Hi everybody, it's Ben.
While me and my daddy were starting a fire we asked each other a question, is it better to have a fire in your fire place or use the heater. we asked each other that because most people use newspaper to start fires. The newspapers have ink in them so when you burn them that ink harms the air. Using the heater uses electricity tho, so they both harm the earth. I'm leaving the answer to you, which one harms the earth more. I think that burning the newspaper harms the earth less, because to recycle the newspaper the garbage truck has to drive here to get it, then gas is used to power the motor to do the recycling process.

Brainwashed

I think I've been brainwashed.
Last week, my brother had a hockey tournament in San Jose. So, that meant my mom didn't cook for a whole weak. We ate at the hotel and at restaurants. Usually this wouldn't have been a big deal at all, but  last week I really had a hard time with, well, food. First of all, every time I had a meal, I felt guilty that at home a perfectly untouched, healthy,  good-for-the-planet share box from Farmer Jim's was just sitting there waiting to be thrown away. Secondly, I had difficulty not knowing where my food had come from and how the animals that I ate were treated.

Also, I'm having trouble with the microwave.
About a month ago ours broke, and in between it breaking and us buying a new one, we realized that it's better for our family not to have one. Everything a microwave does, can be done by an oven or stovetop in just a little longer time. Furthermore, microwavable foods have tons of preservatives that don't need to be there. So as we were sitting in the hotel room in San Jose, I was starring at the tray in the microwave rotate and heat up the Campbell's Soup that would be my lunch, I realized- I've been brainwashed. Our family has done so much researching, field trips, vegetable planting, and eco-talks at the dinner table that I have  become super aware of what is good for me and our planet.

Mackinac island.

Hi everybody,it's Ben. Mackinac island is in the state of Michigan. Cars aren't aloud on Mackinac island because it will disturb the peace there. All you hear there for transportation is bikes and horses hooves. That island is only about 9 miles around. Using no cars must be really earth-friendly. Wouldn't it be fantastic if everywhere was like that.

Unplugged

Hi guys! It's Hannah
Did you know that electronics emit a gas thats harmful to the environment when they are plugged in? Even when the item is turned off, or not in use, if it's plugged in, its harmful to the planet. For instance, our toaster is plugged in, emitting toxins as I type, yet I'm not using the toaster, my brother isn't using the toaster, and no one else in the house is either. So, try only plugging in a lamp when you need to use it,adn don't have your laptop plugged in all day, when you know it only takes about an hour for it to get a full charge. It's the little things that can help in a big way!

Strauss family creamery

Hi everybody, it's Ben.

There's this small family-owned organic dairy farm that my family and I get our milk and yogurt from. They don't use plastic or cardboard cartons, they use glass bottles. You buy the gallons for four dollars and if you return them you get a dollar back. They reuse the bottle about eight times. Strauss makes enough electricity to run the whole farm by using methane from the cows manure, which a dairy cow makes 144 pounds a day of manure. I think it's insane that all farms don't do that.

Bill Gates is Saving the World?

Hi Guys! It's Hannah here.
My mom recently showed me an article from Rolling Stone Magazine called The Miracle Seeker. It's really great that the Rolling Stone is encouraging environmental consciousness. Apparently, Bill Gates is at it again. He is an amazing humanitarian who's charity has pretty much donated or invested in every charitable cause imaginable. Now, he is joining in the fight against global warming. In his opinion, "energy consumption is good- it just needs to be clean energy". Although he has invested huge amounts of money in high-capacity batteries and machines that scrub carbon dioxide out of the air, his main focus is inspiring people to do simple things that are better for the environment. He has challenged America to "raise the standard of living in the developing world without wrecking the climate". By simply buying hybrids instead of gas-guzzling Hummers or SUVs, we can all help save the planet. :-)

YES. And. NO. Foods.

Hi everybody, it's Ben,

I learned about food and where it came from by Birke Baehr an 11 year-old boy on youtube.When he was young he wanted to be an NFL player, then he decided he wanted to be an organic farmer. He told me that almost all farms use pesticides and herbicides to keep the bugs off, but when it rains, those chemicals seep into the ground and into our underground water supply. Farmers also use chemicals and properties of other plants and animals so they grow bigger and last longer. Yeah, you heard me, they splice plants and animals together to make them better. But when lab animals ate this modified food, they got cancer and some kind of liver disease. The farmers still sold the tainted food. Birke said that some people asked him, "Isn't organic food more expensive?" He said "Yes, but would you rather spend a little more money or pay the hospital because of bad food?" So eat right, buy organic food, and stay healthy.

Hey Everyone! It's Hannah here. :-)

     Why is green the color that symbolizes recycling, reusing, and doing really anything good for the earth?  Think about it for a second. Trees are green, grass is green, and most other plants are green, but besides that, it doesn't really make sense to me why the color that symbolizes "good for the planet" is green. I was really confused, I mean, lots of other colors have stuff that is good for the planet too, you know. But then I understood. Green symbolizes anything that is good for the planet, because it represents land, or earth, on most most maps. To be good to the planet, we should only use things that from from land, or the earth. I think our society is taking so much from Earth, and not giving her anything back in return. It's time to realize that Earth is a living thing, that can get hurt. Oil is like the earth's blood, and we are taking so much of it, that now she's unhealthy.

Green also represents something that everyone LOVES. Money, cash, currency, funds, riches, capital, however you like to say it, is something that immediately comes to mind when I think of green.
When people are trying to save money, it's easier to buy cheap things that are bad for the earth. It's true, buying things that aren't very good for the planet are a little cheaper than items that aren't made with harmful chemicals, unnatural ingredients, and bad working conditions. But, it pays off in the long run to buy responsibly.

  

Hi! It's Hannah
Have you ever wondered what goes on deep beneath the surface of the ocean? The ocean is the least explored frontier on the planet. Because it's so huge, it will be almost impossible to ever know exactly what is going on under the sea. One of the things we do know, is that human trash is one of the greatest killers of sea creatures. Plastic grocery bags, which, to sea turtles, look like it's favorite snack, a jellyfish, usually choke the turtles, weakening the already endangered species. When you go to a beach, make sure to pick up after yourself. Any trash you leave behind, could be responsible for injuring or even killing an animal. If you feel like being super helpful to the planet when you are at the beach, clean up a few pieces of other people's trash. Working together, we can help ourselves and the animals that are being most effected by our trash. Help keep our oceans beautiful!!