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Eco-Activity: Keeping it eco at the beach

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Eco-Activity: Keeping it eco at the beach

The beach is not only the perfect place to have fun with friends, enjoy the sun, and splash in the water – it’s also an important ecosystem! That’s why it’s important to protect these beachy habitats and do our part to keep them litter-free, so for today’s eco-activity we’ve got 3 ways to have a waste-free day by the water!

1) Pack waste-free snacks

Whether you bring zero-waste snacks from a bulk food store, food already in reusable containers, or nature’s perfectly self-packaged treats like watermelon and oranges (that come in a peel or rind that decomposes!), avoid bringing any plastic to the beach. Even if you don’t intend to leave litter behind, it can easily blow away or be forgotten about amidst all the fun!

2) Bring a reusable water bottle

Don’t forget to stay hydrated, but in the most eco-friendly way possible!

3) Use a reusable beach bag

These always come in handy, and a trip to the beach is no exception! Use a reusable tote bag (bonus points if you DIY one out of old clothes or fabric) to haul all your beach toys, towels, and more!

Want more tips to make your beach trip waste-free? Check out the Wild Wire Blog!

Keeping it Eco at the Beach

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Keeping it Eco at the Beach

The beach is not only the perfect place to have fun with friends, enjoy the sun, and splash in the water – it’s also an important ecosystem! That’s why it’s important to protect these beachy habitats and do our part to keep them litter-free. Here are 7 ways to have a waste-free day by the water!

Photo: Jamie McCaffrey
  1. Natural sunscreen.  Some sunscreens have chemical ingredients that can cause harm to our marine friends.  If you’re near the ocean this summer, consider buying sunscreen that’s natural, or that explicitly does not include oxybenzone – which harms coral reefs!  Want to get even more creative?  Try to make your own homemade sunscreen!
  2. Biodegradable shampoo and soap.  Take a quick dunk in nature’s biggest bathtub to scrub off – just make sure to use biodegradable and natural products to ensure you don’t cause any harm to our aquatic friends!
  3. A repurposed plastic bag that can be used for a quick litter pick up!  Why not come prepared to do a quick litter scan while at the beach?!  If you see some litter that’s safe to pick up, grab it and take it to the next closest garbage for proper disposal. Bring some gloves to be even more prepared!
  4. Homemade popsicles.  Use reusable popsicle molds to make homemade popsicles with fruit juice, load them into a freezer bag to keep cold and head down to the beach with your frozen, waste-free treats in tow!
  5. An eco activity or craft.  Bring an activity or craft that uses repurposed materials to keep you occupied while you enjoy the beachy breeze and sand!  Try cutting out the lid of a plastic tub, such as a yogurt container, to use as a homemade embroidery hoop.
  6. A book about the environment.  Read up on nature and the environment while you soak up the sun!
  7.  Reusable cup and cutlery.  Always bring a reusable cup and set of reusable cutlery to enjoy cold drinks or snacks beachside without the waste attached!

Want more tips to help keep our planet clean? Accept the Stash the Trash Mission on the Earth Rangers App to learn more!

Eco-Activity: Snowflakes in the summer?!

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Eco-Activity: Snowflakes in the summer?!

Do you have concerns about the climate? Do you want your voice to be heard? For today’s eco-activity, we’re giving you a chance to do just that, PLUS participate in an attempt to break a Guinness World record title! And it all starts with… snowflakes?

The effects of climate change are being felt around the globe but unfortunately, the Arctic is experiencing climate change at a much faster pace than anywhere else on Earth! Warming temperatures have resulted in a loss of sea ice, which is affecting the communities and animals that live there, including polar bears, beluga whales, and Arctic foxes.

To draw attention to climate change impacts in the Arctic, Earth Rangers is inviting kids across Canada to make paper snowflakes and share their messages of hope, concern, and bright ideas for the future of our planet – all while attempting to create the world’s longest paper snowflake chain!

To beat the record, our snowflake chain needs to be over 214 metres long. That’s four times the height of Niagara Falls – so we’re going to need your help to make this message of combatting climate change one for the record books! Here’s how you can get involved:

1. Go to www.earthrangers.com/snowflake-challenge to access downloadable snowflake templates. If you’re a member, accept the Snowflake Challenge Mission in the Earth Rangers App to earn points and badges too!

2. Print out your templates (on recycled paper if possible) then follow the directions to cut out your snowflakes

3. Use the suggested prompts to share your hopes, concerns, or ideas for the future of our planet. Then get creative and decorate your snowflakes however you’d like!

Once you’ve finished your snowflakes, mail them back to Earth Rangers Headquarters as soon as possible, and be sure to include your name and location to be recognized on our website!

Planning to participate? Click here to let us know and to opt-in to receive more information about the Snowflake Challenge, plus special bonuses for participating Earth Rangers!

Mitigation and Adaptation in Motion

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Mitigation and Adaptation in Motion

Even though mitigation should be our priority, adaptation is another extremely important strategy to combat climate change.  At this point, our planet will feel some of the effects of climate change, even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today!  In order to adapt to the effects of climate change, there are many things we, as humans, can do.  Adaptation means preparing for the effects of climate change, like extreme weather events, sea level rise, and food shortages.  Read on for tips on how you can help adapt to climate change!

Photo: Pixabay
  • Create more greenspace – greenspaces such as forests, wetlands and even gardens, help suck up carbon from the atmosphere, but also absorb water (which is important in the case of extreme rainfall to prevent floods), and provide a cooling effect through shade and something called evapotranspiration. Evapotranspiration is a process completed by all plants; water is pulled from the soil by a plant’s roots, and used by the plant for various functions. A portion of this water intake is then transpired through the leaves of the plant, into the atmosphere. This process is crucial to balancing microclimates, and the water cycle – it generates much of the world’s precipitation!
  • Be mindful of water usage – save water within your household where possible, and harvest rainwater using a rain barrel for other purposes, such as watering your gardens and lawn (you can even make one yourself by following along with the H₂O Harvester Mission  on the Earth Rangers App!).
  • Save energy by turning off lights when you leave a room, lower your thermostat a bit and opt for a sweater instead, and unplug unused electric appliances!

Climate change is certainly a large issue, but we can all still do our part to mitigate and adapt to its effects.  Never give up, every bit counts!  If you want to learn more about climate change, and what else you can personally do to mitigate and adapt to climate change, accept the H2O Harvester Mission on the Earth Rangers App.

The Plight of Plastic

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The Plight of Plastic

In honour of Plastic Free July, a month where people are encouraged to avoid and reduce their plastic usage, we’re going to get down to the facts of plastic!  As Earth Rangers, we know that plastic causes many issues for the environment and for wildlife. It is often ingested by various animals and aquatic organisms which causes many issues for their digestive system.  Not only is plastic made out of chemicals that are toxic to animals, but organisms with full bellies of plastic often starve as they believe they are no longer hungry, when in reality they have received no real nutrients needed to survive.  Additionally, these harmful toxins and chemicals leach into water and soil causing contamination. Plastic pollution also acts as a carrier for harmful bacteria that can make animals sick.

But what exactly is plastic pollution?

Plastic pollution comes in all different forms; wrappers, food and beverage containers, fishing nets, foam, microplastics and microfibers!  Unfortunately, once produced, plastic does not decompose. This means that it ends up in the environment in one form or another. It can be found almost everywhere – in our waterways, in our soil and throughout our ecosystems.  Single use plastics such as straws, coffee stirrers or plastic bags are the worst kind of plastic possible!  They have an extremely short life, usually used once before they are thrown away, most often ending up in a landfill or as litter. So for the month of July, we want to encourage you to take the pledge: do your best to stop using Single Use Plastics whenever you can. Download the Cut the SUP tracker to get started and take the pledge by clicking on the link below

I pledge to cut the SUP!

Photo: Bo Eide

What can you do about it?

By reducing the amount of plastic used in your household, you can make a surprisingly big difference – especially for your local environment!  Luckily for us, there are tons of alternatives for single use plastics nowadays.  Read the list below to hear about some of the simple swaps you can make to reduce your plastic footprint:

  • Avoid plastic bags at all costs! Bring your own reusable bag to grocery stores, or when you are out shopping.
  • Say no to single use utensils! Bring a set of reusable utensils from home to avoid using plastic forks, spoons, knives and straws.
  • Always remember your reusable water bottle! Make sure you fill it up and bring it with you when you leave the house.
  • Try to shop with as zero waste as possible! But how? Head to a local bulk food store with reusable jars, containers and bags to source your pantry staples, snacks and treats with no waste.
  • Use reusable produce bags! Bring your own produce bags to grocery stores or farmer’s markets to avoid the single use version.  You can either buy reusable produce bags or make your own with scrap material.
  • Try not to buy plastic jugs of juice. Did you know you can get frozen cans of juice at most grocery stores? These cans are made out of cardboard and metal, can be recycled, but most importantly, are a largely reduced packaging size compared to our typical plastic jugs of juice. Mix with water and keep your juice in a reusable jug instead to significantly reduce your waste.
  • Use a bamboo toothbrush. There are many plastic toothbrushes polluting the environment owing to the fact that they take one thousand years to decompose, use a biodegradable option instead!
  • Shop secondhand. When shopping for clothes, electronics, furniture, books and more, try and source them secondhand to avoid waste and decrease your consumption.  There are many perfectly good products already on the planet in need of a new home!
  • Use reusable beeswax wraps. Single use cling wrap is very wasteful.  Beeswax wraps are not only reusable, but they are also compostable at the end of their life!
  • Invest in a good set of reusable containers. Reusable containers come in handy for packing your own lunch (which also avoids extra packaging!), shopping in bulk and for saving leftovers. They can be very handy when attempting to reduce your waste!

Want to learn more about how you can reduce your plastic consumption?  Accept the More Plastic More Problems Mission on the Earth Rangers App for more tips, tricks and activities! Not to mention, when you accept this mission, you will receive a special avatar item; an Earth Rangers reusable water bottle! Keep it up Earth Rangers, and make a difference in your day to day.

Eco-Activity: Win with Earth Rangers!

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Eco-Activity: Win with Earth Rangers!

Attention Earth Rangers: there’s less than a month left to enter the Backyard Biologist Photo Contest! We’re giving away a Canon Powershot camera to THREE of our finest photographers, and all you have to do is send us your best nature pic – so for today’s eco-activity, we’re giving you some tips and tricks to help you beat out the competition! Here’s what you need to know:

We’re picking a winner in each of these three categories:

Besides your best nature pic, you’ll also need to submit a description of your photo subject plus an explanation about how you identified it (as any true biologist would do, of course!). This will be part of the judging process, so we want to help you put your best foot forward! Here’s some tips to get those brain juices flowing!

  • If you don’t have a guidebook handy, use these links to ID the trees, birds, bugs, and other flora and fauna you spot on your camera quest
  • Pro tip: Accept the Backyard Biologist Mission in the Earth Rangers App for even more handy tips to help you identify the specimen you’ve snapped a pic of!
  • Think like a biologist and try writing your description as an entry in a fieldbook! Pretend you’ve stumbled across an unusual plant on a hike into your field site, or perhaps a rare bird flew into your bino’ field of view while you were scanning the skies – don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun!

Once you’ve captured your best pic (or pics – don’t forget, you can submit an entry in each of the three photo categories!), grab your parent/guardian and complete the contest entry form here, or enter via the Mission Submission Form after completing the Backyard Biologist Mission in the Earth Rangers App.

Podcast: Adelia Goodwin’s Secret Journal – The Mystery of the Avian Guides

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Podcast: Adelia Goodwin’s Secret Journal – The Mystery of the Avian Guides

After being startled by a beautiful Sri Lankan flying snake, Earth Ranger Emma continues her quest to find Adelia Goodwin, the once famous – now missing conservationist. With help from the journal they need to figure out which waterfall Adelia used to work at. Deep in the jungles of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sonic the barn owl, Emma’s trusty sidekick, makes an interesting new friend that helps get them on the right track. But just when they think they have made a lucky discovery; their luck takes a turn for the worse.  

Click the play button on the player below to listen to today’s episode!

Here’s Adelia’s Secret Journal!

Check out the pages that Emma is using to search for clues today.
Here is the treasure trove that Emma discovered behind the waterfall. A bunch of missing pages from Adelia’s diary. Will Emma find some new clues in these…

Stay tuned for more episodes to find out what happens next!

Emma may just have embarked on an epic quest, but our junior wildlife reporters contest is still going on!

If you’ve ever wanted to be a podcast correspondent, here is your chance. You can create your very own animal report! It could be about your all-time favourite animal, with some cool wacky facts that nobody knows about them! Or it can be about some rare animals that most people would never have even heard about. Or cool conservation projects that happen in your neighborhood. You can even make your own quizzes, riddles and games. It is 100% your segment, but we will help you out a bit by adding cool sound effects! Ready? Click on the ‘Leave us a message’ button below!

By submitting a story before August 31st you’ll automatically be entered to the draw for a chance win an amazing Earth Rangers podcast bluetooth speaker!

Did someone steal Adelia’s journal?

How can Emma find Adelia without the journal?

How will Emma’s adventure continue?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss an episode!

Climate & Energy Go Together Like Peanut Butter & Jelly

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Climate & Energy Go Together Like Peanut Butter & Jelly

If you are an Earth Ranger, you’ve probably been hearing about climate change a lot lately! Especially in June as we celebrate World Environment Day. This year’s theme is ecosystem loss, which is depriving the world of important carbon sinks like forests and wetlands, and contributing to global warming.

But what exactly is climate change? Climate change describes a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time. Scientists have figured out that a global increase in temperature of 1.5℃-2℃ is the highest we can go in order to avoid major impacts to our global ecosystems and wildlife. Although this number doesn’t seem like much, it’s a big deal! Even small changes in temperature can have serious effects on how many organisms and ecosystems function. But the good news is, there are small changes we can all make in our daily lives that can make a big difference!

Photo: Hippopx

The energy we use every day to do things like watch TV, wash our clothes, and heat and cool our homes can contribute to climate change? Most of the world’s energy produced is supplied by fossil fuels – 84% to be exact. When fossil fuels are burned, they release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat, causing temperatures to rise – just like the way a real greenhouse works! This means that when energy is created and then wasted, it causes fossil fuels to be burned unnecessarily, which leads to even more greenhouse gas emissions being released.

Photo: Pixabay

We humans have to do everything we can to help avoid climate change. And that’s where you come in Earth Rangers! You can do your part in fighting climate change by being aware of energy consumption in your household. It’s impossible not to use energy at home, but if we stop wasting energy whenever we can, we’re helping do our part to make sure the only fossil fuels being burned are the ones we absolutely require. There are lots of things you can do as an Earth Ranger to reduce energy waste, like: 

  • Unplugging electronic devices and appliances when they are not in use
  • Turning the tap off in between uses
  • Ensuring your washing machine and dishwasher are only run with a full load
  • Air drying your clothes instead of using the dryer
  • Remembering to turn off the lights when you leave a room

If you need a place to start, check out the Operation Conservation Mission in the Earth Rangers App. This Mission outlines all you need to know about saving energy at home, and tells you about 7 particular energy-wasting culprits to look out for! Join Captain Conservation’s team and help us catch the Earth Rangers’ Most Wanted Energy Wasters today!

It’s turtle time!

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It’s turtle time!
Attention Earth Rangers! Do you think reptiles rock? Are you a sucker for shells? Then you’re not gonna want to miss our newest Wildlife Adoptions project: it’s turtle-y awesome!

Introducing… the Midland Painted Turtle!

The Midland Painted Turtle is a type of painted turtle found in Ontario and Quebec. It is one of four subspecies of painted turtle, identifiable by the symmetrical dark grey markings underneath its bottom shell. Its top shell is dark and looks a bit like a puzzle, made up of oddly-shaped pieces – kind of like a soccer ball! Midland Painted Turtle Basking on a Log The turtle’s skin is striped, with yellow stripes on its face and red stripes on its arms, legs, and tail. These yellow and red markings are also sometimes found on its top shell, making the “painted” name even more appropriate! It has webbed feet to help it swim and both males and females are usually 13-17 cm long.

Growin’ up turtle

It can be tough to grow up without someone to take care of you but that’s life for a baby painted turtle. They are on their own from the moment they hatch because their parents don’t stick around to raise them. Females lay their eggs (about 15 at a time) in a freshly dug nest, covering them with sandy soil and when she’s done, she abandons them. But before she leaves, she also digs a few fake nests to distract predators from the real nest so that the eggs can hatch, and the babies can get to safety.

Livin’ la vida turtle

The painted turtle makes its home in streams, ponds, wetlands, and marshes that have thick muddy bottoms – these are usually full of food like plants, animals, and insects. They may be slow on land, but underwater the turtle is speedy when it comes to scoping out a meal!

They need our help!

Wetlands are important habitat for many animals, including Midland Painted Turtles, but sadly, this habitat is disappearing. That’s why it’s so important we conserve and restore the natural spaces that painted turtles call home, like southern Ontario’s Lathrop Nature Preserve – and that’s where you come in!
The Lathrop Nature Preserve. Photo Credit: Noel Boucher
Earth Rangers is working with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) on a project that will help rebuild and replant this important habitat. The Lathrop Nature Preserve is over 100 years old and besides being home to awesome animals like the Midland Painted Turtle, did you know it’s also home to a wetland that helps fight climate change?! Not only do wetlands help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they also help us deal with the effects of climate change by preventing extreme weather events like floods and droughts. Pretty cool right? Do your part to help protect this important natural space by adopting a Midland Painted Turtle today!

Eco-Activity: Calling all butterflies!

Earth Rangers
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Eco-Activity: Calling all butterflies!

Besides being pretty to look at, did you know butterflies are also important pollinators that help keep our plants healthy and our fruits and veggies growing? For today’s eco-activity we’re helping you plant a perfect pollinator garden to give our fluttering friends a safe place to call home!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Seeds for nectar and host plants, like aster, black-eyed Susan, and milkweed (check out the planting guides available in the Pollinator Power Mission in the Earth Rangers App to help you figure out what grows best where you live!)
  • A sunny spot in a garden or a flower pot, window box, or planter
  • Topsoil
  • A small hand shovel or trowel

Here’s how to get growin’!

  • First, check the instructions on your seed packets to ensure you’re planting them at the correct depth, distance, and light conditions.
  • Get planting! Sow your seeds and water them frequently – most seeds need moisture to sprout, so watering will be extra important in the early days.
  • Besides planting native plants, there are lots of other ways to make gardens more butterfly-friendly:

– Try adding small piles of branches to attract different species of butterflies and moths.

– Pick a spot for your plants that’s as sheltered as possible from wind.

– Plant larger patches of each species to help our pollinator pals forage more efficiently.

– In addition to colorful flowers, you can make homemade butterfly food with a mix of rotting fruit (like bananas, peaches, plums, and apples) placed in a shallow dish.

– A puddling station helps butterflies stay hydrated and receive vitamins and other nutrients from muddy water. Fill a shallow dish with water, adding soil, sand, or pebbles to create a watery mud and place it near your garden.

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