EcoKids Blog

In the ocean Co2 levels are increasing which will endanger many species unless we do something about it. This is called ocean acidification. Ocean acidification is mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels. If we stop burning so many fossil fuels it ’ll help this problem because burning them causes carbon dioxide in the atmosphere end up in the ocean. This makes the water more acidic and less hospitable for animals to live in. Over time co2 reduces calcium carbonate and this effects shell which will dissolve. Crab and lobster shells will dissolve don’t you want to be able to eat them if this problem continues, probably won’t. The acidic water from all this makes the base of the food web die because there skeletons wont form in those conditions. This causes all the animals who eat them in trouble cause if they die out what will they eat?

Julia, age 13

Photo credit: Courtesy of flickr user William Cho

Many Canadians go camping when they are on summer vacation. But did you know that camping can actually be harmful to the environment?

Here are some tips for being more environmentally friendly when you go camping this summer!

-         Make sure that everything you bring in to the campground comes back out with you!

-         Plan ahead so that you only bring what you need.

-         Light fires only in fire pits and use a camp stove to cook.

-         Try to keep the fires small.

-         Never burn garbage in the fire pit!

-         Put out fires when you’re done with them!

-         Try to only camp on campsites so that you won’t damage untouched areas.

-         Respect wildlife, you are in their home. Don’t feed or approach animals, and keep your pets from chasing them.

-         Leave natural objects as you found them.

-         Respect other visitors.

-         Leave the campsite in better condition that when you arrived.

 The most important thing to remember is Have Fun! Enjoy your summer and all the natural beauty that Canada has to offer!

 Go to Parks Canada to find a national park near you!

Lauren Crickmore, Educational Program Assistant

by the Buck Tooth Tigers
(Misha, Eric, Mitchell, Adam)

The students worked in teams to create their own original animated films about environmental issues. These video were created at the National Film Board Mediatheque. For more information on how you can get involve with the National Film Board visit their website or if you would like to participate in the National Film Board Mediatheque Summer Camp in Toronto, click here.

Be creative too and send us your animation video at ecokids@earthday.ca

I want to let you all know why bike riding is important to Toronto. The first reason is that it doesn’t make pollution because it doesn’t have a motor running so you have to use your own body’s energy. The second reason is that you get a good work out and if you want to burn off some calories because you are working hard and if you are sweating after your bike ride that means you have burnt off some calories. The third reason why biking is important is that it is enjoyable on sunny days. My very last reason why it is good to bike in the city is that you go a lot faster than cars on the road because you get your own bike lane.

 These are my suggestions and it is your choice to listen to them.

By Julien Brule-Treffry

Photo credit: Courtesy of flickr user Aubrey Arenas

“Oh little worms in the bin so neat, how we wonder what you eat.  Apples, eggshells, veggies, too.  All these things are good for you.  Little worms in the bin so neat.  Now we all know what you eat!”

 Hey kids, these are lyrics to the song Little Worms, which is a song about how worms compost our food scraps. You can create your own compost at your home or in your class.  And what kid doesn’t like exploring insects?! 

 Here is a step by step guide for making a worm compost bin (you will also need an adult to help).

Materials: One 12-gallon coloured plastic storage bin (choose one that is smaller if storage space is an issue), Electric drill with 1/2-inch drill biT, Hot glue gun (Be careful. These are very HOT and may cause burns. Please ask an adult to help.), Four plastic pop lids, Newspaper, Water, One pound of red worms.

Instructions

Step 1: Ask and adult to drill eight holes into the bottom of the compost bin. Space them out evenly to allow water to drain throughout the bin (please ask an adult to do this part).

Step 2: Glue plastic pop lids to each of the four corners on the bottom of the container (please ask an adult to this part).  The pop lids will act like “legs,” which will slightly lift the container to allow water to drain.

Step 3: Place the compost bin on a flat surface outdoors or indoors. The compost bin may remain outdoors when the temperature outside is between 12º C and 25º C.  Otherwise, place the compost bin indoors with a tray under it.

Step 4: Shred some newspaper into strips about an inch wide. Fill about two-thirds of the compost bin with the newspaper strips.

Step 5: Pour six cups of water into the compost bin and mix the newspaper strips around to get them wet.

Step 6: Place the worms in the compost bin. Allow them to live in the bin for about three days before feeding them.

Step 7: Fill the bin with scrap foods such as fruits, vegetables, eggshells, tea bags and coffee grounds.  You can also continuously add shredded paper (not glossy), coffee filters, leaves and lawn clippings. Do not add plastic, meat or dairy products.

Step 8: Continue to put your food waste into the compost once or twice a week but do not add more then one pound of food waste at a time. Dig halfway down into each section, place the food down in an even layer and cover with the old waste you dug up.  Rotate quarter sections each time you feed your worms.

Let us know how your worms are doing!  If you have a worm compost bin, share your experience with us. What do you like about it? What do you think is interesting in a worm comport bin? What have you composted?

By Nicole, EcoKids Intern

Little Worms is reprinted courtesy of Envirokids, a program of the City of Tacoma, Washington: http://www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/envirokids/activities/songs.htm

Photo credit: Courtesy flickr user looseends

by the Hollywood Filmmakers
(Shiran, Alegra, Salena, Julia, Ady, Tarquin)

The students worked in teams to create their own original animated films about environmental issues. These video were created at the National Film Board Mediatheque. For more information on how you can get involve with the National Film Board visit their website or if you would like to participate in the National Film Board Mediatheque Summer Camp in Toronto, click here.

Be creative too and send us your animation video at ecokids@earthday.ca

Hi,

I am a tiger. I am an endangered animal. Many people kill me for my fur and also medicine from my body. There are only 3,200 more tigers in the world. Please help me exist in this world. There are more endangered animals. Help them too.

Niveya, age 10

On Earth Day, April 22, 2010, an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded and sank. There is now an open oil well off the coast of Louisiana that is leaking about 795 000 litres of oil every day. That’s almost as much as filling an Olympic-sized swimming pool with oil every three days.

 The US Coast Guard and many volunteers are trying to plug the hole, clean up the oil and stop it from spreading. This is very difficult to do. The hole is really deep in the water and it is very hard to plug. The weather is also causing big waves that are pushing the oil past the big inflatable bars, called booms, that are trying to keep it in place.

 The Coast Guard has set fire to the oil in different spots to burn it away. Once burned, the oil forms into hard balls that can be scooped out of the water much easier than liquid oil. Nobody knows how many days it will take to plug the hole and clean up all of the oil.

 Oil spills are very dangerous for the wildlife living in the area, which includes birds, sea turtles, dolphins, fish, crabs, oysters, shrimp and many other species.

 After seeing the damage that the spill in the US caused, the Sierra Club of Canada wants to delay offshore oil drilling. They think this disaster has shown that the process is not safe enough.

 If you want to help, try to walk, bike and use public transit as much as possible so that you use less oil and won’t need offshore drilling!

 Let us know what you think about what’s happening with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill!

Lauren, EcoKids Assistant

Photo credit: Courtesy flickr user Marine Photobank

Reference:

 http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/803480–barack-obama-vows-to-stop-oil-spill-crisis

Hey EcoKids, I LOVE animals! How about you?

I don’t know what I would do without my dog; he means the world to me. That is why we need to love and protect our animals–household pets AND wild animals.

It is sad though, that in Canada and other parts of the world, wild animals are becoming endangered. This means that some animals exist in such small numbers that they are at risk of extinction.

 In Canada, some of these animals and mammals include the Bald Eagle, the Barn Owl, the Beluga Wale, the Northern Fur Seal, the Northern Gray Wolf, the Sea Otter and many more. In order to stop these animals from being endangered, you can take action and make a positive change.

Here a couple of suggestions

 • Propose to your teacher that you start an animal research project by having your class research one Canadian animal that is endangered. Get all the classes in your school involved.

 • For older elementary students, start a fundraiser (be sure to ask your principal first) like a bake sale to create animal awareness in your school and to collect money so you can adopt an animal (local zoos usually have adoption programs) or make a donation to an animal protection program.

These are only a couple of ways you can help deal with the problem of animals becoming endangered. Be sure to let us know what you are doing!

Government of Canada. Species at Risk Public Registry http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/sar/index/default_e.cfm

Nicole, EcoKids Intern

Photo credit: Courtesy flickr user Jenny Spadafora

Many people think, “Oh, it’s just an empty water bottle, what is it gonna do to the earth. I know NOTHING!!” Actually, they’re wrong, there are A LOT of things that just one empty water bottle can do to the environment. For instance, it takes years to decompose and can maybe end up around a ducks neck if it’s a pop can holder {you know the round circles that you’re supposed to cut before you throw them away!} Turns out, to people who might NOT have known this, it of course is going to hurt the environment! So next time you are just thinking, » How’s it going to hurt the environment? Oh, wait, it WON’T!!” Well maybe now you’ll actually think before you act!

Tara, age 12

Photo credit: Courtesy flickr user Horia Varlan