Spaceship Earth
Astronauts often reflect on the beauty of Earth as they gaze down at our miraculous and amazing planet from the Cupola window on the ISS. There are numerous ways to see this beauty from their perspective. Simply follow astronauts on Twitter, get an ISS Above for your home or classroom and check out the books from Scott Kelly, Chris Hadfield and Dr. Leroy Chiao.
The truth is, we only have one home planet, Earth. We need to work together to take better care of our home. Everybody can take small steps to make a big impact. This is not only for our future, but for the future of humanity and the world.
The truth is, we only have one home planet, Earth. We need to work together to take better care of our home. Everybody can take small steps to make a big impact. This is not only for our future, but for the future of humanity and the world.
How can we help Spaceship Earth?
This would be a great PBL investigation for your students!
Usage
- Replace plastic bags with reusable bags
- Use reusable produce bags, silicone bags or Beeswax wrap for food storage instead of Ziplocs
- Purchase a set of reusable metal straws to travel with
- Drop off plastic bags at your local grocery store to be recycled
- Replace plastic water bottles with reusable ones (glass or metal)
- Use biodegradable bags for trash and leaf collection
- Use solar powered options for outdoor lighting
- Opt for cleaning products like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day for lsoap, shampoo, conditioner laundry and dishwasher detergent without dyes and harsh chemicals - look for biodegradable surfactants
- Avoid products with palm oil - It destroys the rainforest.
Donations
- Donate used clothes
- Soles 4 Souls - Donate used shoes
- One World Running - Donate used running shoes
Purchasing
- Search for items that are compostable like silverware, cups and plates
- Search for used books - Half Price Books or Better World Books
- Buy local - less packaging and shipping
- Ask your school to install Water Bottle filling stations
Support Companies that are green:
- Paper Culture - Uses 100% post consumer recycled paper, is a carbon neutral process and a tree is planted for every order!! So, shop for sustainable products like cards, stationary, announcements, photo books and gifts
- Pela Case makes 100% compostable and eco-friendly phone cases, airpods cases, smart watch bands, phone grips, card holders, screen protectors,
- Pela Vision makes 100% biodegrabable blue light blocking glasses and sunglasses
- Habitat (Botanicals) by Pela makes plastic-free, cruelty-free, handmade health and beauty products with clean ingredients including deodorant, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm and biodegradable masks.
- Barxby by Pela makes shampoo and conditioning bars for dogs
- Who Gives a Crap - makes toliet paper, tissues and paper towels from bamboo, sugarcane and recycled paper fibers. The company is plastic-free and donates 50% of profits to build toliets around the world!
- Sea2See - glasses and sunglasses made from recycled plastic collected from the ocean
Collect
- Ronald McDonald House Charity - Find your local branch to donate pop tabs. These are recycled and help fund operating costs. Families are able to stay here and meals are provided while children are in the hospital.
- Color Cycle - Collect any brand of marker and ship to Crayola to be reused or recycled.
- Earth Connection - Any plastic cap/lid with a number 2, 4 or 5 can be recycled and turned into benches or other products
Change
- Print on recycled paper
- Switch to paperless and get bills or statements emailed
- Recycle as must as possible; start or program at your school or in your community
- Start a garden
- Start a compost - using grass clippings, leaves, egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and veggie waste
- Get a rain barrel - to collect rainwater for watering your grass or garden
- Get an eco flashlight that is powered by the sun, heat from your hands or by cranking
- Use a solar powered charger for small items like your phone
Classroom Connections
- Earth and Space Science - weather and climate, atmosphere, energy forces, water cycle, nonrenewable and renewable resources
- Life Science - homeostasis, photosynthesis, ecosystems, human- environment interaction
- Physical Science - Energy transfer
If you have ideas for additional ways to help our planet, companies to support or curricular connections, please let me know so that I can add them :)