1. Earth Club Presents: Recycle!

2. A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors! Joanne Maskew (K.A.B.) & Tony Dietz (Rock-TENN)

3. The Three R’s (In Case You Didn’t Know) Reduce the waste we create in the first place, Reuse all items you possibly can, and then, Recycle what you can't reduce or reuse.

4. Reducing One of the easiest ways to be a good environmental citizen is to reduce, or cut back, in key areas of your life. You will hear a lot of environmental terms in regards to reduction (air pollution, global warming, drought, toxicity), but they all fall under one of these three categories.

5. Here’s a quick breakdown of how reduce plays into the three areas: Energy—Energy is generated and consumed with most activities, and it often results in carbon output into the environment. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that helps generate an increase in the temperature of the Earth, which in turn affects the lives of every living thing.

7. Water—Water covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, but relatively little is suitable for consumption. In many parts of the world, suitable water is in very short supply. Every time a drop of water goes down the drain, it becomes inconsumable unless properly treated. In addition to reducing the amount of water we use, developing proper treatment facilities ensures that we can reuse the water we already have.

9. Solid Waste —There is only so much room available to dispose of solid waste, and because landfills are so tightly packed it takes a long time (if ever) for material to decompose.

10. The easiest ways to reduce solid waste are to reuse and recycle!

11. Reuse Reusing is often seen as the hidden factor in the three R’s equation, but it really involves the least amount of work. Reusing is simply the act of finding a second (or third, or tenth, or hundredth) use for a product to prolong its life, and provides the opportunity to not only be thrifty but also to be creative. Most importantly, reusing doesn’t require the strategy of reduction or the energy of recycling.

12. Reuse is a process that many of us already implement in our everyday lives without realizing. Any time you buy or sell a product second-hand, such as from Craig list, eBay or Goodwill, you are providing an additional use for this product while at the same time not requiring another one to be created. The important thing to consider when you want to reuse is that creativity is king in the process. Reuse is an important step after you’ve already Reduced, but before you are ready to Recycle.

13. Recycling Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. The graphic at left is the internationally recognized symbol for recycling; the arrows go around in a circle because recycling is an infinite process. Each arrow represents a different part of the recycling process from collection to remanufacture to resale. Recycling reduces our garbage level, and making new products out of recycled ones reduces the amount of energy needed in production.

15. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 75 percent of our waste is recyclable, which goes well beyond what you toss in your recycling bin at home or your school. Recycling serves two key components above all else: 1. It keeps valuable material such as aluminum and paper out of landfills, so this material can be reused in other forms and not wasted 2. It prevents hazardous materials and chemicals such as lead and mercury from ending up in landfills, which can contaminate soil and leak into our drinking water

16. Because of the second reason, it’s important to recycle lots of products you might not think about. This includes batteries, electronics, motor oil, paint and any product that has “Caution” or “Warning” on the label. Remember: recycling is not just for containers.

17. Recycling Facts U.S. residents and businesses generate 4.4 pounds of waste per person per day! Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water! Every day American businesses generate enough paper to circle the earth 20 times!

18. Before … and After.

19. Global Warming Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities.

21. We Can Make a Difference! Climate change may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference. If we try, m Most of us can do our part to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases come from things we do every day. As we have learned, these greenhouse gases trap energy in the atmosphere and make the Earth warmer.

22. Driving a car or using electricity is not wrong. We just have to be smart about it. Some people use less energy by carpooling. For example, four people can ride together in one car instead of driving four cars to work. Here are some additional ways you can help make the planet a better place! Save Electricity Whenever we use electricity, we help put greenhouse gases into the air. By turning off lights, the television, and the computer when you are through with them, you can help a lot. Bike, Bus, and Walk You can save energy by sometimes taking the bus, riding a bike, or walking Plant Trees Planting trees is fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air.

23. Recycle Recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. When you recycle, you send less trash to the landfill and you help save natural resources, like trees, oil, and elements such as aluminum. When You Buy, Buy Cool Stuff There are lots of ways we can improve the environment. One of the ways to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that we put into the air is to buy products that don't use as much energy. By conserving energy, we help reduce climate change and make the Earth a better place. Some products – like certain cars and stereos – are made specially to save energy.

24. Some Things to Think About Did you know that you can help the environment if you buy recyclable products instead of non-recyclable ones? Look for the recycle mark – three arrows that make a circle – on the package. Recyclable products are usually made out of things that already have been used. It usually takes less energy to make recycled products than to make new ones. The less energy we use, the better.

25. Solar Energy Imagine that it's a hot summer day. You put a scoop of ice cream on the sidewalk, and it melts. Why? Well, you probably know that the sun causes the ice cream to melt. But you may not know that the sun produces solar energy. Solar energy is a fancy way of saying "energy that comes from the sun." Solar energy can be used to heat homes, buildings, water, and to make electricity. Today, more than 200,000 houses in the United States take advantage of the sun's energy.

26. Cars Cars are an important part of life for most people. But cars also cause pollution and release a lot of greenhouse gases into the air. Fortunately, there are some cars that are better for the environment. These cars can travel longer on a smaller amount of gasoline. They don't pollute as much, either. Using these kinds of cars can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the air.

27. Introducing the coolest car around. The Hybrid.

28. ENERGY STAR® Many things, like computers, TVs, stereos, and VCRs, have special labels on them. The label says "Energy" and has a picture of a star. Products with the ENERGY STAR® label are made to save energy. Buying products with ENERGY STAR® labels will help protect the environment.

29. This is what we used to have…

30. This is what we’ve done…

31. To fix it, we need to change! It will be hard. But it will be worth it. :)

32. A Big Thank You to Our Sponsors! Joanne Maskew (K.A.B.) & Tony Dietz (Rock-TENN)