From pollution to pet overpopulation, animals and the Earth face more problems today than ever before. But there is a bright side. There are many simple, everyday things we can all do to help protect our planet and the creatures who call it home.

environment

n. 1 the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. 2 (the environment) the natural world.

Lots of animals live in water (fish, seals, sea lions, dolphins, whales, etc.).

Water can be polluted (made dirty) by chemicals (such as pesticides), trash (old fishing lines & nets, plastic bags, rope, etc.), and other harmful things like oil.

Certain kinds of trash can kill animals that live in or near the water. So do your part by not throwing things into river, streams, lakes, and ponds.

Animals can also suffer when water levels get too low. Saving water means full rivers, lakes, and streams for people and animals.

• Turn off water when you brush your teeth

• Take short showers instead of baths

Everything that breathes needs clean air to survive. Dirty air is bad for people and animals. Most air pollution comes from cars and trucks.

•Walk or ride a bicycle to school instead of traveling in a car (*Always travel in groups)

•Carpool with friends when traveling places

Many wild animals live in trees (birds, squirrels, etc.). Many trees are destroyed each year. We need to protect the trees.

• Plant a tree

• DO NOT peel tree bark or break branches

• Carry your lunch to school in a re-usable lunch box

• Write on both sides of paper

• Use a sponge instead of paper towels to clean up spills

Habitats are the natural homes of animals and plants.

•Tropical Forests have a warm, humid climate (leopards, iguanas, & parrots live here).

•Grasslands are flat, open lands (African elephants, Indian rhinos,

& giraffes live here).

•Mountains (highlands) -- (bighorn sheep, eagles, & mountain goats live here).

•Deserts are hot, dry regions (camels, snakes, & bobcats live here).

•Polar regions have extremely cold climates (polar bears, artic foxes, & penguins live here).

•Oceans (sea water) -- (whales, dolphins, & fish live here).

Today there is less land available for animal’s homes. We need to protect the land so animals have a place to live. One way of saving land is to use as little of it as possible for landfills (the places where we throw away our garbage).

•Recycle aluminum cans, glass jars, plastic bottles, & paper products (start a recycling program for your school/neighborhood)

•Give your old clothes and toys to a hospital or charity (Goodwill) to be passed on to someone else

•Motor oil needs to be properly disposed of, not dumped down the drain where it makes its way into oceans, rivers, streams, etc.

We use many kinds of chemicals every day. Chemicals can be found in household cleaners, air fresheners, paint, glue, batteries, and insect sprays. Some of those chemicals are harmful to the health of people and animals. They can be bad for the air we breathe and the water we drink.

• DO NOT buy foods or drinks that come in Styrofoam cups (it takes 50 years for these to disintegrate).

• DO NOT use aerosol products (i.e. deodorants, hair sprays, air freshener, etc.), which spray chemicals into the air. Instead use roll on deodorants, pump hairsprays, and for fresh air use potpourri, scented candles, or open windows.

•Paper Towels 2-4 weeks

•Orange or Banana Peel 2-5 weeks

•Newspaper 6 weeks

•Apple Core 2 months

•Waxed milk carton 3 months

•Rope 1 year

•Hot Dog 1 year

•Plastic Bag 10-20 years

•Magazines 40 years

•Nylon Fabric 30-40 years

•Leather 50 years

•Rubber Boot 50-80 years

•Aluminum Can 80-200 years

•Disposable Diapers 450 years

•Plastic Bottle 450 years

•Glass Bottle 500 - 1

million years

Energy is the ability to make heat or motion. Energy warms our homes and gives us light. It makes cars, air conditioners, and other machines work. Sometimes when we use energy we create pollution. So the less energy we use, the less pollution there will be.

•Turn off lights when you leave a room

•Make sure the TV is off when no one is watching it

•Instead of using the heater in the winter, wear warmer clothes and put extra blankets on the bed at night

•Use the air conditioner and heater as little as possible

•Manually sharpen pencils instead of using an electric sharpener

•Use re-chargeable batteries instead of throwing them away

There is too much trash! Many things that are made out of paper & plastic are thrown out after being used only once. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to break down in the soil.

•Eat with re-usable forks, spoons, and knives instead of plastic ones that get thrown out

•Buy recyclable cans instead of plastic juice boxes

•Use canvas bags when shopping so you do not have to use paper or plastic bags (i.e. Trader Joes)

You can help animals by keeping the environment clean. If you love animals there are many things that you can do to help them.

Most importantly, have your pets spayed/neutered to prevent them from having babies (there are many more pets than there are homes for them).

If you are looking to adopt a new pet, visit your local animal shelter or humane society instead of buying a pet from a pet store or breeder.

•Do not keep wild animals as pets (they have a role to play in nature)

•Be kind to wildlife by letting them live unharmed

•Put up a house or feeder for outdoor birds

•Do not ask your parents for baby chicks or bunnies for Easter or Christmas (many of them end up at shelters when people can no longer care for them. They may start out as small, fluffy tiny creatures, but they grow up and they still need all of the love and attention that you gave them when they were babies.)

•If you find a baby bird on the ground or a nest of bunnies in the grass – LEAVE THEM ALONE! In most cases, baby wild animals have not been abandoned. Their mother is probably close by waiting for you to leave. If you think an animal really needs help, tell an adult and they can call your local animal control agency or wildlife specialist.

DO NOT throw garbage on the ground or into the water. Use trash cans and recycling bins. Animals do not wear shoes. They walk barefoot. When people throw litter on the ground, animals can get hurt. Their feet can get cut on sharp cans or broken glass. If they live in the wild or are homeless they may not receive the vet care they need and can die from that cut.

Balloons are another item that can kill wildlife. When they pop and end up in the ocean, curious critters may swallow them and this can lead to an internal blockage (this happens a lot with sea lions that mistake popped balloons for jellyfish).

Keep poisonous products out of the reach of pets (i.e. antifreeze – pets are attracted to its sweet smell and taste, but even a small amount can be deadly).

So remember we need to take care of our environment. Talk to other people about being kind to animals and one another

and about what you learned today.

Permission is granted for using this presentation for educational purposes so long as credit is given to the San Bernardino County Animal Care & Control Program.