What's New at the Green Kids Club
We're in the process of revamping our website. Check it out this month and let us know what you think!
Our newest book, The Belize Trash Monster, should be arriving this month, just in time for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day! It features the Green Kids, Maya, Victor and Tiago, trying to stop a Trash Monster from invading beautiful Belize.
Also arriving in time for the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, we will have a book depicting Grand Teton National Park's famous Grizzly Bear 399. Sylvia Medina is working on this story with Tom Mangelsen, a talented wildlife photographer who has biographed the life of Bear 399 through his photos.
March Observances
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March is Dolphin Awareness Month, and has observations for just about everyone:
- March 1 - National Horse Protection Day
- March 3 - World Wildlife Day
- March 8-14 - National Aardvark Week
- March 14 - Learn About Butterflies Day
- March 14 - Save a Spider Day
- March 14 - International Day of Action for Rivers
- March 15 - Buzzard Day
- March 16 - National Panda Day
- March 18 - Global Recycling Day
- March 20 - World Frog Day
- March 20 - World Sparrow Day
- March 21 - International Day of Forests
- March 22 - International Day of the Seal
- March 22 - World Water Day
- March 23 - World Meteorological Day
- March 25 - Manatee Appreciation Day
Butterfly Facts
Butterflies are important pollinators, and their presence can indicate the general health of an ecosystem. In honor of Learn About Butterflies Day on March 14, let's do just that! They have been around for over 56 million years, so there are many kinds that have adapted to live nearly everywhere in the world. There are around 20,000 different species of butterflies, and they can range in size from only about 1/8 of an inch to nearly 12 inches. Butterflies flap their wings about five times every second, but they can only fly if their body temperature is above 86 degrees F. Though they eat nectar with a long, straw-like tongue called a proboscis, butterflies taste their food with their front feet.
Monthly Challenge
This month's challenge gets a little personal. Did you know that the average American uses more than 50 lbs of tissue (facial tissues, paper towels, napkins, and toilet paper) each year? Much of that tissue is made from virgin paper pulp created by cutting down old growth forests, and each roll of toilet paper requires 37 gallons of water to manufacture, not to mention the bleach and other chemicals used to make it pure white. We probably don't think about it much, but this daily habit essentially flushes 27,000 trees down the toilet every day. You can read a sustainability report card of toilet paper manufacturers here. (Hint: the big names tend to have the worst grades!)
Some ways to cut back on your environ-mental impact in this area:
- check your tissues for recycled content,
- reduce the amount of tissue you use,
- invest in a bidet (hey - it works for Europe!)
- substitute reusable fabric items where you can like cloth napkins, washable rags, and handkerchiefs.
Non-Profit Highlight
The Green Institute is the first Nigerian research institution that subsidizes college tuition costs through a waste management program, while training leaders that will systematically transform attitudes about environmentalism in Africa’s most populated and polluted country. The Green Campus Initiative operates on a three-pronged approach through education, advocacy, and innovation. They train university students and equip them with the tools needed to create Green Initiatives on their own campuses.
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About the author
Lorielle Peterson