WE’RE THINKING GREEN, AS WE TAKE A DAY TO REFLECT ON THE HEALTH OF OUR BLUE PLANET.
HELLO, EVERYONE! I’M RICK JACKSON. THANKS FOR JOINING US.
THIS WEEK, WE OBSERVE EARTH DAY, A NATIONAL HOLIDAY TO THINK ABOUT OUR PLANET, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP KEEP THEM HEALTHY. THE FIRST EARTH DAY WAS OBSERVED ON APRIL 22, 1970 – WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE BEGINNING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY. THAT’S WHEN MANY PEOPLE STARTED BEING CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET. EARTH DAY WAS FOUNDED BY U.S SENATOR GAYLORD NELSON AFTER HE WITNESSED A LARGE OIL SPILL OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA –- WE’VE BEEN COMMEMORATING THE DAY EVER SINCE.
WE KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT – AND FOR GOOD REASON! AS A YOUNGER GENERATION, YOU’LL SOON BE INHERITING THIS PLANET…SO, OF COURSE, YOU WANT IT IN GOOD CONDITION!
SPEAKING OF: LAST WEEK, NASA GAVE US ALL A BRIGHT NEW VIEW OF OUR HOME. IT'S A COMPOSITE MAP OF NIGHT LIGHTS IN CITIES ACROSS THE WORLD. A COMPOSITE IS SOMETHING MADE UP OF VARIOUS ELEMENTS. IN THIS CASE, THE PHOTOS WERE CREATED FROM HUNDREDS OF SATELLITE IMAGES. ACCORDING TO NASA, THIS IS THE CLEAREST VIEW OF 'HUMAN SETTLEMENT' PATTERNS EVER ACHIEVED.
RECENTLY, THOUGH, THIS SPACE AGENCY BECAME AN ADOPTION AGENCY. IN ORDER TO GET US EARTHLINGS TO GIVE OUR PLANET A LITTLE EXTRA LOVE AND
ATTENTION FOR EARTH DAY, NASA SPLIT THE WORLD INTO 64,000 INDIVIDUAL PIECES -- TO BE ADOPTED BY INDIVIDUALS ON THEIR WEBSITE. EACH PIECE IS ABOUT 55 MILES WIDE, BUT USERS DON'T GET TO PICK THEIR SLICES. THEY COULD GET MIDTOWN MANHATTAN OR A CHUNK OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN. NASA PROVIDES ADOPTERS WITH SCIENTIFIC DETAILS ON THEIR SLICES OF PARADISE GATHERED FROM INSTRUMENTS IN SPACE. ADOPTERS RECEIVE CERTIFICATES THEY CAN PRINT OR SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
HIGHLIGHTING THEIR SECTIONS OF EARTH…BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE: THIS IS JUST FOR FUN -- NO LEGAL OR PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE INVOLVED HERE!
ALTHOUGH NASA DOESN’T GIVE YOU A CHOICE, WE WANT TO KNOW: IF YOU COULD CHOOSE, WHICH PIECE OF EARTH WOULD YOU ADOPT? WRITE IN AND LET US KNOW!
IF I COULD CHOOSE…HMMMM…I MIGHT STAKE A CLAIM TO A SANDY BEACH SOMEWHERE OFF THE COAST OF AUSTRAILIA – OR MAYBE A BIG OL’ CHUNK THAT INCLUDES CEDAR POINT – OR KINGS ISLAND! OKAY, ENOUGH ABOUT MY DAYDREAMS….
AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, EARTH DAY ISN’T JUST FOR LEARNING ABOUT OUR PLANET – IT’S ALSO A DAY TO ENCOURAGE PROTECTING IT! AND ONE THING WE CAN
ALL DO TO PROTECT OUR PLANET; IS TO ELIMINATE WASTE. IT TAKES ABOUT 450 YEARS FOR PLASTIC BOTTLES TO BREAK DOWN IN A LANDFILL – SO THE KEY IS TO REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE MATERIALS LIKE THESE!
RECYCLING MEANS USING THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN USED, TO MAKE NEW THINGS. FOR US, IT’S AS EASY AS TOSSING OUR BOTTLES IN A RECYCLE BIN, BUT
TRUE RECYCLING REQUIRES A SPECIAL TREATMENT PROCESS.
Instructional Links
Website Article: Activity Village, Earth Day | Info & activities
Video: PBS LearningMedia: All About the Holidays, Earth Day | Includes link to ebook with lesson plan & resources.
Website: NASA, Adopt a Planet | After signing up to adopt a section of earth, see images of earth.
Website: NASA, Earth, New Full-hemisphere Views of Earth at Night