Tuesday, June 9, 2009

How to be global warming fighters

Summer roses

Dear Children,

Soon you will be on vacation and I hope your days will be fun and relaxing. Last week I suggested that during your vacation you should walk more and take public transportation sometimes in order to use less gas. Today I want to talk to you about electricity in your home.

Maybe you already do this, but if not, try to turn off all the lights in your home that are not being used. Talk to your parents and other members of the household so that they know why you are doing this. Other things that can be turned off when they're not really needed are the TV, air-conditioners, fans, computers, chargers and power strips. 

Sometimes we turn on lights indoors even when we don't really need them. Instead we can use natural light coming in through the window - all we have to do is get closer to the window. 

Why is electricity a problem? Most of our electricity in the East of the United States (that includes Boston) is made by burning coal, which emits a lot of carbon dioxide, adding to global warming. Sometimes electricity is made by using the force of rushing water. That is a cleaner process but we need to be very careful about how we use water because we need it for so many other things and there are places in the world where there isn't enough water to go around. 

Electricity made from the wind with huge wind mills, or from the sun with solar panels is clean and doesn't contribute to global warming. These technologies are fairly new and can be very expensive to get started, but hopefully in your lifetime they will become widely used. I made a little video of some old-fashioned windmills on a farm in Alabama for you. It's posted at the bottom of this page. The noise is an electric mower that the farmer is using to mow his lawn.

Saving water is one more way to fight the climate change problem: be careful to not waste water. Don't let the faucet run more than you need to, give plants only the amount they need, take shorter showers, and pay attention when you wash dishes or clothes to use water wisely.

If all the children in the world would save electricity and water it would make a huge difference. 

Love, 

Nana Greta 

17 comments:

Christina A. said...

Wow Nana Greta, that looks really cool! But right now I'm crying cause my bestest friend Bianca left to go to Florida.

Anonymous said...

Nana Greta, what were thoes things in the video and how does it help the earth? my gues is that they are windmills.

From Emanuel

Christina said...

You are right about saving energy cause once when I went to Cape Cod my brother forgot to turn off the tv. That's just terrible!

-Christina

P.S That video looks really awesome! :)

Anonymous said...

Dear nana greta,
I saw the video at the bottom of your note's I liked the little wind mills in the movie clip.
From,
Alasdair

Paul said...

Dear:Nana Greta

For my vacation im going to go to Venezuela and they dont use cars there so no gas is used.

Anonymous said...

You know if we use more soiler powered heat it is better for the invierment.
-Jenna

Anonymous said...

Dear:Nana Greta,
you really insper me and your daughter is a really great teacher and have a great journy
and I like the summer rose.

Love,
Dianna
p.s.you video was great and have fun.

Anonymous said...

Dear:NanaGreta, School is almost over and summer is here! Your daughter is really nice!Your daughters journey is to go to Brazil on july,24. I'll miss your daughter a lot over the summer.NanaGreta i hope you have a nice summer. Love Maria Majano.

Anonymous said...

Dear Nana Greta,
I bet that if all the kids in the world read your blog than we could stop globel warnming.

From,
Jordan

Anonymous said...

Dear Nana Greta,That video was awesome are those things in the back windmills? love,Xavier

Greta said...

Dear Children: Xavier, Jordan, Maria, Dianna, Jenna, Paul, Alasdair, Christina and Emanuel,

It's so good to get your comments. I'm glad you liked the video of the windmills. They are little windmills that probably don't do anything but decorate the farmer's front yard. But it's nice to see how they can spin in the wind without using any electricity or gas. The awesome thing is that big windmills can make a lot of electricity without harming the environment.

I liked Paul's comment about not having so many cars in Venezuela. It's true that many other countries don't use as much gas as we do here in America.

I know that the end of school can be a little sad because you're not going to see some of your favorite people during vacation. I'm glad you like my wonderful daughter, Ms Hart, and I hope you'll take inspiration and great memories of her with you as you leave for the summer. We can send her on to Brazil to teach another group of children next year.

If you have a chance, look at this blog on your computers at home or in the library. Send me a comment now and then. It's been wonderful to have this relationship with you. And don't forget to love the Earth and do your part to use less energy.

Love, Nana Greta

Christina A. said...

Thanks for responding to our comments

Anonymous said...

Dear Nana Greta I like how you care about the global warming. I want to be a biologist but if we contine like this there will be no animals left to find and explore. I am Ms.Harts student in Salvador.

Luck from Luis.

Anonymous said...

Dear Nana Greta,
My name is Vitoria Barcelos, I am Brazilian and your daughter's student !! I really admire what you're doing, it takes alot of courage and love for our world. You are very, special,and what you're doing is so incredibly beautiful !! Congratulations, and thank you very much, for worrieng and helping our world, it's really fantastic !! I love, the way you write about, your adventures in your journey, it's so careful. I did, also adore your "Gipsy wagon" !! Hope your really having fun helping the world, continue being that caring,helpful, and fantastic person !!
Love, your fan,
Vitoria Ferreira Barcelos.
Good Luck, on our journey !!

Anonymous said...

Nana Greta,
I am from Brazil and your daughter is my teacher!!I think what you're doing is fantastic and really important for the world!
Your fan from Brazil Guilherme

Anonymous said...

Dear Nana Greta I really apreciate what you are doing for MS.Hart and for all the world. I loved reading your adventures, i liked the Gipsy wagon part and the giant worm whith antenas.
By:Igor Martinez Vichoski
Teacher: Ms.Hart
Assistant; Mr.Julian

Anonymous said...

I appreaciate what you are doing for the World and your grandchildren!! : )

From: Anabela