Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet
INTRODUCTION SPACESHIP EARTH Have you ever seen a photo of the International Space Station ISS It’s kind of an odd-looking thing Picture an insect with really big wings that stick out from a tiny body Those wings are solar panels that collect energy from the sun and they make the ISS look pretty big But actually the area where the astronauts live and work is small not even the size of an American football field That’s not a lot of space to house everything astronauts need to live safely and well for months at a time No wonder then that ever since humans launched themselves into orbit sustainability has been the name of the game for space travel and stays Astronauts have to protect their resources and their environment because their lives depend on it They can’t open a window to get fresh air because there is no air They can’t pop out to the store to pick up new supplies of water or food They can’t take out the trash And they can’t buy new parts if an important piece of equipment breaks down They have to take very good care of their home because that space station is their whole world Pollute the air or water for example and someone might get sick or worse Run out of power and the systems that make it possible to live in space will fail 6 SPACE ON EARTH
Planting trees helps keep the air we breathe clean Down here on Earth we think a lot about sustainability too Taking care of our environment is a top priority We know that living unsustainably using too many fossil fuels for example or creating too much garbage has contributed to climate change And so we work hard every day to protect the planet for future generations We recycle we turn off the tap when we’re brush ing our teeth and we walk to school instead of driving if we can We know that the future of the planet depends on actions like these and that even more needs to be done Earth’s average temperature has risen by about 0.8 C 1.5 F over the last 100 years That doesn’t sound like a huge change but it’s enough to melt glaciers cause droughts and kill off certain species And the temperature is still rising Scientists expect it to increase at least another 1.5 C 2.7 F by 2100 If that happens we will find ourselves in trouble that may be too hard to fix Changing weather patterns will force some people out of their homes due to rising sea levels forest fires INTRODUCTION Spaceship Earth 7
8 SPACE ON EARTH or floods Those same conditions may also make it harder for us to grow the food we need to feed ourselves And while some species may become extinct like coral others may enjoy the warmer tempera tures Mosquitoes for example could become a lot more common in many more places bringing malaria and other diseases with them It’s a pretty scary pic ture just as scary in fact as what would happen to those astronauts on the ISS if they didn’t take care of their environment When it comes right down to it then our planet isn’t so differ ent from the ISS Think about it as Spaceship Earth It’s bigger than the space station to be sure and that size can sometimes make it seem like we have a limitless supply of the resources we need But the plain truth is that we don’t So maybe it’s time to get inspired by the astronauts who live and work in space How do they keep their air and water clean and make sure there’s enough food to eat How do they cut down on trash and energy use Are there ideas being explored in space that could spark innovations in our own backyards The answer to all of these questions is Yes Throughout this book we’ll take a closer look at some of the key environmental problems we’re facing on Spaceship Earth and then we’ll look up way up for inspiration By the time you finish reading one thing will be very clear there’s no shortage of amazing and innovative ideas for protecting this planet we call home Dying coral reefs
INTRODUCTION Spaceship Earth 9 If you want to start thinking like an astronaut it’s probably a good idea to meet one This book can help you out with that One of the authors Dr Dave Williams has made two space shuttle flights and performed three space walks on the International Space Station He’s actually lived in space for about a month in total When it comes to space-age sustainability he knows what he’s talking about and he’s excited to share his experiences and ideas Keep your eyes open for the Dr Dave’s Life on the ISS or Dr Dave’s Living in Space feature in each chapter They’ll take you inside the International Space Station for an up-close look at how astronauts take care of their environment Dr Dave is also a scientist so he’s included a few experiments that will help bring what you learn to life Watch for the Experimenting with Dr Dave feature in each chapter ASTRONAUT INSPIRATION INTRODUCING DR DAVE
