McGraw-Hill Health 2005

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Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Health Grade 7
Grade 7
e-Journal

Health Online
Conservation

Step 1. Questions

Have you ever accidentally thrown away something useful? Or have you thrown away something you really wanted to keep? When you realized you did this, how did you feel?

In fact, useful materials might be in the trash can at your home right now! Paper, plastic, glass, metals: All of these materials can be reused or recycled. Instead, they often wind up in landfills, taking up space that could be used for other purposes.

Reusing and recycling trash is just one way to practice conservation. Conservation means using materials and resources wisely. You will explore conservation in this e-Journal project. You may report on the goal of conserving Earth’s land, air, water, energy resources, or other resources of your choice. Or, discuss these three techniques for conservation: precycling, reusing, and recycling.

Here are some questions to guide your research.
  • Why is conserving resources important?
  • How can people conserve the resource you selected? Can the resource be reused, recycled, or precycled? What do these terms mean?
  • What organizations or programs exist to promote conservation?
  • What can you do to help conserve resources in your community?
First, visit the Web sites listed in Step 2 and take notes in the note-taking boxes. You may also use search engines to research other Web sites, or visit the library. Then follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your report.

Step 2. Research

Research answers for the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!

EPA Student Center
The EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency. Their mission is to protect the environment through laws and regulations. Check out all they have to offer at this Web page. Try the links for conservation, Earth’s air or water, or waste and recycling.
Take Notes:



Energy Quest
This large Web site is devoted to energy! Click “Saving Energy” to learn how to do just that. Or read “The Energy Story.” The site comes from the California Energy Commission.
Take Notes:



Conservation: 101 Things You Can Do
How can you conserve resources? The Oregon Zoo has 101 suggestions so that you can help save animals and their habitat. Read through them, then try the links at the bottom of the page.
Take Notes:



Additional Sites

Hey! Don’t Throw That Out!
This Web page offers the ideas and suggestions of Dr. James Edwards for reusing paper, yard scraps, and other household waste to make compost. When you finish with the page, try the links at the bottom.
Take Notes:



Rotten Truth (About Garbage)
Learn what makes up garbage and what happens to it at this great Web site. The “rotten truth” comes in part from the Smithsonian Institution.
Take Notes:



Go to Step 3 or Save My Notes


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