6th grade - Science class

Renewable and non-renewable resources

Environmental Solutions Reusing Products

Every time you reuse a plastic bag, one bag fewer needs
As the human population grows, it will need more to be made. Reusing the plastic bag at the grocery store
resources. People will need food, healthcare, is just one way to reuse the bag. Reusing products is an
transportation, and waste disposal. What does this mean important way to conserve resources. You might be
for the Earth? surprised at how many materials can be reused. For
All of these needs will have an impact on the Earth. If example, building materials can be reused. Wood,
people don’t use resources wisely, people will continue bricks, and tiles can be used in new structures. Old tires
to pollute the air, soil, and water. More natural habitats can be reused, too. They can be reused for playground
could be lost. Many species could die out as a result. But surfaces. Some tires are even reused to build new
there are many things homes!
people can do to protect the environment. Reusing Water
Conservation About 100 billion liters of water are used each day in
American homes. Most of this water goes down the
One way to care for the Earth is through conservation.
drain. Many communities are experiencing water
Conservation is the preservation and wise use
shortages. Some of these communities are experimenting
of natural resources. If you ride your bike instead of
with reusing, or reclaiming, wastewater. One way to
riding in a car, you conserve fuel. At the same time, you
reclaim water is to use organisms to clean the water.
prevent air pollution. You can use organic compost
These organisms include plants and filter-feeding
instead of chemical fertilizer in your garden. Doing so
animals, such as clams. Often, reclaimed water isn’t pure
conserves the resources needed to make the fertilizer.
enough to drink. But it can be used to water crops,
Also, you may reduce soil and water pollution.
lawns, and golf courses. Sometimes, reclaimed water is
Practicing conservation means using fewer natural
returned to underground water supplies.
resources. Conservation helps reduce waste and
pollution. Also, conservation can help prevent habitat Recycle
destruction. They describe three ways to conserve
Another example of reuse is recycling. Recycling is the
resources: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
recovery of materials from waste. Sometimes, recyclable
Reduce items, such as paper, are used to make the same kinds of
products. Other recyclable items are made into different
What is the best way to conserve Earth’s natural
products. For example,
resources? Use less of them! Doing so helps reduce
yard clippings can be recycled into a natural fertilizer.
waste and pollution.

Reducing Waste and Pollution Recycling Trash

Plastics, paper, aluminum, wood, glass, and cardboard
As much as one-third of the waste produced by some
are examples of materials that can be recycled. Every
countries is packaging material. Products can be
week, about half a million trees are used to make Sunday
wrapped in less paper and plastic to reduce waste. For
newspapers. Recycling newspapers could save millions
example, fast-food restaurants used to serve sandwiches
of trees. Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy
in large plastic containers. Today, sandwiches are
needed to change raw ore into aluminum. Glass can be
usually wrapped in thin paper instead. This paper is
recycled over and over again to make new bottles and
more biodegradable than plastic. Something that is
jars.
biodegradable can be broken down by living organisms,
Many communities make recycling easy. Some cities
such as bacteria. Many plastics are now biodegradable.
provide containers for glass, plastic, aluminum, and
So, they break down more quickly than plastics once did.
paper. People can leave these containers on the curb.
Many people and companies are using less-
Each week, the materials are picked up for recycling.
hazardous materials in making their products. For
Other cities have centers where people can take
example, some farmers don’t use synthetic chemicals on
materials for recycling.
their crops. Instead, they practice organic farming. They
use mulch, compost, manure, and natural pest control. Recycling
Agricultural specialists are also working on Resources
farming techniques that are better for the environment. Waste that can be
Reducing the Use of Nonrenewable Resources burned can also be
Some scientists are looking for sources of energy that used to generate
can replace fossil fuels. For example, solar energy can be electricity. Electricity
used to power homes. Scientists are studying power is generated in waste-
sources such as wind, tides, and falling to-energy plants.
water. Car companies have developed electric, and Using solid waste to make electricity is an example of
hydrogen fueled automobiles. Driving these cars uses resource recovery. Some companies are
fewer fossil fuels and produces less pollution than beginning to make electricity with their own waste.
driving gas-fueled cars does. Doing so saves the companies money and conserves
resources. About 16% of the solid waste in the United
Reuse States is burned in waste-to-energy plants. But some
Do you get hand-me-down clothes from an older people are concerned that these plants pollute the air.
sibling? Do you try to fix broken sports equipment Other people worry that the plants reduce recycling.
instead of throwing it away? If so, you are helping
conserve resources by reusing products. Maintaining Biodiversity
You know the three Rs. What else can you do to help the
environment? You can help maintain biodiversity! So, that allows them to be replenished naturally.
how does biodiversity help the environment? • Learn about local issues. Attend local meetings
Imagine a forest that has only one kind of tree. If a about laws and projects that may affect your local
disease hit that species, the entire forest might die. Now, environment. Research the impact of the project, and let
imagine a forest that has 10 species of trees. If a disease people know about your concerns.
hits one species, 9 other species will remain. Bananas are
an important crop. But banana fields are not very
• Develop alternative energy sources. Increase
the use of
diverse. Fungi threaten the survival of bananas. Farmers
renewable energy, such as solar power and wind power.
often use chemicals
to control fungi. Growing other plants among the What You Can Do
bananas, or increasing biodiversity, can also prevent the Reduce, reuse, and recycle—these are jobs for everyone.
spread of fungi. Biodiversity is also important because People need to monitor their environment to make sure it
each species has a unique role in an ecosystem. Losing stays healthy. People need to take steps to maintain air,
one species could disrupt water, and soil quality. And people need to practice
an entire ecosystem. For example, if an important stewardship, or the careful use of resources.
predator is lost, its prey will multiply. The prey might
eat the plants in an area, keeping other animals from Activities
getting food. Eventually, even the prey won’t have food.
1. Which of the following is NOT a strategy to
So, the prey will starve. protect the environment?
Protecting Species a.preserving entire habitats
One way to maintain biodiversity is to protect individual b. using pesticides that target all insects
species. In the United States, a law called the c. reducing deforestation
Endangered Species Act was designed to do just that. d. increasing the use of solar power
Endangered species are put on a special list. The law
2. Conservation
forbids activities that would harm a a. has little effect on the environment.
species on this list. The law also requires the b. is the use of more natural resources.
development of recovery programs for each endangered c. involves using more fossil fuels.
species. Some endangered species, such as the California d. can prevent pollution
condor, are now increasing in number. Anyone can ask
3. Use the pie
the government to add a species to or remove a species
graph below to
from the endangered species list. This process often
answer the
takes more than a year to complete. The government questions that
must follow:
study the species and its habitat before making a
decision.

Protecting Habitats
Waiting until a species is almost extinct to
begin protecting it is like waiting until your teeth are
rotting to begin brushing them. Scientists want to
prevent species from becoming endangered and from
becoming extinct. Plants, animals, and microorganisms
4. If half of the forest land were made into preserves, what
depend on each other. Each organism is part of a huge,
percentage of total land would be
interconnected web of organisms. parks and preserves?
The entire web should be protected to protect
these organisms. To protect the web, complete 5. If 10% of the cropland were not planted, what
habitats, not just individual species, must be percentage of land would be used for crops?
preserved. Nature reserves are one way to protect
entire habitats.

Environmental Strategies
Laws have been passed to help protect the Earth’s
environment. By following those laws, people can help
the environment. People can also use the following
environmental strategies:

• Reduce pollution. Recycle as much as possible

and buy recycled products. Don’t dump wastes on
farmland, in forests, or into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Participate in a local cleanup project.
• Reduce pesticide use. Use only pesticides that
are targeted specifically for harmful insects. Avoid
pesticides that might harm beneficial insects, such as
ladybugs or spiders. Use natural pesticides that interfere
with how certain insects grow, develop, and reproduce.
• Protect habitats. Preserve entire habitats. Conserve
wetlands. Reduce deforestation. Use resources at a rate