HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

If you watch the news on TV or learn about the environment, it always seems like there’s nothing you can do to help the environment because the problems seem way bigger than is possible for any one person to help solve. But this isn’t exactly true. We can all play a part, no matter how small in doing our part to help the environment. Here are some ways YOU can help the environment.

UPCYCLE AND TURN TRASH TO TREASURE!

You’ve probably heard the adults in your family use words like “upcycled” when talking about environmentally friendly products. Upcycled simply means that materials or objects that are to be thrown away are reused in order to create something of higher value than the original. You can do your part in helping the environment by saving up anything that’s in usable condition - even things like toilet rolls, egg cartons, old shirts and even plastic bottles - and create something unique out of them.

MAKE PLANTABLE SEED PAPER

How cool would it be if your paper would turn into flowers? Here’s how you can do it.

WHAT YOU NEED

■used printer paper (cross-cut into tiny pieces by a paper shredder; Use 1-1/2 cups for each card)

■a large bowl of warm water

■wi■dow screen material

■small embroidery hoop

■food colouring (optional)

■ble■der

■9 x 13-inch baking pan

■packet of wildflower or other seeds

■bath towels or several layers of felt squares

■waxed paper

■coloured markers

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Soak the paper pieces in the bowl of water overnight. Put the soaked paper into the blender, then fill the blender halfway with fresh water. Blend until the mixture is soupy. Add food coloring, if desired, and blend again. Fill the baking pan onequarter full of water; then pour in the blended paper mixture (or pulp). Slip the embroidery hoop with a screen in from the side so that it slides beneath the pulp. If necessary, spoon some of the pulp over the screen. Lift the screen gently, catching the pulp mixture evenly on top and letting the water drain off. Lay the screen on a bath towel or felt layers to drain. Sprinkle some seeds on top of the wet pulp, and gently pat them into the surface of the pulp. When the bath towel or felt has soaked up as much water as it can, pick up the hoop and turn it over onto a sheet of waxed paper to dry. (Seeds will be on the bottom.) You may have to gently hit the hoop on the table or counter surface to loosen the pulp from the screen. If the pulp does not stick together, try putting more pulp on the screen next time. Let the paper dry for at least 24 hours. If the paper does not lie flat, place a heavy object (like a book) on it for a few hours to flatten it. Decorate it with markers on the un-seeded side.

To plant the paper: When you plant the paper, lay it on the surface of the soil and sprinkle about one-quarter-inch thick layer of soil on top. Water the soil lightly and keep the seeds wet until they sprout and have a few days to grow roots.

RAID YOUR FRIDGE!

If you take a peek inside your fridge, you will notice that it’s usually filled with a lot of food and most will go to waste. Sometimes they end up getting spoilt because we leave them in the wrong part of the fridge. Review the items in your fridge with the help of your family and decide that the right food and drinks are kept in the right places - the door, the meat/deli bin, the crisper drawers, the lower shelf, and the upper shelf. Some food doesn’t belong in the fridge in the first place. This way, you can make sure there is limited or zero food waste in your home!