Earth Day, April 22, is set aside for all of us to think about our planet and how to take care of it. It is a time to think about the most efficient ways to use Earth's natural resources. One such resource is trees. How do we use them? 1. Paper - This is one of the most beneficial products we get from trees. Just think about photographs, scrapbooks, wrapping paper, crossword puzzles, and, oh yes, homework. 2. Furniture - Since it is durable and can be easily shaped, wood is used to make a variety of furniture. What kind do you have at home and in school? 3. Buildings - Wooden beams are usually used to hold houses and other structures together. 4. Paint Products - From tree sap, many paint products are made, including turpentine. 5. Fruit - Besides apples, pears, and others, remember that trees give us a variety of nuts! Do you like fruit pies? Nuts on ice cream? 6. Maple Syrup - Would pancakes and waffles taste the same without it? It's made from the sap of a tree. 7. Animal Homes - Birds, squirrels, and other animals depend upon trees for shelter and food. And what about shade? Recycling is one way to take care of trees. Do you use items made from recycled paper? Why not try making some recycled paper of your own?! 1. Shred 2 paper towels, 3 sheets of newspaper, and 4 facial tissues into small pieces and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of water and soak the paper for 15 minutes. 2. Beat this mixture until it is the consistency of oatmeal...no large lumps. 3. Add another cup of water and 2 tablespoons liquid laundry starch. Beat until thoroughly mixed. 4. OPTIONAL: Add 1/2 teaspoon food coloring and stir to create a marble effect. 5. Partly straighten 2 large paper clips, creating a large hook and a small hook in each. Hook the smaller hooks through an 8 1/2x11 piece of metal window screening. Place this screen at the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Cover a large cutting board with a dish towel. 6. Pour the pulp mixture over the screen and use the paper-clip handles to life the screen out of the pan. Hold it over the pan a few minutes to catch the excess water. 7. Put the pulp-covered screen on the dish-towel-covered cutting board and cover it with another dish towel. Gently roll a rolling pin back and forth to squeeze out more water from the pulp. 8. After removing the top dish towel, flip the second one with the screen and pulp onto a stack of newspapers. Carefully remove the towel and screen. Let your paper dry in the sun. Here are a few more tips to conserve our resources: 1. Turn off the lights and fans when you are not in a room. Unplug small appliances that continue using electricity when they are not in use. 2. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth. Water lawns at dawn or dusk when the water will not evaporate so quickly. 3. Plan errands by car so that you make a circle back to your house. If your destination is nearby, walk or ride a bike! Will mass transportation or carpooling work for you one day per week? 4. Cut down on visual pollution by not littering. Help your community clean parks or waterways. Have a Clean-Up Day at school! Please teach your children, when they are young, to help take care of Mother Earth. Hopefully, their good habits will continue into adulthood. I hope these ideas are useful and have inspired your own creative thinking! Source: Macmillan Seasonal Activity Packs, Spring Is Here, Macmillan Educational Company, 1987
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