and annotate, or for display on the interactive whiteboard for class discussion.

Activity: Ask pupils to read and think about our 25 ' Water Hero ' tips. What do they currently do to help save water and protect the environment? Could they do more? The children could divide the tips into two groups: lists of the things they already do, and the things they will start to do. As a more creative activity, the class could make eco posters or banners about the importance of conserving water and protecting our rivers and oceans. Their posters/banners could feature our tips, as well as their own water facts and colourful images.

The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the English National Curriculum and Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email: schools@ngkids.co.uk

This primary resource assists with teaching the following Key Stage 2 Geography objectives from the National Curriculum:
Pupils should be taught to: describe and understand key aspects of:

physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle

human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water

Also see National Curriculum Key Stage 2 Science (Year 4) objective:

recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.

This primary resource assists with teaching the following Social Studies Early level objective from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence:
Scottish Curriculum for Excellence First level Social Studies objectives:

I explore and appreciate the wonder of nature within different environments and have played a part in caring for the environment
Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Second level Social Studies objectives:

By exploring climate zones around the world, I can compare and describe how climate affects living things.

By exploring a natural environment different from my own, I can discover how the physical features influence the variety of living things

Having explored the ways journeys can be made, I can consider the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of transport, discussing their impact on the environment Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Third level Social Studies objectives:

I can discuss the environmental impact of human activity and suggest ways in which we can live in a more environmentally- responsible way
Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Fourth level Social Studies objectives:

I can identify the possible consequences of an environmental issue and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact

I can discuss the sustainability of key natural resources and analyse the possible implications for human activity

I can develop my understanding of the interaction between humans and the environment by describing and assessing the impact of human activity on an area

I can identify threats facing the main climate zones, including climate change, and analyse how these threats impact on the way of life

This primary resource assists with teaching the following Science Studies Second level objective from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence:

I have investigated different water samples from the environment and explored methods that can be used to clean and conserve water and I am aware of the properties and uses of water

Download primary resource

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Water conservation primary resource - National Geographic Kids

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Download our free Water Conservation primary resource. Tailored to the curriculum, this geography resource features 25 top tips on how to save water, keep our oceans and rivers clean, and protect our planet's aquatic animals. Become a water hero and do your bit for the environment!