1. What Are We Doing to Our Planet?
Grade VII

2. Why is saving water so important?
The growing population is causing our water supply to decrease more and more everyday. By using water not wastefully, we can help preserve water supplies for future generations, save money, and protect the environment in which we live.

3. How has our climate changed?
During the Industrial Revolution, our climate began to change which was over 200 years ago.
Our increasing population has also caused the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation to increase as well. This affects the gases in the air which causes the temperature to rise.

4. What are some ways humans have contributed to the changing climate?
Human Contributions:
Carbon Dioxide-motorized vehicles, electric power plants, and homes heated with gas or oil.
Methane-the expansion of rice agriculture, the increased number of livestock, the increased number of landfills, and leakage from natural gas pipelines.
CFCs-the use of refrigerants in air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, and heat pumps.

5. What is pollution and how can it affect what little natural resources we have left?
It comes from a variety of sources which enter the air, land and water and cause environmental and health hazards.

6. Can you compare how two different types of pollution have affected the earth?

7. How can I make a difference?
Recycle goods such as paper, plastic, and aluminum
Save water and energy by using them more effectively
Do not liter!
Get involved: join an organization or volunteer to pick up trash in the community

8. Works Cited Science Netlinks http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/
flash_watercycle.html
There is a link to an animated water cycle.
EPA Water Sense Kids
There is information on why saving water
is important and ways to save water.
U.S. EPA Water Sense
There are is more information on the
importance of water efficiency.
The EPA Climate Change Kids Site
This site gives all sorts of information and
short animated clips of various cycles
(carbon/water cycle).
Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, and
Energy
ebro/chapter1.html
This site provides information on how
humans have contributed to the climate
change.
Earth Systems Science
20earth2.jpg
I got an image of planet earth.
Kids’ Crossing Living In the Greenhouse! tm
There is a carbon cycle image and
information explaining CO2.
Activity 20 Teacher Guide: Human
Activity and Climate Change
I used some of the examples of human
activity from CO2, methane, and CFCs
as well as a pie chart to represent a
student example of one they would
create for this assignment.
Pollution
I got a picture of pollution from here.