THE BATTLE TO SAVE EARTH We all brush wash and wipe every day But keeping ourselves and our homes clean can have the opposite effect on our planet Plastic brushes single use wipes and harsh cleaning products are all creating problems for Earth But the good news is that a waste warrior can be green and still stay clean The Three Problems with Waste Heaps of Garbage Much of our garbage is thrown into landfills But when waste breaks down in landfills it can harm our environment Plastic can leak harmful things into the soil and air Waste in landfills lets off methane gas as it breaks down On top of that the waste in landfills just sits there stored up for a future generation to deal with That is why waste warriors avoid creating waste Our waste piles up in landfills
Wasted Resources Many cleaners used for washing laundry or dishes contain chemicals made from oil The plastic bottles they are sold in are often made from oil too But the oil we use today formed over millions of years And we are currently using oil at a far greater rate than it is made Using this oil is taking away from our planet's limited natural resources Polluted Planet We create air pollution when we burn fossil fuels to power the factories where cleaning products are made and packaged This makes our air dirty and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere The gases such as carbon dioxide trap the sun's heat around Earth increasing the temperature of our planet and contributing to global climate change Oil is often drilled from the rocks that lie beneath the oceans In some regions climate change is causing droughts These are times during which so little rain falls that rivers run dry
The Six Rs How can you become a waste warrior while keeping clean Remember your Rs in the battle against waste You don't need to be worried about how to start Just do your best Refuse If you have a choice say no A key skill in being thanks to extra packaging Try a bar a waste warrior of soap instead of a plastic bottle is knowing which materials need to go Reduce Try to cut down on single use cleaning in the trash and which can be recycled products such as wipes towels and dusters Reuse Before throwing out cleaning spray bottles consider whether they could be refilled Repair Try fixing broken brooms baskets and clothespins rather than throwing them away You may need to ask an adult for help Recycle Try to recycle old cleaning packaging so it can be made into something new Rot Put biodegradable materials in a compost bin so they will rot away When possible choose packaging free soaps scrubbers and sponges that are made from natural materials
Wash and separate recyclable materials to get them ready for curbside recycling
