GREENIEmagazine

How you can h

elp!

Our favourite IGA Character

speaks out!

What is it and why it’s good for us!

What makes our Earth so

special!

Have you ever wondered what life would be like without all the animals and plants that make our Earth special?

My friends at Pearson Education have given us some great information on how we can look after the Earth and keep our beautiful planet alive. Without our help, we might lose all those plants and animals we love .

We can all help, no matter how young we are!

Hey Kids,

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Do your part!

Imagine that the Earth is a web and that every variety of life – plants, animals, micro-organisms, humans; the genes they all contain; and their ecosystems – are all a part of this complex web and are dependent on each other for survival.

• Australia is the only developed country regarded as one of the world’s 17 mega-diverse countries.

• Our nation has 7% of the world’s total species and a high proportion of unique species due to a long period of separation from other continents.

• Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinctions in the world.

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Biodiversity, (‘biological diversity’) is the variety of life in an ecosystem. It sustains us by providing clean air, drinkable water, soils for food, raw materials for clothing and the products we use in everyday life, including housing. It also offers recreation, beauty and inspiration.

Biodiversity is rapidly declining. It is suffering from habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, over-exploitation and pollution. Virtually all of Earth’s ecosystems have been dramatically transformed through human actions such as changing how land is used, controlling the flow of rivers and waterways and excessive harvesting of valuable species.

The current loss of biodiversity and the related changes in the environent are now faster than ever before in human history. There is no sign of this process slowing down.

Although extinction of species is a natural part of Earth’s history, human activity has increased the extinction rate by at least 100 times compared to the natural rate.

Biodiversity Loss

Through making sure we recognised and limit the impact of our lifestyles on the other living organisms around us, we can make sure we have a future where life in all its diversity can be maintained, protected and celebrated.

There are many actions we can take including:• establishing wildlife friendly gardens• purchasing green products• limiting energy use• limiting water use• supporting organisations that are trying to conserve our natural heritage.

Many schools are already part of a Sustainable Schools program. If yours is not, urge your school to join.

Solutions

Although we are part of the problem associated with loss of biodiversity, we are also part of the solution!

Learn More!

Glossary

http://www.pearson.com.au/Schools/Magazines

Ecosystems: A variety of organisms that interact with each other in order to live in an environmentExploitation: When something is over-used to make moneyInvasive: Something that invades or intrudesMicro-organism: A microscopic organism

www.climatechange.gov.au/impacts/biodiversity.htmlwww.csiro.au/science/Biodiversity.htmlwww.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/biodiversitywww.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/www.backyards4wildlife.com.au/www.nre.vic.gov.au/plntanml/biodiversity/index.htmwww.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/www.biodiversityhotspots.org/Pages/default.aspx