The document summarizes why going green is important. It notes that natural resources are limited and household waste like batteries and electronics pollute groundwater when thrown away. Recycling saves energy, water, and natural resources that would be used to make new products from raw materials. Specific statistics are given about the benefits of recycling paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic bottles. The harms of deforestation and carbon emissions are discussed. Simple steps to go green like using CFL bulbs, bringing reusable items, using public transit, composting, and recycling are recommended. Conservation groups and reducing, reusing, and rethinking consumption habits can help preserve the planet.
2. Why Should We Go Green? The world has a fixed amount of natural resources - some of which are already depleted. Threats to future resources come from things we throw away everyday. Household batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that leak through and pollute the groundwater. Throwing away items that could be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that could be saved by recycling. Shawn Waters 2
3. Did You Know… For every ton of paper that is recycled, 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months is saved. Recycling one aluminum will save enough energy to run a TV for three hours. By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours. If every household recycled 1 out of 10 plastic bottles they used, we’d keep 200 million lbs. of plastic out of the landfill every year. If 100,00 people stopped receiving their junk mail, we would save up to 150,000 trees annually. Imagine if a million people did this, we would save up to a million trees! Shawn Waters 3
5. What harm arewecausing??? 63,000 sq. miles of rain forest are being destroyed each year . (10 football fields) After Each year approximately 4 billion tons of carbon accumulates in the air, about 30% comes from the continued burning of the rainforest. Shawn Waters 5
19. Volunteer time and money to conservation help preserve this beautiful planet for future generations to come. www.greenpeace.org www.earthhour.org www.earth911.org
Notes de l'éditeur
Help the audience visualize how much damage the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is creating. Click on links (picture has animation like url)
