Problems with Plastic

I chose this book for it's title, because growing up I often heard someone exclaim "That's the last straw!" when they got frustrated. In this case, it's a call for action.

The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It (Books for a Better Earth)

by Dee Romito; illus. by Ziyue Chen 

40 pages; ages 6-9

‎Holiday House, 2023 

theme: environment, recycling, nonfiction 

Over five thousand years ago, the ancient Sumerians had a problem. They needed a way to avoid the icky substances in their beverages. 

Fortunately, these ancient folks were great problem-solvers and they came up with an idea: use a hollow reed to suck out the tasty liquid, leaving the sludgy stuff in the bottom of the cup. Even the Queen used a straw, though hers was a golden drinking tube encrusted with jewels.  

But there was another problem: some straw stems had residue that changed the flavor of the drink. Fortunately someone got the brilliant idea to wrap paper around a pencil to make a paper straw – and even patented the idea for how to do it! But there was another problem: could the top be bendy? And another problem…. And for each problem, people came up with a solution, and eventually plastic straws became ubiquitous.

Which led to an even bigger problem: too many plastic straws! Nearly 500 million straws are thrown out every day – in the US alone! And those plastic straws (and other things) don’t biodegrade. Instead, they break down into tiny bits called microplastics that stay around forever. They pollute oceans, endanger wildlife, and even show up in the food we eat! 

Fortunately, that’s a problem we can solve!

What I like about this book: I like the way Dee shows straws as a solution to a problem; even plastic straws solved a problem. I like how she focuses the end of the book on solutions. And of course, I like the back matter: an author’s note about more things that kids – and their families – can do, and a list of sources.

The Last Plastic Straw is part of the Books for a Better Earth series published by Holiday House. They  designed the series to inspire young people to become active, knowledgeable participants in caring for the planet they live on.

As a person who has tried to go straw-free, but still forgets to say “no straw” when ordering the occasional soda, I just had to ask Dee One Question:

Me: What was the last straw for you? And did you quit using plastic straws?

Dee: I’ve always tried to choose eco-friendly options, but wasn’t being as active as I wanted to be. Once I started researching and saw the photos of how much plastic pollution there is out there, we made the switch in our house away from plastic straws which has led to other earth-friendly choices. Sometimes we forget to say “no straws” or we’re on a road trip and the stainless steel are harder to keep clean, but we’ve started using agave straws (which are disposable and biodegradable) as our on-the-go option. And most of the time, you really don’t need a straw. It’s a habit and a convenience that I’m happy to give up for a cleaner earth and healthier sea creatures. As for writing this book, when I feel like the information I have can make a difference in the world, I want to write about it and share it!

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about alternatives to using plastic straws. Look for metal, bamboo, or even paper straws in stores or online. What other alternatives can you find?

Are there any companies manufacturing non-plastic straws near you? One company, Roc Paper Straws, makes paper straws Rochester, New York. The company is owned by a mother-daughter team who, when they started, had zero manufacturing experience and a giant dream. You can find out more about them at their website. 

Make your own paper straws. All you need is a pencil (or chop stick), some paper, glue, and wax. If you want your straws to be 100% biodegradable, use beeswax instead of paraffin to wax your straws. If you’re making straws for crafts, you don’t need to wax them. Here’s how to do it.

 

Dee Romito is a member of #STEAMTeam2023. You can find out more about her at her website, on Facebook, or on Instagram.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explorer Outdoors ~ the little tree that might

 

The other day we were walking in the woods and came upon this tiny pine growing out of an old pine stump. Nothing in this forest is wasted. A tree feeds and houses a diversity of living things, even in its demise. 

This fall and winter, explore the places close to you: your backyard, the neighborhood park, flower pots and tubs on the balcony. Look for signs of new life growing out of old.

Earth Day ~ recycling in practice and song

Here in Upstate NY I'm planting seeds for Lemon Queen sunflower.

 I'm planting them indoors so that they'll be ready to transplant into my garden by our last frost date (usually end of May, but given the snow blowing around outside it's hard to say what this year will be like!). My goal this year is to have my sunflowers blooming in time to collect bee counts for the Great Sunflower Project ~ a citizen science project that collects data on pollinators in your garden.

All you need to plant a flower seed is the seed, some potting soil, and a container to put the soil into. I like to recycle containers as pots, so you might find me poking holes into the bottom of cleaned yogurt containers. But sometimes I run out, so I've taken to making seedling pots out of newspapers.

I start with a newspaper. Depending on how big the paper is, I might use a full sheet (it it's my hometown weekly) or just one page (if it's a big paper like the New York Times).

I fold the paper in half length-wise.
 
Then I find a can from the pantry. Soup cans are great for small pots, but for something like a sunflower I want a bit bigger pot. So a can of tomatoes or pasta sauce (not sure how long that's been on the shelf....)

Put the can on the paper so the newspaper extends beyond the can on one end - that will be the bottom of your pot. Then start rolling the can until you've got it all rolled up. The paper should go around three times or so.

Starting at the seam- that's the edge where you stopped rolling - fold the bottom ends in. Keep doing this all the way around until you've got a nice bottom. Then I turn the can over and give it a nice push to squash the base flat.

Take the can out and you've got a seedling pot.
I like to fold the top down because it strengthens the pot, but you don't have to.

Now you've got some seedling pots that can go right into the ground! And you've recycled newspapers. And you're growing plants for the bees.



Speaking of recycling, I'd like to introduce you to Hobo Frog, an advocate for recycling and conservation. Check out this song about Hobo Frog's adventures, written by my back-beyond-the-hayfield neighbor, Trish Engelhard. (really. go to the end of the hayfield, walk down the dirt road, take a left, then a right, go past the pond where Hobo Frog lives and you're practically to her house!)

The Mess That We Made

The Mess That We Made 
by Michelle Lord; illus. by Julia Blattman
32 pages; ages 5-7
Flashlight Press, 2020

theme: environment, ocean, pollution

THIS is the mess that we made.

The book opens with an illustration of kids in a  boat, surrounded by a spiral of plastic debris and sea life. Then, page by page, introduces the sea animals affected by the mess of plastic floating in the ocean: the fish, seals, turtles.

This is the seal
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess we made.

From the ocean to the landfill that spills plastic into the water, we see tons of plastic: bottles, fishing nets, plastic bags that trap the sea life … a very big mess.

What I like about this book: That Michelle gives us hope. Because “we are the ones who can save the day…” she writes. We can reduce the plastic we use, recycle it, and clean up the beaches and bays. I like the cumulative “House that Jack Built” structure – it’s perfect for a book where the mess grows and grows. Plus there’s Back Matter – and you know how much I love books with back matter! Three pages at the end of the book highlight the problems of plastic in the oceans and landfills, and also provide specific actions readers can take to reduce the amount of plastic trash they produce.

One Question for Michelle

Archimedes: Have you managed to eliminate plastic from your life?

Michelle: Not yet, but I am cutting down. I’ve switched to bar soap instead of body wash in single-use packaging, and  no plastic grocery bags for me. Unfortunately, when dining out I sometimes forget to tell the waitstaff that I don’t want a straw before one automatically shows up in my drink. Maybe I should tie a string around my finger. I wish restaurants only provided straws upon request.

Last year my husband and I bought several pieces of new furniture. The amount of foam in the packaging disappointed me. I am fortunate that my town offers plastic foam recycling for drop-off. Scientists estimate that it takes from several years to one million years for plastic foam to break down! My goal for this year is to shop local and secondhand for the things I need.

My daughter went vegan several years ago and shops at thrift stores and farmer’s markets, and  my husband is a recycler extraordinaire. If we all make an effort, together we can make positive changes to our environment!

Beyond the Books:

You can learn more about the plastic problem in our ocean here. If we continue to use – and throw away – plastic at the rate we currently do, the plastic in the ocean will At current rates plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish by 2050. Absurd, right?

Reduce the amount of plastic you use. I gave up using plastic straws and single-use water bottles last year. I also carry reusable shopping bags when I go to the grocery store. You’ll find more ideas here.

Michelle is a member of #STEAMTeam2020. Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

More Animal tales

A few weeks ago I visited the Toledo Zoo. I love zoos, and each one of them has something different to offer. My visit inspired me to share this trio of books.

Explore My World: Lions
by Amy Sky Koster
32 pages; ages 3-7 years
National Geographic Children's Books, 2018

Leap! Pounce! Play! Roar! That's what lion cubs do. Using simple language, this book gives readers an inside look at family life in a pride of lions. Mothers, daughters, and sisters team up to hunt big game. What's on the menu - zebra?

A lioness may be fierce, but she is a tender mother and teaches her cubs the things they need to know for survival. Back matter provides more information about adaptations, communication, and where lions live.

Oliver's Otter Phase
by Lisa Connors; illus. by Karen Jones
32 pages; ages 4-9
Arbordale, 2018

Oliver's otter phase began one morning after a trip to the aquarium.

At mealtime he tries to use his chest as a plate. That's what otters do. He tries to get dad to tie a string to him because mama otters tie their babies to pieces of kelp so they don't get lost.

Oliver tries out a lot of otter behaviors that don't make sense for kids, and one that does. A fun story for any kid who's wanted to be something more exciting than a ... kid - even if they would rather be a polar bear or eagle. Back matter includes a comparison chart for otters and humans (you can make one for the animal your kid wants to be), plus more otter info and a fun game.

What Do They Do with All That Poo?
by Jane Kurtz; illus. by Allison Black
40 pages; ages 3-8
Beach Lane Books, 2018

At zoo after zoo the animals chew.
And then ... they poo!

Lots of kids' books show what animals eat. This one shows what comes out the other end. From marble-like giraffe droppings to 165 pounds-a-day elephant plops, zoo animals create a lot of excrement.

But it's not all waste. Zoos send some of it to scientists who are studying animal diseases or chemical communication. Some zoos rake and turn the poop, packaging and selling it as a "poopular" compost product called zoo doo. Lion dung is used to repel deer, keeping them from eating plants. But my favorite: paper made from elephant manure.  

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup.  On any other Friday we'd be joining others over at Perfect Picture Book Friday, but it's summer vacation. PPBF will resume in September, but you can always head over to Susanna Hill's ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copies from publishers; What Do They Do with All That Poo? from Blue Slip Media .

Recycled Art

I love winter holidays - there's candles and greenery and presents. But what do you do with all the ribbons and wrappings?

A few years ago I started collecting bits of tissue paper and gift wrap too small to re-use. They make great paper for collage art. All you need is glue (half water/ half white glue), a paint brush, and something to glue everything onto - a cereal box will do.

So this season let the environment around you inspire some recycled art. It doesn't matter whether it's the trees outside your window, the lost ladybug wandering around the kitchen counter, or the perfect snowflake stuck to the screen.

Earth Week ~ Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Got an old pair of jeans hanging around? You know the ones I mean - the jeans with the ripped knees, or your favorite pair that just doesn't fit anymore....

Turn them into something else that you can use.

Make a book cover - or cover an old binder. Those pockets are great for holding pencils, pens, a flash drive.

If you have lots of pockets, you can turn them into pocket purses, or hang them on the wall to organize small things.

Jeans make great placemats and coasters. Cut off the legs and use the top part to make a satchel. Turn the legs into lunch bags.


 You can find these projects and more in Re-Craft: Unique projects that look great (and save the planet) by Jen Jones and Carol Sirrine (Capstone Publishers, 2011). In addition to jeans, there are projects that will turn old T-shirts into wearable items - and even a dog toy. If you don't have a dog of your own, you can always make a bunch for your local animal shelter - that is, if the gardener in your family hasn't already appropriated the T-shirts for tying up tomato plants...

Jones & Sirrine have ideas for recycling cans, bottles, and even CDs. They note that each month nearly 50 tons of CDs are tossed into landfills. "That's the weight of a herd of elephants!" CDs are also made of the hardest plastic to recycle. So they put on their creative thinking caps and came up with some cool uses for old CDs - and their cases.

The authors have an entire section devoted to crafts from natural materials: twigs, pinecones.... stuff you find laying around which - when you tire of it - can be tossed into the compost bin to biodegrade. That's nature's way of recycling. And there's an easy recipe for how to make your own 100% recycles paper for note cards and other art projects.

What will you  make out of the stuff hanging around your home?  Review copy provided by publisher.

Ingenious Dung Beetles

Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle
by Cheryl Bardoe; illus by Alan Marks
32 pages; ages 5-8
Charlesbridge, 2014

"Somewhere in the world right now an animal is lightening its load," writes Cheryl Bardoe. It could be happening in your backyard, on a farm, in a forest, or on a grassland. Dung beetles, it turns out, are found everywhere on earth - except for Antarctica. And they are very busy workers. They also waste no time locating the dung they depend on to feed themselves and their young.

Within seconds of a cow pie plopping to the ground, dung beetles are there. They all want a piece of that pie! Some shape bits of dung into balls that they'll roll to their nests. Others tunnel beneath the cow pat, filling nesting burrows with yummy dung for their young. And others just dive right into the dung before it dries up.

What's waste to one animal is treasure to the beetles - and they'll even fight over their share. Bardoe does a wonderful job showing us how dung beetles collect and move their resources, as well as giving us a glimpse of how the young dung beetles grow and develop in the poop-filled nest. There's great back matter - including tips on finding dung beetles and some fascinating facts. And the illustrations are great.

Check out what other STEM bloggers are reviewing and writing about over at STEM Friday. Review copy from publisher.

Design, Create... Engineer

If the bitter cold has kept you inside and you're looking for something to do, gather up some odds and ends and see what you can design. That "E" in STEM is for "engineering": designing, inventing, creating.

It doesn't take much to create new things - all you need are some scratched CD's, toilet paper tubes, marbles, glue, batteries, mousetraps, maybe a motor and some dominoes. Then devise a solution to a problem.

What sort of problem? Hm-m-m... maybe a way to squeeze all the toothpaste out of the tube, or a "card-holder" so the little one can join in the games. Or maybe a "waker-upper" that will make sure older brother gets up and out of bed in time to get to school. Or race cars to run around the kitchen floor or a way to make them go up the stairs. Or a an elevator to haul your books (and midnight snacks) up to the second floor.

Sometimes good ideas come from the trash bin. That's what happened when 12-year old Max Wallack figured out how to put styrofoam packing noodles and plastic grocery bags to use building a small dome shelter. Or when my kids decided to make kitchen hockey sticks from gift-wrap tubes and plastic bottles. The pucks: a couple plastic lids duct-taped together. Goal: the thin space under the stove, of course. (next invention: something to retrieve puck)

Some inventions are just for fun - like Rube Goldberg machines that turn a page or start a car. But all inventions, whether purposeful or just for fun, start with ideas.

One way to nurture inventors and engineers of the future is to fill their shelves with books, like Rosie Revere, Engineer, or The Kite That Bridged Two Nations. Both feature characters with can-do attitudes.

Then, make sure you keep a junk box or two filled up with stuff - and allow space for all that messy creativity to happen.

And bookmark this site for when your kids ask, "what does an engineer do anyway?"

Remember to head over to STEM Friday and check out what other bloggers are sharing today.

Recycle Your Pumpkin into a Bird Feeder

photo by Amy; used with permission ( Home Happy Home)

You know those pumpkins that have been sitting on the porch for the past week? Now that the trickers are gone and the treat basket's empty, it's time to recycle the jack-o-lantern. Here's one idea: make a Bird Feeder. All you need are:

• a hollowed out pumpkin cut in half (or the bottom part of a jack-o-lantern)
• some twine
• tacks or staples
• birdseed

Here's what you do:

• Cut your jack-o-lantern in half (or cut and clean an uncarved pumpkin). Clean out soot and wax with a damp cloth and let dry.
• Use your knife to thin the edge of the shell so birds can get a good grip.
• Take two long pieces of twine or fat ribbons or rope or strips of recycled blue jeans and tack them to the bottom of the shell. Then bring them up four sides and tie at the top so the shell sits in the strings like a hanging planter. 
• Hang the pumpkin feeder and fill it up with bird seeds, peanuts, those pumpkin seeds you saved and never roasted...

... and don't be surprised if your birds - or maybe the neighborhood squirrels - take a nibble or two out of the pumpkin.

Check out more resources, book reviews and sciency things-to-do at STEM Friday.

Get the Scoop on Animal Poop!

Get the Scoop on Animal Poop!

From Lions to Tapeworms, 251 cool facts about scat, frass, dung, and more!

By Dawn Cusick

80 pages, ages 8-12

Imagine (Charlesbridge imprint), 2012

At the very beginning of this book, author Dawn Cusick warns her young readers that they have a very important decision to make:
"How will you deal with the adults in your life when they see this book?"

It's a fair question, because some adults get disgusted by the cool-yet-gross things that interest kids. Poop being one of those things. Fortunately, Cusick is one who doesn't get disgusted by such things and dives right into the topic head first. Metaphorically.

The subtitle of this book says it all: 251 cool facts about scat, frass, dung.... and more! The first chapter is appropriately titled "Watch your language" - because there are precise and scientific words used to describe the body waste of animals, and there are silly words and other words that will get your mouth washed out with soap. My favorite word from Cusick's list is "Coporology".

Though it sounds gross to us, some animals eat poop. They roll in it. They use it to mark their nests and protect their families. Turns out that poop is an integral part of the food chain and can be its own little ecosystem.

Animals aren't the only ones to use poo.  People use dung to heat their homes, cook dinner, and even make jewelry!

Cusick's also included a detective's guide to poop - to help budding naturalists determine who's "gone" there. Altogether a fun book. You can read a previous interview with Dawn Cusick here.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Check out other science resources at STEM Friday.

And on Monday, join Archimedes and other blogs for the Nonfiction Monday round-up, hosted this week by Sally's Bookshelf.

Celebrating Picture Books: The Green Mother Goose

We continue celebrating picture book month with a trip to a favorite childhood character – Mother Goose. But this isn’t our grandmother’s goose. This Mama has gone green.

The Green Mother Goose

By Jan Peck and David Davis; illustrated by Carin Berger

Ages 3 – 6

Sterling Publishing, 2011

 

Everything in this slim green volume has been recycled, from the paper used to create the collage art to the nursery rhymes. Old Mother Hubbard shops with cloth grocery bags, Little Jack Horner changes all the incandescent bulbs to fluorescent and the Old Woman who lived in a Shoe has solar power!

Remember those three mice? Now they…

Search for clothes at the thrift store shops,

 Recycle the treasures at yard sale stops,

Catch water from rain and use all the drops.

Three wise mice!

I love Carin Berger’s illustrations created from found papers, ticket stubs, old newspapers and other recycled stuff. Even the pages of the book contain recycled wood and fibers! The book’s subtitle says it all: “Saving the world one rhyme at a time”.

Review copy provided by the publisher.