Tag archives for Freshwater
Posted by Phenomenal Friday Fact
Phenomenal Friday Fact
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.
You can make a big difference when it comes to protecting the planet.
These 25 tips help conserve water; keep pollution out of oceans, rivers,
streams; and protect the animals that live there. You’re being blue to
be green!
1. Get Moving
Bike or walk as much as possible to keep car pollution from being absorbed into waterways.
2. Don’t Release Pets Into the Wild
Some pets and snakes are not native to the area where they are kept as pets. When nonnative animals are released into rivers, lakes, or streams, they can mess up the ecosystem.
3. Participate
Help clean up a river, lake, or beach.
4. Be a Water Monitor
Report leaks and drips at home and school.
5. Turn Off the Water
When you are brushing your teeth, turn off the tap.
6. Take Short Showers
Set a timer and see if you can get clean in five minutes.
7. Never Release Helium Balloons Into the Air
Balloons often fall into the water and animals mistake them for food.
8. Do Less Work
Wash only full loads in the dishwasher or washing machine.
9. Make Your Own Soap
Create new bars of soap by squishing together slivers of leftover bars of soap to keep small pieces of soap from slipping down the drain and entering waterways.
10. Don’t Use the Toilet as a Trash Can
Flushing things such as medicine may contaminate water sources. It also simply wastes water.
Freshwater is incredibly precious. All humans need water to live, but by 2050, a third of all people may not have a dependable source of clean water to drink. National Geographic’s new Freshwater area is full of information on the Earth’s sources of freshwater and the challenges that face them, as well as ways to protect this vital resource.
Visit the Freshwater site on National Geographic.
Play Creek Cleanup and see how much trash you can pull out of a waterway.
How much do you know about water on Earth? Quiz Your Noodle and find out!
