Celebrate Earth Day

This week I’ve been focusing on Melissa Stewart’s book, A Place for Fish. Now it’s time to take some action – and just in time, too, because it’s Earth Day.

There are plenty of things you can do to make the world better for fish, even if you don’t live close to the ocean or a lake. One of the easiest things to do is stop using plastic bags and plastic water bottles. The problem is that plastic doesn’t decompose – it stays around in the environment for hundreds of years. Some of the plastic garbage has made its way into the floating garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean. You can help fish and other sea life by using fewer plastic bags, bottles and other disposable items.

The pollution we put into the air affects our oceans and lakes. Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and even carbon dioxide can change the chemistry of water bodies, harming fish and marine creatures. We can reduce the amounts of pollution we put into the air by being more thoughtful about the energy we use. For example: walking or riding a bike instead of driving, turning off lights and TVs when you leave a room, even unplugging your laptop when you’re not using it.

You’ve probably heard that everything runs downhill. The same thing is true for water – rain falling on your street will flow into a stream that will flow into a river that will eventually end up in a lake or ocean. That means that chemicals you spray on your lawn eventually end up in water where fish live. So does oil from leaky cars. Another way you can help fish is to reduce the amount of chemicals you use on your lawn and to make sure that when you see oil leaks on the driveway you let someone know.

This Earth Day what will you do to help make the world a better place for fish?
 

Book Giveaway Reminder:

You could win your very own copy of A Place for Fish. This particular contest is limited to folks who live in the United States. Entering is simple- just send an email to: sueheaven{at}gmail{dot}com. Contest ends Sunday night April 24.