OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Green Kids Club Newsletter where you can catch up with us each month, learn some new things, and challenge yourself as a true Green Kid ambassador for the planet.
The Latest News
Our newest book, Little Moyo, is now available! Little Moyo is based on the true story of a young black rhino who lived in Africa with his mother. One day as he played with his friend, Howard the warthog, he heard a strange noise. He went to see what it was and found his mother had been taken by poachers. When he tried to save her, he too was hurt by them. With the help of his mom's unique friends, a mother elephant, a mother lion, and a mother ostrich, Little Moyo makes his way to find humans that will help heal his wounds and enable him to live safely at a rhino sanctuary.
The humans who help him are from Saving the Survivors, led by Dr. Johan Marais. Proceeds from this book will enable Dr. Johan and his team to help more animals in need after they have been injured.
Animal Calendar
October is Bat Appreciation Month, Squirrel Awareness Month, World Animal Month, Campus Sustainability Month, and also has these specific observations:
- October 1 - International Raccoon Appreciation Day
- October 2 - Energy Efficiency Day
- October 2 – World Farm Animals Day
- October 3 – Butterfly and Hummingbird Day
- October 4 - World Animal Day
- October 8 - National Salmon Day
- October 13-19 – National Wolf Awareness Week
- October 14 - International E-Waste Day
- October 20 – International Sloth Day
- October 21 – Reptile Awareness Day
- October 23 - International Snow Leopard Day
Photo by rodehi on CanStockPhoto
Sloth Facts
Take a nap on October 20 in honor of International Sloth Day. Sloths are having a moment as the world takes notice of their endearing, slow-moving ways. They spend most of their time sleeping in the trees of Central and South America, and they only come down once a week or so for a potty break. Though not very graceful on land, sloths are surprisingly good swimmers and can hold their breath for about 40 minutes underwater!
Photo by Nyah S on Pexels
Monthly Reader Challenge
You have probably heard some concerns about the global recycling industry. Is it all just ending up in landfills? What can we do to help? Is recycling really worth it? There are so many facets of recycling, (i.e. don't miss International E-Waste Day on October 14! Check with your local programs for e-recycling or with Staples for e-waste collection.) but we wanted to highlight "wishcycling" this month. Have you heard of this? Even if you haven't, chances are that you have probably done it.
In an effort to make the most of our recycling, sometimes we put things in the recycling bin that aren't actually recyclable, thinking it's better to hope it's recyclable than to put it in the trash. This is called "wishcycling." While usually well-intentioned, wishcycling is responsible for higher costs and lower efficiency in the recycling chain.
Single-stream containers, confusion over what can be recycled in each city, and hopes to be more environmentally friendly all feed the problem. It's estimated that 25% of what we put into our recycling bin shouldn't be in it. Items like food-contaminated jars, used pizza boxes, wet paper, plastic bags, styrofoam, and electronics are generally not meant for the single-stream recycling process and are basically polluting the recycling river. One contaminated item can often contaminate others, resulting in even more recyclables having to be thrown away.
To combat the wishcycling urges:
- Contact your local recycler or search their website and find out exactly what they can take.
- When in doubt, throw it out (don't just hope it's recyclable!).
- Take clean #2 and #4 plastic bags to grocery or big box stores. Most of them have collection boxes near the entrance.
As we worry about our oceans filling with plastic, we should focus more on reducing plastic from the source. But in the meantime, make sure what you put in the recycling bin is recyclable and not part of the problem. Read more about wishcycling here and recycling plastic bags here.
Non-Profit Highlight
The Love the Wild Foundation seeks to engage people in environmental stewardship through three fundamental concepts: Enjoy the Wild, Learn From the Wild, Protect the Wild. These three concepts are achieved in many ways, including by developing curriculum, books, and media to educate children, creating and sponsoring learning opportunities, and advocating for responsible land management.
Giveaways
If you haven't done so already, check out our Instagram page, @greenkidsclub. We are featuring several giveaways there this month.
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About the author
Lorielle Peterson