Posted by Another Phenomenal Friday Fact
Cattle ranching is the leading cause of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, eating away at thousands of square miles of irreplaceable forest lands every year.
Learn more about Rain Forest Deforestation and Habit Destruction.
Another Phenomenal Friday Fact!
Another Phenomenal Friday Fact!
The Arctic is warming so fast that by 2050 it may be largely ice free in summer. Without their frozen hunting platform, how will polar bears survive?
Learn more in the July 2011 issue of National Geographic magazine.
Get the facts on Polar Bears.
Another Phenomenal Friday Fact!
Every hour the sun beams onto Earth more than enough energy to satisfy global energy needs for an entire year. Solar energy is the technology used to harness the sun’s energy and make it useable.
Photograph by Photography Lover, NG Kids My Shot
Who’s this octopus? He’s Marmo, the mascot for PUMA’s new ocean conservation campaign. He is a smart, strong sea creature. In this photo, he is standing with PUMA’s boat the Mar Mostro, which sails with the PUMA Volvo Ocean Racing team.
During the upcoming 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race, Marmo will share his experiences as well as information on marine creatures, habitats, and ocean issues. He will also make appearances at local aquariums and schools in stopover ports along the race’s route.
Marmo will share his experiences on PUMA’s website. Click here to visit!
Watch a video of an octopus squirting a curious bird on National Geographic Kids.
Photograph courtesy of PUMA
The average shower lasts about eight minutes long and uses 15 gallons of water. If you can shorten your shower, you can save several gallons!
We use water for everything. Check out these facts that explore freshwater, the animals that live in it, and how we use it.
1. When a river otter dives, its ears and nose close tightly to keep water out.
2. Since 1999, about 430 dams in the United States have been removed, allowing rivers to return to their natural flow.
3. The armored catfish may look as if it shimmers, but its sheen is actually the reflection of a thin layer of crystals underneath its skin.
4. Male platypuses–aquatic mammals that live near rivers and lakes in eastern Australia and the island of Tasmania–are venomous.
5. More Americans fish than play tennis or golf.
6. The Nile, the world’s longest river, stretches about 4,000 miles–the length of more than 42 million dollar bills lined up end to end.
7. The rain that falls today is the same freshwater that dinosaurs drank.
8. Freshwater makes up less than three percent of the Earth’s water.
9. A bath uses 75 percent more water than a five-minute shower.
10. The snake-necked turtle, found in marshes and shallow waters of Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, smells like a skunk.
Just one recycled can saves enough energy to run a small radio for more than ten hours.
In 2011, Earth’s population will reach 7 billion and put a strain on
the planet’s resources. What is a typical person like? Watch this
fact-packed video to find out!
Time for another phenomenal Friday fact!
25% of the waste in U.S. landfills is made up of organic
matter like food scraps and yard clippings. Try composting these items instead
of tossing them in the trash!
Alec Loorz and many other young people are concerned about climate change. To raise awareness of the environmental threats to the planet, Alec is encouraging young people to participate in events in cities across the globe May 7 – 14.
“iMatter is about the generation most affected by climate change standing up and working for a planet worth inheriting,” Alec says. “It is about mobilizing and empowering our generation to create a sustainable and just world.”
To find out more about the march, go to iMatter March.
Another phenomenal Friday fact!
than North America.
Photograph by NASA images courtesy NASA Ozone Hole Watch.
Teams from 30 universities and 18 high schools from the United States
and Canada – including the first all girls team — met in Houston for
Shell’s Eco-marathon Americas competition on April 16 and 17 to show
that it is possible to create cars that use less fuel. The teams proved
this by slow-speed racing their homemade vehicles.
The all-girls team from Washington’s Granite Falls High School had high hopes for their lime green vehicle, the Iron Maiden, but technical problems denied them their fuel economy goal of 678 miles per gallon (288 kilometers per liter), which would have broken the 26-year-old program’s previous record for diesel vehicles. Instead, they ran at 378 mpg (161 km/l) and received a special award for safety in vehicle design, construction and onsite behavior.
See the entire list of winners.
Look at pictures from the event.
Phenomenal Friday fact!
Earth Day is celebrated every year by more than a billion people in 180 nations around the world.
How do you celebrate Earth Day? Comment below.
Photograph by Kevin Turner, Flickr
Professional cartoonist and environmental activist Drew Aquilina is bringing fun and laughter to the 2011 Earth Day project “A Billion Acts of Green” with his new collection of nature cartoons in his book “Green Pieces: Green From the Pond Up.”
Aquilina uses his cartoons to teach respect for nature by reconnecting with it. Aquilina’s message focuses on the idea that the more people go outside to learn about the world from nature’s perspective, the more they’ll understand and want to protect it.
Click to enlarge cartoons:
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NGKids: What are your plans this Earth Day?
Aquilina: I am planning on going to a local childrens hospital to donate some Green Pieces: Green From the Pond Up cartoon books and light tables for use at the hospital’s classroom. Many of our local hospitals have classrooms for kids to help them stay academically current with their studies during their hospital stay. During my visits, I will be teaching kids how to draw cartoons by using the light tables and to talk about the environment.
NGKids: What are five fun Earth Day activities that kids of all ages can enjoy?
Aquilina:
1. Plan a camping trip in your own backyard, this can be a test run for future camping trips at local camp sites.
2.
Identify what plants and animals live in your yard. Try to discover
what is living right outside your house and get to know your local
plants and animals. Make a list. If you cannot identify each species,
take a photograph or notes and check your encyclopedia, local library,
or online research source to try and identify them.
3. Sign up for
a local Earth Day event. Check local listings for habit revitalizations
or clean ups and help your local environment.
4. Build a friend a
home. Put up or build a bird house to attract nature to your yard. Try
to attract hummingbirds: With the help of an adult, boil one part sugar
to three parts water. Place in a cup.
5. Plant a plant! What
better way to celebrate Nature than to add to it. Plant native trees,
shrubs, or wildflowers. Have fun researching with other people to
discover which native plants exist in your area and enjoy your efforts
long after Earth Day.
NGKids: What’s one thing every person can do every day of the year to help the planet, not just on Earth Day?
Aquilina: There are so many activities that are not only fun but helpful. The main ideas that can be applied every day include recycling, reducing trash, and disposing of it properly. If you see trash anywhere outside, take the time to put it in its right place. We wouldn’t want people to leave trash around our own homes, do think of the outdoors as Nature’s house and keep it clean.
Read the whole post »
Phenomenal Friday fact!
Glass can last for millions of years on Earth. So, don’t throw it away — recycle it!
Photograph by David Friedman, My Shot
Would you like to be involved in possibly the biggest chemistry experiment ever conducted? The Global Water Experiment is asking students to test the water where they live and share their results with students around the globe. Participants will learn about sustainable water management and the role that chemistry plays in purifying water for human consumption. The results will be featured on an interactive global data map through the end of 2011, the “International Year of Chemistry,” as designated by the United Nations.
Find out how you can participate in the Global Water Experiment (ask your parents for their permission).
How much do you know about water? Take this quiz.
Phenomenal Friday fact!
The air trapped inside an iceberg can be thousands of years
old.
Photograph by Todd White, My Shot
Mark and Suzi Lilly had a big dream–that everyone should have access to fresh, local produce. In 2009, they started Farm to Family, a farmers’ market on wheels that serves people in Central Virginia.Their goal is to connect farms with communities and encourage a diet of fresh products.
Photograph by Mark Lilly
Mark and Suzi drive an old, brightly-painted school bus to areas that don’t have access to fresh food and teach people about the produce and how to cook it.
Photograph by Karima Selehdar
Learn more about Farm to Family.
Grow your own garden.
Phenomenal Friday fact!
If we turned off home computers when not in use, we would cut their CO2 impact by 8.3 millions tons a year or 50 percent.
Scientists are working on an eco-friendly substance that will help keep oil from sticking to birds during future oil spills. The substance, which is funded by the National Science Foundation and is currently being tested, will act like a laundry detergent; breaking the oil down and keeping it from sticking to birds’ feathers.
From April 16 to 24, 2011, the U.S. National Park Service will offer free admission to its 394 park sites. Grab your camera and explore a park (or two). Upload your pictures to NG Kids My Shot with the tag “Park Week.” Your photo might be featured in a gallery of the best park images.
In the meantime, click through U.S. National Parks pictures and get inspired to capture images of your own.
Also, check out the Most Visited Parks photos.
Photograph by David Yegerlehner, My Shot
The time is here again — turn off your lights tomorrow Saturday, March 26 from 8:30 to 9:30 local
time and participate in a global observance called Earth Hour.
Individuals, businesses, and organizations across the world will be
participating. Earth Hour is a
demonstration of how much we can do to cut back power use and prevent
climate change if we all work together.
Do you plan to participate?
Read more on Earth Hour 2011 on National Geographic News.
Visit Earth Hour’s official page.
Past coverage:
Turn Off Your Lights for Earth Hour
Earth Hour 2010
Photograph by Kin Cheung, AP
Phenomenal Friday fact!
It’s possible to produce electricity from elephant dung.
Photograph by Naeem Shariff,My Shot
The United Nations established March 22nd as World Water Day. You can make a big difference when it comes to protecting the planet by doing small things. On this World Water Day, drink from a reusable bottle. All those single-serving bottles take water to produce.
Get more conservation tips when you read 25 Ways You Can Be a Water Hero.
Photograph by pabloholyturtle, NG Kids My Shot
