Backyard Action Hero Toyota Backyard Action Hero Guidebook August 2016 | Page 14

BREEZE into Action
We have seen many great examples of
how we can all help protect and care for
our city ecosystem and the animals that
call it home. Little steps add up to make a
big difference in your neighborhood, city,
and the planet! No matter how small you
might think your contribution, it matters!
This is especially true with one of the most
important nonliving parts of our ecosystem: the
air we breathe.
I bet you’ve heard a lot from your parents,
teachers and even the news about how
important it is to have clean air. Air pollution
affects us all — even all the way to polar bears
in the Arctic.
Many things can cause air pollution. There
are natural causes like forest fires, erupting
volcanoes, and gases released from rocks inside
the Earth. People also do many things that
contribute to air pollution.
Carbon dioxide is a pollutant caused by the
activities of people. This type of pollutant comes
from cars, planes, power plants, and any other
burning of fossil fuels like gasoline. This air
pollution affects the health of people, animals
and even plants.
There are three easy ways to decrease air
pollution. Reduce burning fossil fuels, save
energy so that power plants generate less
pollution, and save water. Producing cool, clean
water requires huge amounts of energy so
cutting water waste is a great way to decrease
pollution.

Your challenge is to go out there and make
a difference by doing small projects in your
community to decrease air pollution. Come up
with an action plan and make it happen. Below
are some great ideas to get you started!

;;

Plant flowers, shrubs and trees instead of
grass and encourage your neighbors to do
the same! Less grass to mow means less
harmful gases in the world.
;; Turn off the lights when you leave a room
or unplug things after you use them.
Encourage your friends and family to
join in. Even if you aren't using it, leaving
something plugged in uses energy.
;; Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
or take shorter showers to conserve water.
;; Encourage your friends and family not to
leave their car running if it’s not moving.
;; During winter, open curtains and blinds
during the day and let in sunshine to warm
the house; close them in the evening to
hold in heat and conserve energy.
;; Turn off the water while washing your
hands at school and encourage your
classmates to do the same.
;; Create posters with environmental themes
and ask teachers to post them in their
classrooms.
Just doing a few of these things can get you
on your way to a healthier ecosystem and a
healthier environment for all!

Word Scramble Answers: 1. Non-point source pollution 2. Pollutants 3. Conservation 4 .Sustainability
5. Natural resources 6. Habitat destruction 7.Endangerment 8. Point source pollution