Green Lane Diary

Green Lane Diary 2010 THINK + ACT + SHARE . CHANGE

Keeping a diary is great fun and one that helps our planet and saves our animals is even better!

We all have to play a part in helping to care for our environment.

Don’t think that you can’t make a difference – you can. Get involved in this project and change the way you live your life. Every little bit helps.

I am really looking forward to meeting the first Queensland winners of the Green Lane Diary later this year. Good luck with your projects.

WELCOME NOTE

WELCOME TO THE 2010 GREEN LANE DIARY!

Mara Bun, CEO Green Cross Australia

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Photo: Michelle D’

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CONTENTS

Fantastic Fact “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” - Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)

Inside your diary Page 4 Using Your Diary

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Thank you...

Page 6

The Big Picture

Page 10

Keeping Us Going - Energy

Page 12

H2O For Life - Water

Page 16

The Five Rs - Waste

Page 20

All Things Great And Small – Biodiversity

Page 28

Green Schools

Page 32

Going Extreme

Page 36

Green Homes

Page 38

Our Neighbours

Page 44

A Green Future

re The Big Pictu

ing our earth. t are affect problems tha by human activity. ut environmental y different have been brought abo es There are man se issu most of the ? can you see How many

We acknowledge the support of Green Cross Japan’s Project Team including Illustrator: Mr. Akihiko Tsuyama, Ecology Online Concept writer: Mr. Toshihiko Iwama, Ecology Online Graphic designer: Mr. Takao Koike, Ecology Online Creative directors: Mr. Satoru Yaginuma, Ecology Online and Mr. Ryuichiro Oma, Sony Music Communications Inc.

E FIND OUT MOR

al warming is of years. Glob perature e Gases speeding up tem few degrees GreenHous a atmosphere change and just for the Gases in the sun’s energy changes n the mea trap will that (CO2); methane world’s ecosystems. de dioxi bon s (car oxide (N2O); 14 warmest year us the of nitro ); 13 (CH4 rred between arbons (HFCs) on record occu (Australian hydrofluoroc 8.

1995 and 200 artment of minG – iT’s ent – Dep war rnm bal Gove Glo ! nge) GeTTinG HoT has always Climate Cha te The earth’s clima hundreds over changed but

da.org wwF: www.pan .csiro.com csiro: www T climaTe deparTmen enerGy cHanGe and : eFFiciency hange.gov.au www.climatec Gy: meTeorolo bureau oF au www.bom.gov.

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Green Homes

We spend a lot of time at hom e doing all in our houses use energy and kinds of fabulous thing s. all make an impa some simple ct on our plan of the appliances things we can et. there are all do at hom e to help.

Copyright© Green Cross Australia 2010.

CHALLENGE

Easy things ✔ Use your ✔ Wash your elect car on the appliances wise rical lawn instead ✔ Make your ly: of on the reduce greenhou Save money and stop own cleaning detergent gett road to products from se gas ing into our vinegar and switch off your emissions bicarb soda. television, VCR waterways.

All the different and computer ✔ Plant nati products you when not in use ve trees and can ✷ turn off shrubs at hom lights when leavi the shops are buy from e: ng often harmful the room. ✷ trees prov when they are ide shade and washed down ✔ Be careful can cool your hous the drain beca about what e. Imagine a use they pollu goes down the city without tree te our waterway drain: Don’t s! s. The packaging put oils, fats, ✷ they redu paint is another thing ce noise from chemicals down s or harmful that fills up traffic our tips. the sink they will even ✷ they are tually end up ✔ avoi home d using air cond in for birds waterways and itioners and anim or heaters, put harm our wate a jumper on or quality and wildli r ✷ they als open the wind fe. prevent eros ows holding the soil ion by ✔ turn the Insulation: reduc together tap es energy trans brush your teet off when you in the dark fer by deflecting h. heat. ✷

Phosphorous: a white,

waxy non- meta llic element that

glows

draw a plan of your hous e – what could your family do to make it greener?

food kiloMEt rEs Everything you have in your home a long way to has travelled get to you. Thin gs that travel great distances have used more transported.

The grapes you energy being eat might have put lots of greenhou for lunch atmosphere beca se gas into the use it had to come all the way from the US. It’s much bett er for the plane buy products t to that how to do this? come from close to home. ✷ Eat food that is in that comes from season (try to avoid food overseas when season here) it isn't in ✷ Shop at the local mark ets and buy from farmers who grow things near ✷ Check the by label www.acfonline. s and buy Australian prod ucts org.au

things t nEEd Pla (havE a tha nning faMily dis

www.energyra ting.g

ov.au

fantastic fac

The average t household throws away 13,000 piecealmost s paper annua of www.visyclosed lly. loop.c index.php?id=10 om/

cUssion) install wate r tanks: colle ct your own wate appliances - seal r to flush toilet cracks and s gaps, put or do washing. solar panels insulation in the could prov ceiling, your Use environm shade windows electricity: find ide entally from hot sun. out friendly clea choose ener about them ning gy efficient Detergents with products: appliances: change the hot Check the ener no or little water system: phosphorus are gy ratin from electric g label when buyin better because to solar or a heat g new phosphorus can or seco pump nd hand elect (saves energy). caus growth and harm e algal appliances. More rical how many cars aquatic plants stars mean does and animals. less greenhou your family need se gases. : could control the consider buyi you get by wit temperature ng a front h just of loading your home: grow your own one? washing mac without elect food: hine: rical They plan the spot use much less for a water. vegetable gard en.

FIND OUT MOR E

LANE

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Contributors: Green Cross Japan, Australian Diary Advisory panel Green Cross: Miranda Mason, Fran Curro Illustrator: Michelle Draycott/The Illustrators Agency.com Designer: Michelle D’Souza, Three60 Degree Media, Sydney Printer: Webstar

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DISCLAIMER: Every effort has been made to acknowledge the source of all contributions to this diary and Green Cross Australia apologises for any inadvertent omissions. Green Cross Australia does not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising from any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the information in this Diary or the associated website www.greencrossaustralia.org Supporting responsible forestry through the use of PEFC certified paper

What's happening on our planet?

If you have been keeping an eye on the news you will have noticed increasing numbers of reports about the weather, pollution, animals and something called climate change. Why are the adults getting so worked up?

Earth is an incredible place, full of wonder and mysteries that we are still learning about.

We are discovering that all living things are connected. When we forget to pick up our rubbish it has an effect on the animals around us

and the earth. Taking the bus, leaving the lights on, planting trees, all of these actions changes things for the planet.

Learning about the environmental problems and what part our actions play in them is important so we can make wise choices about how we live our lives. You are the custodian of the planet. It is time to show the adults, how to fix things. Find out what you can do right now that will make a difference forever.

Don’t wait... get stuck into it

Tell your story ☛ Enter the competition and be a Queensland Green hero • Fill in the front page of the diary (make sure this is signed by a parent) • Write an entry every day • At the end of term, send your diary to Green Cross Australia • Terrific prizes, a chance to share your story with others and lots more to be won • Check out the website – lots of ideas to help you there www.greencrossaustralia.org

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Using your diary

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Keeping a diary is a terrific way to keep track of things.

It is space to express yourself using words and images.

Inside your information booklet you will find your lift out diary. For the next 10 weeks, use your Green Lane Diary to focus on helping our environment and living a greener life. The information booklet will give you ideas and help you to learn about what is going on. It is yours to keep and a fabulous bedtime read!

You can write about what you are doing to help, a special project you might be running with your family or at school, any discoveries you make about our planet.

Staring at a page wondering what to write? It is hard to get started. Try out the SOFIE method by asking yourself these questions and then writing down your answers. This could be how you write your diary each day.

Ask yourself: What have I done today to help our planet for: Self

Others

Family

Interest (special things you want to learn about)

Environment

ry WEEK 1 My Green Dia __/__ to Week ending: 10 __/__/20

2010

NAME: SCHOOL:

__/__ to Week ending: 10 __/__/20

write the day Make sure you each entry and date for

TIPS TO HELP!

WEEK 2

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• Make a time to write in your diary every day of the term (first thing before school, lunchtime or when you get home) • You can draw, add stickers, articles you find and interviews you might conduct (make sure your write what you think about them in your diary) • Use the weekly challenge questions to help you each week (these aren’t compulsory but might give you ideas) • Use the checklists and write about the changes you notice • Think about a project you could do and write about how it is going (think big and give it a go – check out the green hero stories and find out about what other kids have done)

ACHER:

CONTACT TE ADDRESS:

2 TOR

YOUR ECO MONI

the term, k of things. For You can to keep trac ent. is a terrific way on helping our environm might be Keeping a diary focus ial project you y each day to spec a entr help, an e the date on writ doing to our planet. Put what you are make about nal, use a write about t another jour discoveries you pictures – running or any you need more room, star les, if r. Glue in artic ce to be each entry and create on the compute or for your chan spare notebook the end of term ! Send it in at anything goes LANE HERO! EN named a GRE n diary to: mail this gree ion, please On complet STREET, 7, GEORGE PO BOx 1211 QLD 4003 BRiSBANE,

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YOUR ECO MONI

er Tally up the Wat activities you Food do to help.

TOTAL

Waste

Energy Nature

er Tally up the Wat activities you Food do to help.

TOTAL

Waste

Energy Nature Action

Action

ve, spread the creati e B ! ☛ Anything goes have fun. and green ving word about li

Fantastic Fact

Diary comes from Latin word dies, meaning “days,” as traditionally entries are written every day.

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The Big Picture There are many different environmental problems that are affecting our earth.

Most of these issues have been brought about by human activity.

How many can you see?

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Global Warming – it’s getting hot!

The earth’s climate has always changed but over hundreds

of years. Global warming is speeding up temperature change and just a few degrees will mean changes for the world’s ecosystems.

13 of the 14 warmest years on record occurred between 1995 and 2008. (Australian Government – Department of Climate Change)

WWF: www.panda.org CSIRO: www.csiro.com department Climate Change and energy EFFICIENCY: www.climatechange.gov.au Bureau of Meteorology: www.bom.gov.au

FIND OUT MORE

Greenhouse gases Gases in the atmosphere that trap the sun’s energy (carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4); nitrous oxide (N2O); hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

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GE N E L A L H C Take the green pledge and work out what you can do for our planet.

Why are people causing the environmental problems?

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Ecosystems: a system of living things interacting with each other in a particular environment El nino: a climate phenomenon that leads to drier conditions in Australia. In Spanish it literally means ‘Small Boy’.

Hanano receiving her award from the Japanese Environment Minister

Green Lane hero Hanano ToyoDa’s STORY

Hanano participated in the Green Lane Diary in Japan and won a prize for her clever ideas. She is in the eighth grade and lives in Matsuyama city. Hanano came up with lots of ideas to help and shared them with her friends and family. She kept track of the food in her fridge at home using lists on the door so that people wouldn’t waste energy by opening the door and having a look and encouraged people to take their own chopsticks to restaurants rather than using disposable ones. Hanano makes sure she tells adults about her ideas by writing letters. She often writes to the Mayor with useful suggestions.

Want to Know More?

Find out the difference between El Nino and La Nina.

How do scientists work out the planet’s temperature?

• Thermometers, satellites and • Drilling into the deepest snow and ice can also tell us about weather balloons to record temperatures from the past air and ocean temperatures

• Using tree rings to calculate the temperature at a time in the past • Cutting across the trunk of a dead tree to study its rings can show us how temperatures have varied as the tree has grown

A 1.1m sea level rise could put thousands of properties at risk.

(Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency)

The History of Global Warming Scientists have been researching climate change for many years but their findings needed to be verified and a consensus reached before world leaders could meet and decide how to act. It is important that all valid scientific arguments are heard so our politicians can make the best decisions. Based on the research, the majority of the planet’s leading scientists argue that climate change is occurring.

Leaders have held international meetings to discuss what countries need to do to help. Find out what happened at these meetings: 1988: Establishment of the IPCC 1992: The Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro 1995: COP1, Berlin (COP stands for Convention

of Parties) 1997: COP3, Kyoto 2007: COP13, Bali 2008: Toyako summit, Japan 2009: UN Climate Change Summit, Copenhagen

ACTION IDEAS

Start a Green Lane noticeboard at school – pin up photos, articles, posters to inspire your classmates.

FIND OUT MORE

Fantastic Fact

UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme): www.unep.org UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change): www.unfcc.int UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization): www.unesco.org Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: www.ipcc.ch

How are International Agreements made?

• The nations of the world decide that action needs to be taken • Leaders meet to discuss ideas • A draft agreement is written • It is discussed and changed until all nations agree • The agreement is signed by the leaders (All of this takes a great deal of time and many discussions). Once the international agreements produced by these conferences are signed, it is still up to each country to carry them out.

Hold your own meeting: Get together a group of friends, ask a teacher if they will help you and head to the library or under a shady tree. Make sure you keep notes and work out what your group can do at your school. Think big!

Protocol: an international agreement between nations. Fossil fuels: a carbon derived fuel from the decomposed remains of plants and animals (coal, petroleum, natural). IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

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Keeping us going: Energy Energy keeps our way of life going. Almost everything we do uses some kind of energy.

How MUCH ENERGY Do you USE EVERYDAY?

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We can use computers, drive cars, make goods, grow food and all of these need energy. The type of energy we use affects climate change.

There are two forms of energy – renewable energy and non-renewable. Renewable energy sources are solar, hydro, wind and geothermal power.

The energy source won’t run out, unlike limited, nonrenewable energy sources which come from coal, gas and oil. Have you heard of ‘peak oil’? Check that out!

Fossil fuels are formed from plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Most of the energy we use now comes from fossil fuels. Once it is used, it is gone. It takes millions of Fantastic years for the fuel to form.

Fact Renewable, green energy Australians use doesn’t release as much approximately four times greenhouse gas into the more energy per person than the world average. atmosphere. We are starting www.solarschools.net. to develop new technologies so that we can use renewable energy rather than polluting fossil fuels.

Start now!

Turn off those lights when you aren’t using them. You could make switch reminders for your classroom.

Is it really off?

Sometimes unless you turn off equipment at the wall, it still uses power. TVs, computers and ipod docking stations often have Standby mode (look for the LED light). Turning them completely off at the wall saves energy you aren’t using. That’s money your family could save!

Photovoltaic panels: cells made from silicon and other materials that convert solar radiation into electricity.

Turbine: a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid or air flow and converts it into electricity.

LANE

GE N E L A L H C

How can we encourage people to use green energy?

Wind power www.science.org.au/ nova/037/037sit.htm Energy Australia www.energykids. energyaustralia.com.au

FIND OUT MORE

What can you do at home and at school to save energy?

ACTION IDEAS

Energy can be stored in 6 forms: Fantastic 1. Radiant energy: energy that travels in waves such as light, Fact radio waves and x-rays 2. Thermal energy: heat energy is a type of kinetic energy, the energy of moving and vibrating molecules.

3. Chemical energy: the energy that bonds molecules together 4. Mechanical energy: the energy of motion (kinetic) and the energy of position (potential) 5. Nuclear energy: the energy locked in the nuclei of atoms 6. Electrical energy: a kind of kinetic energy-the energy of moving electrons www.solarschools.net

Have an Old Phone day and collect your school’s old phones to be recycled properly

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RECYCLE YOUR OLD ELECTRICAL GOODS Recycle your old electrical goods – e-waste (mobile phones, batteries, electronic games) all contain metals that can be recycled but they also contain some harmful substances like mercury. Find out where your local council advises you to send them.

Maybe you could run a collection at school? If we throw them into the tip the dangerous materials could leak into the soil and poison plants and animals.

Electricity is measured by the kilowatt-hour.

H2O for life - Water Without water we would not be able to live.

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It makes up two-thirds of our body and we use it in so many ways: for drinking, watering, gardening, washing, for removing our wastes and for recreational activities.

A person can live approx one month without food but only about a week without water. As water is the main ingredient in the fluids within your body it is one of the most important nutrients you need.

Many people around the world don’t have clean drinking water. things you can do - Turn the tap off when you clean your teeth or wash your hands - Half flush the loo - Have a 3min shower (get a timer to keep track) - Make sure the washing machine is full each time you use it

ACTION IDEAS

Make signs for the drains and gutters letting people know that if rubbish goes down, it goes to our oceans and reefs

THE WATER CYCLE The earth is constantly recycling its water. It is evaporated into a gas from oceans, rivers and lakes then condensed into water droplets in the clouds. When temperatures are right, precipitation occurs and rain falls. The rain is collected in rivers, lakes and oceans and the whole cycle starts again.

We use water in our everyday

lives for washing, showering, our toilets and irrigation to grow food.

Each one of these has its own Urban Water Cycle which explains where the water comes from that we use and where it goes when we have finished. We need to think about how the systems work so that we make sure we use every single drop well.

ACID RAIN This is a problem that can happen when there is too much air pollution. When fuel is burnt harmful chemical gases are released. Some of these gases react with water droplets in clouds and forms a weak sulphuric acid. This rain falls and although it is too weak to harm us, it can damage the ecosystems of flora and fauna.

The best way to stop it – reduce air pollution by finding cleaner ways to create energy. We can help by using public transport or walking.

Queenstown in West Tasmania was a boomtown of the 1890s when gold and minerals were discovered at Mount Lyell.

The mining meant that many forests were cut down to provide fuel and the air pollution helped cause acid rain. The town is working hard to replant the trees.

One drop per Fantastic second equals Fact 7,000 litres The North Queensland of water wasted coast is one of the per year. wettest places in www.up2meforkids.com.au Australia.

FIND OUT MORE

Game to try: www.qld.waterwatch.org.au/ schools/waterwatchgame.html National Water Commission: www.nwc.gov.au

Watch every drop at school • Go on a tap patrol and check for leaks (make a list and tell your teacher) • Nominate a water monitor to check that taps are turned off • Make signs to go near taps • Make up a song to explain to the younger years about not leaving the tap running when washing their hands • Put the plug in or use a container when washing art brushes

DIARY k r u o y wee for ☛ DateATIONAL Water 2010 NOctOBER 201.o0rg.au 17-23 nalwaterweek io

www.nat

Irrigation: the system used for watering crops. Sewerage system: the process for treating human waste.

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CHALLEN

If we knew it wasn’t going to rain for a year, what could we do?

The Murray Darling problem

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DROUGHT IN AUSTRALIA Drought isn’t just a lack of rain for a week or so, it is a long dry period that can go for years.

Little showers of rain don’t break a drought, heavy and regular rain is needed to restore the land. Our weather and climate changes a great deal and while one part of the country might

This important river system provides water to 60% of Australia’s farms and is sometimes called the food basket of Australia. Its basin, (the area of land that the river supplies water) covers 1 million square kilometres which is most of south-eastern Australia and 4 states (QLD, NSW, VIC, SA). Because of long droughts, increasing salinity, pollution and too much irrigation, the river hasn’t got as much water and this is causing problems for all the people who rely on it for survival. The river is home to many endangered species and special wetland ecosystems. The Government is currently working out an agreement so that the river’s water can be shared and keep the native species alive. It’s a tricky task. www.mdba.gov.au have too much rain, another doesn’t have enough. Drought causes big problems in Australia.

Crops perish, plants and animals suffer and erosion damages the land. Erosion occurs when soil and rocks are worn away and the topsoil is removed from the land. Topsoil contains important

nutrients that plants need to grow and it is difficult to replace the topsoil once erosion has occurred.

Farmers are learning how to be better prepared for drought and scientists are working on new technologies to help. We all need to remember that every drop of water is precious.

Council’s waste education Council offers free lessons and activities to all Redland schools and community groups. These fun lessons help students explore the world of waste, inspiring them to change their habits to minimise their own waste.

Contact Claire Boyce on

3829 8952

Home energy auditing kits

Help the environment and reduce energy costs at home. Get your mum and dad to borrow a home energy auditing kit, which includes an ene rgy meter to measure your home energy use, from any mainland Redland library.

and Fact sheets g tips are energy-savin online at also available d.qld.gov.au. n la d e .r w w w

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Council’s environmental education centre, IndigiScapes, has an information centre, native display gardens, bushland with walking tracks, barbeque facilities and a playground. You can visit daily (except for Mondays) or ask your teacher to inquire about the range of school and holiday programs, covering topics such as:

• Wildlife ambulance visit (mock koala rescue) • Glossy black cockatoo • Bushcare awareness and endangered species • Bushfoods and medicines of the Redlands • Advice on weed management and revegetation of school grounds.

More information:

3824 8611 or visit

www.indigiscapes.com.au

To keep up to date with what Council is doing, see our www.redland.qld.gov.au.

Sustainable Living pages at

6952 06/10

Redlands IndigiScapes Centre

The 5Rs

(reduce, reuse, recycle, respect and replenish) You’ve heard it all before but this really is one of the simplest ways each of us can make a difference and it used to be a way of life.

30 years ago families used to put out glass bottles out for the milkman to fill and return other empty bottles to the local shop.

Many people had compost piles and chooks to eat food scraps. We had metal rubbish bins much smaller than our plastic wheelie bins.

What do you think changed? We have more stuff for starters!

16 Fantastic Fact

There are approx 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in each square mile of our oceans. www.cleanup.org

FANTASTIC FACTS 1. It takes 125 recycled plastic milk bottles to manufacture a 140 litre wheelie bin from recycled plastic.

2. 95% less energy is needed to make aluminum from used cans rather than from the raw material.

Which of the 5Rs do you think is the most important priority and why?

4. Scientists are working out ways to capture the methane 3. Every year the average gas created by landfills and use Australian family produces it for energy. It is called biogas. enough rubbish to fill a threeA company in Queensland is bedroom house. (http://www. using this bioreactor technology ipswich.qld.gov.au/community/education/ to convert the methane from ipswich_waste/waste_facts/) waste into energy. (http://www.visyclosedloop.com/index. php?id=10)

Hold your own Clean up Australia day Every year in March, people all over the country pick up rubbish to stop pollution. You don’t have to wait until the day. Organise your own Clean up day. You could clean up the school, your local park or creek, you neighbourhood.

Bring your own water bottle Plastic is made from oil, a fossil fuel and also takes many years to biodegrade.

REDUCE Storing rubbish in landfill is expensive.

When we reduce our waste, we will need less space for landfill. What can we do to reduce our waste? There are lots of ways to help.

Can you think of more?

Buy food without packaging and purchase eco-friendly items This means choosing things that don’t have lots of wrapping to throw out or taking your own bags to go shopping. Remember

Eat fruit and drink water Avoid drinking juice that comes in packaging – it goes to the tip. There are some tetra juice packs that that things made overseas have travelled a long way to get to you. are recyclable (look for the logo) or to be completely sure, instead eat This uses a lot of energy. Look out for things made from recycled fruit or fill up a water bottle. materials. How many eco friendly RESPECT AND products can you find at the shops? Buying things in bulk saves REPLENISH money and packaging.

If we each respected Refillable products Get a refill rather than a new item. Imagine how many pens you could save.

Paint your recycle bins Does your school have them?

Make them bright and colourful so that everyone knows what they can recycle.

our planet we would change our behaviour.

Can you think of some examples? Replenish means to replace what we use making sure there is enough of the worlds resources to last for everyone, forever.

Landfill: method of solid waste disposal in which rubbish is buried between layers of dirt in a large area.

Biodegradable: material that can be decomposed by natural agents (bacteria). Plastic bottles can take 450 years to break down. There are different types of plastics, some break down faster than others.

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GE N E L A L H C Find out how much your family throws away this week – keep a tally (rubbish, green waste, recyclables) What can you do to help?

Do you really need it?

Write a rap with your friends about a problem you are worried about. Perform it on assembly.

Record it and share.

ACTION IDEA

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Stuff is everywhere – before you go and buy something, ask yourself the question and if the answer is no.

Don’t buy. Everything takes energy to make. If you don’t need it – save your money and help the planet at the same time. Stuff isn’t as important as chilling out with friends and family. Don’t become a ‘stuff a holic’.

REUSE Repair things What do you do when you break something?

Do you throw it away? Have a go at fixing it or you can find someone who can do it for you. It is much cheaper than buying new things and you are helping to reduce waste.

Before you throw it away – try to repair and reuse.

Bring your own shopping bags Just 8.7 plastic check-out bags have enough embodied petroleum energy to drive a car 1 km! Throwing out so many of them choke our landfills and if they are flushed into a waterway, animals often mistake them for food and die.

Get collecting at school You could start collecting things at school that you can reuse. Have a scrap paper drawer in the classroom. Think of a clever way to use old plastic bottles and pens.

Even though some things might look a lot like rubbish, there might be a chance to use them in other ways. For example, used clothes can be remade into dust cloths.

Be creative.

MORE FANTASTIC FACTS Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours.

In 2002 we recycled 48,500 tonnes of the steel cans used in Australia – that is enough steel to rebuild the Harbour Bridge today almost 4 times!

Waste and Recycling, Volume 208, Issues in Society Editor: Justin Healey.

ISBN 978 1 920801 17 5, Year 2004

TRASH & TREASURE - ST AIDAN’s STORY When a group of kids gets together, anything can happen!

The Earth Angels at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School decided to raise money for the Save the Koala Foundation in Queensland. The numbers of koalas that live in SouthEast Queensland is decreasing mainly due to habitat destruction. The girls put the call out to their school and collected toys, clothes, books, cds, anything that others wanted to give away. Next, they sorted all of the items, decided on a day to run their stall and made posters and gave messages to let everyone in their school know. On the day, all of the items sold like hotcakes. People loved finding a treasure in other people’s unwanted items and the Earth Angels raised over $700 to help the koalas.

ACTION IDEA

Write to your supermarket. Ask them to stop using plastic bags

RECYCLE Instead of going to landfill, some things can be recycled and made into other products. Paper, glass, some plastics and tin are all recyclable. Have a recycling bin at home and sort out your Green waste waste. It helps.

30%~40% of the garbage that each family

ACTION IDEA

Has your school got a veggie garden? Start one – find out about bush tucker and if you can plant any

FIND OUT MORE

Green Lane hero

Keep Australia Beautiful: www.kab.org.au Planet Ark: www.planetark.org Clean up Australia: www.CleanUp.org.au

produces comes from foods which are left over from meals. Buy only what you need and compost any food scraps in the garden. It makes excellent fertiliser for the plants. Start your own compost at home with your family then talk to your teacher about getting it going at school.

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All things great and small Biodiversity is the huge range of living things on earth.

The web of life Australia is home to more than 1 million plant and animal species and many of these are only found here. All of these species interact with each other. If there were no butterflies, then the animals that eat them would die. When there are changes in an ecosystem (temperature, rainfall, human impact) that changes life for plants and animals.

Everything is connected.

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lungs of the earth - our forests The great forests of the world are filters recycling carbon, oxygen and nitrogen.

They provide oxygen and are important ecosystems for our plants and animals.

Deforestation is what we call it when forests are cleared for logging, mining, agriculture or human use. It’s a big problem for the planet and although many countries plant forestry

(fast growing trees we use for making paper and building projects), we are still clearing old forests. Cutting down trees releases more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The most deforestation is occurring in the mighty Amazon Rainforest (it covers almost 40% of South America) and Indonesia. You can help by finding out more about

rainforests and making sure that any wood your family buys for building or to use in the garden is FSC-certified which means the wood comes from sustainably managed forests.

According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80 percent of the Earth’s natural forests already have been destroyed. www.mongabay.com

Wow, this is crazy!!!

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Adaptable Animals Some species are changing their habits to suit living in urban environments. Bush turkeys, possums and ibis are examples of these.

But adapting sometimes creates problems. Ibis birds can be pests in parks by stealing food. Can you think of more?

LANE GE

CHALLEN

What are the endangered species living in your area?

How can we tell people about them?

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Species under threat Because of land clearing, pollution, introduced species and other human impact Australia has one of the highest numbers of endangered species in the world. They are increasingly rare and their survival is unlikely unless we do something to help. Find out about the species living in your area, look after your local bush, make sure your pets don’t hurt birds and animals, and put rubbish in the bin so it doesn’t end up in the bush. You can also join a volunteer group that helps animals or consider a career in science when you grow up.

Habitat destruction More humans on earth have meant that plants and animals have had to make way for cities, roads and farms.

Clearing forests and bush uses a great deal of energy and has forced animals to find new homes. Trees are very important for reducing the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere (a green house gas) because they absorb the gas and release oxygen in its place. About 50% of Australia’s rainforests have been cleared and the proportion of Australia covered by forest has been reduced by more than one third since European settlement.

PET ALERT We love keeping cats and dogs but what do they get up to when you aren’t home? They can hurt native wildlife and injure animals severely. Dogs are one of the leading threats to Koalas. Make sure your pet has a bell on its collar to frighten native animals away and isn’t allowed to wander at night.

If you find an injured animal call the Queensland government’s wildlife hotline – 1300 130 372.

Find out more at www.savethekoala.com

Make your backyard a wildlife haven.

We can live with nature by creating homes for animals in our backyards. You might not end up with koalas and echidnas living with you but many lizards, insects, frogs, butterflies and bird species are just as important.

• Make a bird box • Plant bird attracting native species – ones that flower at varying times of the year • Create homes for lizards – rocks and wood to hide under • Make a bird bath

Endangered in QLD ✷ 151 plants ✷ 14 birds ✷ 16 mammals ✷ 15 frogs ✷ 8 reptiles ✷ 2 butterflies and ✷ 4 fish. www.derm.qld.gov.au

State of Environment Report(SoE): www.environment.gov.au/ soe/index.html BACKYARD PROJECTS: www.backyards4wildlife.com.au UN YEAR OF biodiversity: www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/

Invaders Some species aren’t native to Australia and have been brought here from overseas. These species compete with native plants and animals for food, shelter and habitat. Cane toads, camels, rabbits and foxes cause lots of damage to the environment each year. Weeds like lantana and rubber vine spread quickly and destroy the native vegetation.You can help by checking that any plants you use in the garden aren’t weeds (www.weeds.gov.au) and not feeding any introduced species when you are camping.

ACTION IDEA

Hold a car wash – raise some money for something you are passionate about and use less water than a commercial car wash. Make sure the cars park on a lawn so the plants get a drink.

FIND OUT MORE

BACKYARD PROJECTS!

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Don’t palm us off

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Palm oil typically costs the lives of up to 50 Orang-utans each week.

The food you are buying could be pushing Orangutans to extinction. Palm oil is found in many food products on our shelves and its cultivation is destroying the Orangutan’s habitat at an alarming rate. The United Nations has warned that Orangutans could be extinct within a generation. You can’t tell whether you are contributing to this crisis because palm oil is not labelled on most food products. Most of the palm oil that ends up in our food is unsustainably harvested.

But right now there isn’t the demand for palm oil that is produced without destroying forest. Write a letter to your local politician asking for palm oil to be Find out what you can do: http://www.zoo.org.au/PalmOil

ACTION IDEA

Go grocery shopping with your parents – check that they are buying Australia products.

Green Lane hero

ROOTs AND SHOOTS’ STORY Roots & Shoots is a global network of environmental groups all working to make our planet a better place. Being part of Roots and Shoots means your group can share your ideas with other kids around the world. Find out more at www.rootsandshoots.org In Milang (South Australia) the local primary school are rescuing turtles from a slow, cruel death. The water in the Murray River is dropping and the salt level is rising, which means death for the turtles. A tube worm then buries into the shell of the turtle and builds a ‘coral like’ crust on it. Soon the turtle is weighed down by this crust and can’t move to look for food. The students are rescuing these turtles, putting them in fresh water and slowly taking the crust off using a spatula. Once the turtle is healthy it is released back into the river in an area of less salt.

Features for Teachers CSIRO Education can help you make science and maths even more fun and engaging!

CSIRO is the most trusted source for science and technology information!*

*Swinburne National Technology and Society Monitor, 2009

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CSIRO provides support in your location through our regional networks. Our national focus links you to the top science, maths and education from right around Australia.

For more information visit www.csiro.au/education, email education@csiro.au or call 02 6276 6643.

Our programs and resources are free or low-cost, so you can benefit no matter what your budget.

We can support your school with: - incursions and excursions - direct links to the worlds of science and maths - hands-on activities and classroom ideas - scaffolded support for open-ended investigations - a national science competition - professional partnerships and learning opportunities.

Green Schools If every school was a green school, we all could make a big difference to our environment right now.

Imagine if your school didn’t add any greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, used only clean energy, harvested rain water, recycled resources, grew food, saved wildlife and was cool and

airy, perfect for learning. Imagine if you could do all of this at school and learn about it. Imagine if your school was a Green School!

Thousands of QLD kids go to school each day and learn

Think you are too small to make a difference?

Then you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito!

(Anita Roddick)

ACTION IDEA

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Hold a lunchtime movie at school – charge a gold coin and use the money to make your school greener

incredible things that will help change the world. If every QLD school was a green school, we all could make a big difference to our environment right now. Put some ideas into action!

Go 100% green for short trips Get on your bike or walk if you need to visit the shop for a few things or see a friend.

It’s fun and keeps you fit.

Make sure you wear a helmet – you could make a groovy green sticker for it!

www.solarschools.net

It takes only about 8 minutes for solar energy to travel from the sun to the earth. It has to cover over 150 million kms!

Green transport Cars use petrol which emits lots of carbon dioxide into the air.

Until electric and solar powered cars are available everywhere, we need to think about how much driving is done.

Can you arrange to car pool with your friends to school? Maybe you are even close enough to walk?

Walking even one way and being picked up to go home helps. If you are lucky to live near a bus stop or train station, take that to school.

Public transport really helps to reduce pollution. Imagine how many cars a train replaces?

Your car can use less fuel: check that your parents don’t drive with the car full of things that aren’t being used and that the car is serviced often at the garage. That helps it to run more efficiently. Also, put down the windows instead of using the aircon and check that the tyres are in good condition and the pressure is correct. Every little thing helps.

Your school can become a TravelSmart school. Check out www.travelsmart.qld.gov.au

☛ Green schools are healthy, energy

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI): www.environment.gov.au/aussi Green Building Council Australia: www.gbca.org.au

FIND OUT MORE

Powering the school Your school uses electricity for the lights, air conditioning, fans, computers and the tuckshop. This electricity could be free with solar panels transforming energy from the sun.

PROJECTS FOR YOU! You don’t have to wait for the adults. Talk to your teacher and with your friends you could work on some of these ideas together.

• Start a worm farm or compost and use all of the food scraps from lunches • Do some fundraising for bike racks, solar powered bubblers, foster an animal • Research solar powered water bubblers

Fantastic Fact

Students learn better in a classroom with plenty of daylight and good ventilation.

efficient and visionary.

Community service organisations can help you!

They can offer your school excellent Groups like Rotary, Lions, Apex and Zonta advice and might even help you to get have members who have all got incredible your projects started. Ask your teacher skills from their working lives. Each to help you to get in contact. organisation has clubs across Queensland.

Ventilation: system or equipment used to circulate air or to replace stale air with fresh air.

Efficiency: skillfulness in use of resources and avoiding wasted time and effort

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LANE

GE N E L A L H C How can your school go green? What can you do now? Make a plan.

Call your radio station – tell them about your projects

ACTION IDEA

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Other ideas There are plenty of ideas to help your school. The school infrastructure could be changed.

• Energy efficiency lighting • Skylights • Ceiling fans • Insulation • Shade awnings • Automatic doors – efficient for airconditioning

Green Lane hero WOnDAI STATE SCHOOL’s STORY This is a school that has got stuck into things. Their environmental committee led by students has put several ideas into action. “Clean Seas for Me” signs have been painted next to many of the drains by the Action Science group to encourage students not to litter. Recycling of manure from the cattle yards has meant improved soil quality in the schoolgardens. New water saving devices installed in the school saving 1 063 000L of water in one year. What could happen in your school?

Fantastic Fact

10 Schools in QLD are using the Green Star-Education v1 rating tool to work out how green their buildings are. www.gbca.org.au

WATER AND WASTE How much roof space is there at your school? Lots of roof area means that when it rains, there will be lots of water that could be captured in a tank. It can be used for the gardens, for toilets and for projects.

Think about the bins at your school. Are they pretty full after lunch? If there are 200 people at

your school and everyone throws something away at lunch that’s more than 1000 pieces of rubbish each week. Much of this could be recycled and the food scraps can be composted to help the gardens.

Starting a worm farm to break down the scraps is also easy to do. What could be done to help?

Leave behind a green footprint

A low carbon lifestyle can reduce your carbon footprint by 2 tonnes in about 30 days!

You will be amazed at how easy it is as an individual to make a real difference to the environment by pledging to make some simple changes that suit your own lifestyle. To start your low carbon lifestyle and find other simple ways to be green go to www.climatesmart.qld.gov.au.

www.climatesmart.qld.gov.au

29 Be a citizen Scientist Everyone can contribute to science.

There are organisations that need help from volunteers to collect data, keep measurements and make observations.

Many Australian farmers are citizen scientists, responsible for keeping weather observations over many years that has given scientists valuable information. You can get involved too www.climatewatch.org.au

WHAT ARE VOC’s Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are tiny carbon based compounds which evaporate into the atmosphere at room temperature. They often have a smell and are present in a wide range of, construction materials, cleaning products and new furnishings. VOCs can be dangerous for our health causing asthma and headaches. Pay attention to any fumes you smell.

“Selected pilot beneficiary schools and communities are faced with waterborne diseases such as malaria, bilharzia and diarrhoea due to the lack of clean water. These diseases pose a serious threat to child enrolment in schools and their ability to receive basic education.

Smart Water for Green Schools will go a long way in helping address the water situation in schools and communities in Ghana” - Mubarick Masawudu, President and CEO of Green Cross Ghana.

Fantastic Fact

Out of control weeds – Lantana degrades over 4 mil ion hectares of our land!

What does it look like? www.wwf.org.au

Ghana

★

Where is Ghana?

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It’s an African nation located on the west coast of the continent and is about the same size as New Zealand.

Ghana means Warrior King and is home to approximately 23 million people. Although English is the official language, there are over 40 languages spoke in Ghana. Accra is the capital city of the country and Ghana is one of the world’s leading suppliers of gold.

Green schools in GHANA! Did you know that over 1.1 billion people do not have access to drinkable water, leaving roughly one sixth of the world’s population at risk of poor health and hygiene. Green Cross International is helping to build rainwater harvesting systems and ecological toilets for schools in Ghana. Imagine what your life would be like without clean water! For some communities, the new tanks at the local school are the only source of clean water. You could help by telling your friends about the problem or organising an event to help raise money for the schools. www.gci.ch According to the World Bank, only 58% of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa has access to a piped water supply and only 37% has access to improved sanitation.

Water harvesting: a system that uses tanks to capture and store rain water. Ecological latrine: composting toilets that turns human waste into rich fertilizer that can be used to help agriculture.

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School is all about getting good grades. And when it comes to environmentally friendly building practices, the best grading system is the Green Building Council of Australia’s environmental rating system, Green Star.

To find out how to green your school visit: www.gbca.org.au/resources/greening-your-school

GBCA023 School Diary250610.indd 1

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Going Extreme It’s good to be prepared for things that happen.

To do that we need information!

Natural disasters They are unpredictable and can cause lots of damage.

Some scientists believe that the extreme weather might be happening more often because of climate change but there is still lots more research to be done.

We need to be know about the different kinds of disasters so

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we can be prepared if they ever occurred where we live.

Cyclones, bush fires, floods and thunderstorms are natural parts of the planet’s life.

They are important for nature despite causing damage to our towns and farms. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/

focus on new media Tell everyone what you are doing. You could: a) make a video, b) record an interview, c) record a song, d) send in a photo or e) even make a movie about what’s happening on your turf. www.greenlanediary.org

THANK YOU! Green Lane Diary came to Australia because Hanako, a lovely Japanese volunteer, spent most of 2009 translating the Japanese diary version into English. She helped us to understand what students in Japan are doing!

BE PREPARED! Start your own Green Group All you need to start are your ideas, a group of friends (maybe your diary buddies) and a shady tree to meet under. Brainstorm all the things your group could do to help (use the ideas in this diary), write them down and arrange a meeting with your school Principal to get things started. Ask one of the teachers if they will help your group.

For more ideas check out: www.unep.org/Tunza/; www.millenniumkids.com.au/; www.rootsandshoots.org

- Talk with your family about what you would do in a disaster - Make up a supply kit (food, first aid and safety equipment) - Know who to call for help (SES 132 500, Police 000)

AYLA CURTIS’ STORY Chosen volunteer organisation: State Emergency Services (SES) Motivation for joining I thought it would be a really positive and practical way to help my community. I also thought it was a good opportunity for me to learn some amazing skills and knowledge so I would feel more capable, confident and useful in an emergency situation.

Finally, I think that it is important for the community to prepare for the impacts of climate change now, however, it is the responsibility of the individual to be proactive in making a difference. So I chose to volunteer with the SES. What can you do?

Know what goes on in the world, look out for others and try to do something to help.

These are the most important things.

Write to your local politicians telling them your opinion and start your own project. It doesn’t have to be big or cost lots of money.

Often the best things are the interesting, small ideas. Just be positive and have a go.

That’s how people change the world.

FIND OUT MORE

Green Lane hero

Federal Government Department of Environment: www.environment.gov.au ParliamentARY Education Office: www.peo.gov.au

ACTION IDEAS

Run ‘Nude Food Days’ at your school. Everyone brings lunch without any rubbish to throw away (using containers). Collect food scraps for a compost.

WHAT’S AN NGO? Groups like Green Cross and Oxfam are non-government organizations or NGOs working independently from government. They try to help solve problems and tell others about solutions. You can find out more about them by searching their websites or volunteering with them.

They work on many different issues from the environment to fair trade and human rights.

NGOs and governments often work together to find ways of helping the community.

Democracy: comes from a Greek word meaning the power to the people, system of government enabling people to vote and make decisions. Citizenship: the rights and responsibilities people have as Australians.

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LANE GE

CHALLEN

If we knew it wasn’t going to rain for a year, what could we do?

Who makes the decisions in your area? How can you be involved?

THE BIG GREEN CHEESE

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Federal and State Governments are organised into different departments all headed up by a Minister (the big cheese).

There is a Federal Minister for the Environment whose portfolio manages national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia’s environment.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s key piece of environmental legislation. The EPBC Act sets the rules for looking after the environment. It seeks to protect endangered species and special areas like the Great Barrier Reef.

If you are keen on a tricky read: – have a look at it online. Find out who the Big Green Cheese is for Australia and your State – you can write to them to tell them about your projects and how they can make our country more environmentally friendly.

Green Lane hero BUNDANOON’S STORY BANNING THE BOTTLE When people are passionate about a problem, they come up with amazing solutions. Last year in Bundanoon, a country town in New South Wales residents had a town meeting and decided bottled water wouldn’t be sold in their town. The ban inspired the NSW Premier who announced that the NSW government would no longer buy bottled water. Use your own water bottle - save all the energy it takes to make the plastic and stop the bottle filling up our rubbish tips. They take hundreds of years to decay.

Some dentists believe tap water is better for our teeth because it contains fluoride.

Thoughts on climate change and extreme weather Climate change is not an issue that anyone can ignore .

It demands a response from all members of the community at every level, from government, business, communities and most importantly, from the individual.

More severe weather is an obvious effect of climate change. It is important that communities are wellprepared to cope with the increase in extreme weather conditions. Joining an emergency service like the SES is a hands-on and easy way for members of the community to help out.

Photo: Scot Brown

Queensland Youth Environment Council This fabulous group is made up of young leaders who are all passionate about the planet.

They meet regularly to advise the Government on how young people environmental and sustainability issues. Have a look at their website to find out more. You could invite them to your school and tell them what you think? www.qyec.org

The Torres Strait – sea level rise Located in the far north of our nation, a number of Torres Strait Islander communities already experience water inundation and erosion during king tides. Climate change will increase the risk of sea level rise. Many island communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts as they are remote, low-lying, and have fewer resources.

Find out more about the Torres Strait.

How can the mainland help?

Who is leading the way?

Australia is a democracy which means its’ citizens vote on who leads the Government. You will get your say when you are 18.

There are three levels of Government. The Prime Minister leads the Federal Government which looks after the whole country.

Then there are the State Governments led by a Premier (in the Territories they

have a Chief Minister). Locally, councils are led by a Mayor and they look after cities, towns and regions.

Each level of Government has particular responsibilities.

Find out who your Federal, State and local politicians are – they are important people to know.

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Green Homes We spend a lot of time at home doing all kinds of fabulous things. All of the appliances in our houses use energy and make an impact on our planet. There are some simple things we can all do at home to help.

36 Easy things ✔ Use your electrical appliances wisely: Save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions ✷ switch off your television, VCR and computer when not in use ✷ turn off lights when leaving the room. ✔ Be careful about what goes down the drain: Don’t put oils, fats, paints or harmful chemicals down the sink they will eventually end up in waterways and harm our water quality and wildlife.

✔ Wash your car on the lawn instead of on the road to stop detergent getting into our waterways. ✔ Plant native trees and shrubs at home: ✷ trees provide shade and can cool your house. Imagine a city without trees! ✷ they reduce noise from traffic ✷ they are home for birds and animals ✷ they prevent erosion by holding the soil together

✔ Make your own cleaning products from vinegar and bicarb soda. All the different products you can buy from the shops are often harmful when they are washed down the drain because they pollute our waterways. The packaging is another thing that fills up our tips. ✔ Avoid using air conditioners or heaters, put a jumper on or open the windows ✔ Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth.

Insulation: reduces energy transfer by deflecting heat. Phosphorous: a white, waxy non- metallic element that glows in the dark

CHALLEN

Food kilometres Everything you have in your home has travelled a long way to get to you. Things that travel great distances have used more energy being transported. The grapes you eat for lunch might have put lots of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere because it had to come all the way from the US. It’s much better for the planet to buy products that come from close to home.

How to do this? ✷ Eat food that is in season (try to avoid food that comes from overseas when it isn't in season here) ✷ Shop at the local markets and buy from farmers who grow things nearby ✷ Check the labels and buy Australian products www.acfonline.org.au

www.energyrating.gov.au

Schools First

www.schoolsfirst.edu.au

Australian Youth Climate Coalition www.aycc.org.au Australian Conservation Foundation www.acfonline.org.au Habitat for Humanity

www.habitat.org.au

Fantastic Fact

The average household throws away almost 13,000 pieces of paper annually. www.visyclosedloop.com/ index.php?id=10

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Things that need planning (have a family discussion) Install water tanks: collect your own water to flush toilets or do washing.

Use environmentally friendly cleaning products: Detergents with no or little phosphorus are better because phosphorus can cause algal growth and harm aquatic plants and animals.

Control the temperature of your home: without electrical

FIND OUT MORE

LANE GE

Draw a plan of your house – what could your family do to make it greener?

appliances - seal cracks and gaps, put insulation in the ceiling, shade windows from hot sun.

Choose energy efficient appliances: Check the energy rating label when buying new or second hand electrical appliances. More stars mean less greenhouse gases.

Consider buying a front loading washing machine: They use much less water.

Solar panels could provide your electricity: find out about them Change the hot water system: from electric to solar or a heat pump (saves energy).

How many cars does your family need: could you get by with just one?

Grow your own food: plan the spot for a vegetable garden.

Our neighbours We all need to try and help each other to live in harmony. what can you do to help?

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Coastal care The beach is pretty important to us all. Not just a great place to cool off but home to amazing plants and animals. ✔ Take all your rubbish with you.

Leave only footprints. ✔ Keep off the sand dunes and walk on the designated tracks. It is tempting to crash down them but the dunes are held together by plants and they stop the sand from blowing away.

Rising tides One of the biggest problems that comes from global warming is slow sea level rise. The level rises because of melting polar ice and glaciers adding extra water to the seas and also because sea water expands as it heats up.

Global warming is speeding up sea level rise. Pacific island nations and people living on the coast will be most affected. Tuvalu, a group of nine coral atolls has started to

Fantastic Fact evacuate its population because of the increasing flooding during high tide. Scientists believe the rise will be from 9cm-88cm which doesn’t sound like much but will damage fresh water supplies, towns and erode beaches. It’s not too late to help – all the little things

86% of Australia’s population lives along the coast. add up (save energy and live a little greener, tell others) and everyone makes a difference. www.greenpeace.org

The oceans (largest to smallest) Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and Arctic Ocean (all cover more than 13million km)

Ninety per cent of the world’s ice Fantastic (29 million cubic kilometers) and Fact approximately 80% of its fresh water, is locked up in the antarctic ice sheet. If all the ice were to melt, the level of the world’s oceans would rise by nearly 60m. www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=33582.

GBR Low Down The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most precious natural icons and made up of 2800 reefs. It stretches from Bundaberg to Cape York (over 2300 km) and is the only living thing that can be seen from outer space! It’s the capital city of our sea and home to thousands of unique marine species.

Global warming is going to affect our reef.

Hotter sea temperatures mean the reef will not survive as well. Coral bleaching, a loss of species and increased pollution are also problems scientists are working to address. www.gbrmpa.gov.au/

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OCEANS The 4 oceans of the world cover 70% of our planet.

Seas are smaller parts of oceans and are mostly around islands and continents. Our oceans are teeming with life and home to incredible species of chondrichthyes (jawed fish). Even though the

oceans are huge, pollution, over fishing and climate change all threatening the fragile ecosystems. Oceans produce half of the world’s oxygen and act as a natural carbon sink by storing carbon.

Scientists are concerned that increased carbon dioxide in

the atmosphere will increase ocean acidification by changing the PH levels of the water and making it more acidic.This will change the way the ocean works and could kill coral and marine creatures. We don’t know lots about this yet and are still learning.

Refugee: a person who cannot live in their country because for fear of being hurt or persecuted.

Tolerance: being able to recognize and respect the beliefs of others. Bycatch: part of the fishing catch that is discarded or interacts with fishing gear.

What are the problems our neighbours are facing?

How could Australia help?

Can you think of a way to help our oceans?

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Find out which Tuna is fished safely – make stickers for your friends so they know

GE N E L A L H C

ACTION IDEA

LANE

Fishing In 2006, humans ate 110 million tonnes of fish.

People love seafood but with so many people and so many fishing boats, the fish don’t have a chance. Some fishermen take too many fish which doesn’t allow them to breed and replenish the supply in the ocean. Some types of fishing methods catch other marine creatures and are dangerous. Fish farms (aquaculture) are increasing in number so that food is harvested rather than caught from the wild but some types of fish are tricky to farm and require even more fish to feed and grow them.

The Earth Charter Ever had a mission?

Fantastic The Earth Charter Fact explains the mission Saltwater contains over for our planet. It is 96% fresh water and nearly a set of ideas that 3% salt with tiny amounts of we can live our life other elements including by. Why don’t you calcium and Fluoride. read it and see if you agree? www.earthcharter.org

RESPECT AND CARE FOR ALL LIVING THINGS 1. Respect the Earth and all living things: people, animals and plants. a. Understand the importance and the interconnectedness of all living things. b. Accept all people as unique and valuable.

2. Care for all living things, with understanding, compassion and love. a. Use natural resources wisely, taking care not to cause harm to the Earth b. Protect the rights of people and accept their differences.

3. Form groups of people who act justly, treat others equally and work together peacefully. a. Recognise everyone’s right to be free and the right to choose how they will develop and grow. b. Include all people and work towards safe, peaceful and fair communities.

4. Co-operate so that all people can enjoy the beauty and the fruits of the Earth. a. Act responsibly for the present, making sure not to neglect the needs of future generations. b. Pass on knowledge and encourage future generations to be caretakers of the Earth.

Naysan baghai’s STORY Naysan is a passionate kid! When he was 10 he learnt what was happening to our oceans and wanted to do something to tell people about the problems and what they could do so he made a movie and built a website. Blue Promise gives the facts and then asks you to make a promise not to contribute to the destruction of our oceans. He didn’t know much about making movies or websites before he started.

Maybe you could give this a go too?

Check out www.bluepromise.org

ACTION IDEA

Leaky Tap Day – check all the taps in the school for leaks.

Report ones that need fixing to the Principal

Shark finNing 300 of the 1025 species of chondrichthyans are found in Australian waters, half of which are endemic - found nowhere else on earth.

Even though they look scary, being the number one predator sharks are very important for the marine food chain. Without any sharks, the ecosystems would collapse. Sadly sharks are being hunted in larger numbers because of the demand for their fins (and the rest of the shark meat is sometimes sold as flake). They are very slow growing and are being caught faster than they can reproduce. Shark finning at sea, where the fins are cut off the shark and the carcass is thrown overboard, is banned in Australia but not in other parts of the world and shark numbers are down to critical numbers in many areas.

SEA FISHING V/S FARMED FISH There are different methods of catching and farming fish, and some types are better than others, for example, certain types of farming such as sea cage aquaculture can actually pollute the environment. It’s good to ask your fishmonger how the fish has been caught and do your own research. For a detailed guide to what’s sustainable, go to www.amcs.org.au

FIND OUT MORE

Green Lane hero

Oxfam:www.oxfam.org.au Greenpeace Australia www.greenpeace.org/australia/

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Photo: Oxfam

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Everyone is entitled to be treated fairly. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed on the 10th December, 1948 and contains 30 articles that explain our rights.

Each of us needs to try and live our lives by following the declaration and treating others with respect. It’s the golden rule – treat others as you want to be treated.

You have a right to: • Freedom and equality • Work and have a family • Live and be safe • Justice before the law • Nationality, representation and education • Think, believe and express yourself

Green Lane hero

OXFAMS’ STORY Climate change will affect everyone, but it will affect poor people in developing countries the most. Oxfam is working hard to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on our Pacific neighbours and find solutions. Half of Tuvalu’s population of 11,000 people, live just three metres above sea level.

Increasing salination of land and water supplies from tidal surges is causing crops to fail. Tuvalu is the first nation to experience forced relocations due to climate change. So far 3,000 people have been relocated.

We believe that we need a global solution to climate change because we’re all in this together.

You can find out more about the impacts of climate change on our Pacific neighbours at www.oxfam.org.au

WHALING The gentle giants of the sea, whales migrate up the east coast each year to breed before heading back to the cold waters of Antarctica. Early in Australia’s history, we hunted whales for their oil and valuable blubber. We took so many that many species were pushed to the brink of extinction.

In 1986, the International Whaling Commission banned the hunting of whales and their numbers are now slowly increasing. However, there are some countries that continue to hunt whales illegally, sometimes for scientific and cultural research.

Investigate their claims.

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A Green Future

The future is coming no matter what. People are dreaming big and working on ideas that will help us to face the challenges ahead. It’s never too late to start and it’s never too late to dream.

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CSIRO You might have heard of this but what does it mean? CSIRO stands for Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, is Australia’s national science agency. Many of Australia’s best scientists work for CSIRO discovering and researching on important projects. You can

get involved by being a member of the Double Helix Science Club. You’ll receive a magazine jam packed with experiments, news and competitions perfect for learning about our planet. The website can tell you more. www.csiro.com.au

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LANE GE

CHALLEN

You are the future – what does the planet look like in 20 years time?

How have you helped?

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Green jobs Thinking about what you will do when you finish school is pretty tough when it is so far away.

We are going to need people to be problem solvers. If you love puzzles, it could be you! We will need scientists, designers, doctors, teachers, and musicians – all kinds of people who really care about looking after our earth. Every job will be a green job. How will you help out?

GREEN CARS You have a lot to do in your life – people to see and places to go but how you get there is important.

We know that petrol cars puts lots of CO2 into the atmosphere. Luckily, we are starting to make different kinds of vehicles. Maybe we can even use computer technology to find new ways of space age, planet friendly transport. Here are some of the ideas that are being worked on: ✷ Electric cars: These cars store electricity in a battery to power the engine. The batteries can be recharged by plugging into the wall. ✷ Clean Diesel cars: Diesel is a type of fuel that releases less CO2 than petrol when it is burnt. Many new cars now operate using diesel and it is a good alternative to petrol. ✷ Hybrid cars: These cars are a mixture.

They use both an electric and a petrol motor. This type of car works with motors which are connected into each wheel providing an electric current to the battery pack. If the battery runs out of power, the engine provides power by using these spinning backup generators. ✷ Biofuel cars: They can run on alternative fuels like ethanol. Biofuels are made from grains.They need to be farmed carefully so that environmental damage isn’t caused.

NEW IDEAS! People are thinking outside the square for the future. These might inspire your own brainwave. Just ask the question: Imagine if??? ✷ Cyclone proof structures: fast and easy to build shelters that will keep people and their belongings safe during a severe storms. ✷ Roboscooters: powered by the sun, you can hire one in the city for short trips ✷ Portable loos: the toilets transform waste into fertilizer and will help countries with poor sanitation. ✷ Marine energy: giant underwater windmills that generate energy from tides and ocean currents ✷ Cloud-making ships: Ships that spray minute water droplets into the sky could increase cloud cover and reflect sunlight away from the earth ✷ Solar power farms in the world’s deserts ✷ Free bikes: green transport and energy for everyone ✷ Roundabout tomatoes: grow veggies for everyone to enjoy on public land ✷ Fruit Street trees: plant fruit trees along roads ✷ New houses: each one built with solar panels and tanks ✷ Cap amount of energy from fossil fuels that companies can sell ✷ Cheaper public transport tickets on buses and trains ✷ New schools built as green schools ✷ Pockets of land in cities for animals and plants

Australian Natural Wonders Who needs to go overseas – some of the most incredible places are right here. Fraser Island, Kakadu, Uluru, Blue Mountains – all of these incredible places and more are on the World Heritage List. This means they are very special to the planet and worth conserving forever. www.environment.gov.au/heritage/about/world/index.html

Trend forecaster: someone who predicts future ideas; Conservation: the preservation, management, and care of natural and cultural resource

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Green leaders work together...

Every Action Adds Up:

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Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to acknowledge the source of all contributions to this diary and Green Cross Australia apologises for any inadvertent omissions. Green Cross Australia does not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising from any errors omissions or inaccuracies in the information in this diary or the associated website www.greencrossaustralia.org.