“When I grow up I’m going to...” How do I respond?


“I’m going to be a famous basketball player.”



“I’m going to live in a mansion and have a limousine.”



“I’m going to be president.”



Children between six and nine see unlimited possibilities. Their thinking is still magical, and they believe they’ll accomplish whatever they desire. Although they’re beginning to reason logically and organize their thoughts, they live in the “here-and-now.” If a child enjoys ice-skating, it seems logical to him that he can become a famous skater.



Kids think about the future, but they don’t think the way an adult does. They can’t put themselves in the place of someone who has worked hard to accomplish a goal. They don’t think about obstacles, expenses, time, or limited abilities. Instead, they have an innocent optimism that leads to dramatic conclusions: “When I grow up, I’m going to be a star!”



When your child tells you his grand plans, don’t feel you have to set him straight. One father, hearing that his daughter wanted to become an actress, lectured her on the practical side of working in the theater. She burst into tears.



Respect your child’s confident statements and try to learn more about his values and thinking. If he says he’s going to be rich, ask, “What will you do with all that money?” He might list what he’ll buy, but he might also say he’ll share the money with poor people. One child who said he was going to build a “Kids’ World Park” gave details about accommodating kids with disabilities.



Childhood is short. Through the years, your child will discover his own limitations and learn how the world really works. His innocence will gradually fade as he comes to terms with life’s realities. You do him no harm now by allowing him his fantasies and listening to his big dreams.



Picture Credit : Google



 

Should I tell my child the truth about Santa?


Most young children believe in Santa Claus. They think he’s real, he comes to each home, and he brings all the Christmas presents. From earliest memory, kids are taught to believe in him and they rarely have reason to doubt until they turn six or seven. Even at those ages, many are convinced Santa is real.



Parents who encouraged their preschoolers to believe in Santa may have second thoughts when their kids get older. Is it right for a third-grader to believe Santa is real? Should parents tell the truth? Some want their children to hold onto the belief as long as possible, but other parents feel uneasy about misleading their older children.



By elementary age, most children have heard people say Santa isn’t real. Young friends say, “Santa is really your parents.” Older siblings tell younger ones, “Mom and Dad are the ones who buy the presents.” While some children discover the truth this way, some are unaffected. Their belief in Santa can’t be shaken: “Santa’s real at my house. He really comes and brings the presents, and he even eats the cookies we leave him.” In fact, children with very strong beliefs may reconvince doubters: “You’re right. Santa does bring the presents.”



Some children have a hard time giving up their belief in Santa. After all, he’s a wonderful, mystical person who brings gifts and pleasure. By the time a child is six, her vision of Santa is all-good and she no longer fears his judgment and his unusual appearance. She may hold onto her belief in him because it’s so comforting.



To find out what your own child thinks, ask, “Do you believe Santa’s real?” You may be surprised to learn she already knows the truth. Some children hesitate to share their knowledge because they fear they’ll disappoint their parents. If your child says she doesn’t believe in him, question her a little further to find out what her feelings are: “You believed in Santa for so many years. What made you change your mind? Who do you think delivers the presents?” Most likely, she’ll answer, “YOU!”



If she still believes in Santa or is only beginning to doubt him, you may be afraid of destroying her fantasy. Yet many six- to eight-year-olds are ready to find out the truth, even if they’re a bit disappointed. The truth can’t ruin Christmas for your child, because all the enjoyable and meaningful rituals will continue.



You might be reluctant to discuss Santa because you’re uncomfortable explaining why you misled your child. If she asks why you didn’t tell her the truth, or if she seems to doubt what you tell her now (“Are you sure you’re telling the truth? There really is no Santa?”), explain that having kids believe in Santa is a special part of the Christmas tradition. “When you first saw Santa, you thought he was real. We decided to go along. But now you’re asking questions and you’re old enough to understand.” Explain that your family won’t have to give up the spirit of Santa just because he isn’t real. Talk about what Santa represents - love, kindness, caring, and the spirit of giving. As your child gives up her long-held belief, show her that the values Santa represents will always be an important part of Christmas.



Picture Credit : Google



 

When will my child give up thumb-sucking?


As children get older, it gets harder to accept some of their habits. Thumb-sucking in particular bothers many parents who find it embarrassing and frustrating. While they tolerate thumb-sucking in a preschooler, they believe it’s inappropriate for an older child.



A six-year-old who sucks his thumb probably does so less often than he once did. This is partly because he’s now occupied with school, afterschool activities, and friends. Most children these ages are inclined to suck their thumbs in private or when they’re with family members.



Even though thumb-sucking decreases with age, most parents want their child to give up the habit completely. Parents may argue with their child over thumb-sucking and end up in angry confrontations and power struggles. Some parents back off for a while and others give up in anger, at a loss for what to do.



There are a number of reasons a six- or seven-year-old (or one who’s even older) sucks his thumb. It may be a well-established habit he hasn’t felt pressured to break, or he may not be emotionally ready to stop. He may suck his thumb at night to help himself fall asleep. If he feels insecure at school he may seek comfort through thumb-sucking, or he may do it when he faces family situations he can’t control such as sibling rivalry, divorce, or constant tension.



Sometimes a six- or seven-year-old gives up thumb-sucking in response to teasing and peer pressure: “Ooh, you still suck your thumb. That’s for babies! I stopped sucking my thumb when I was four!” However, a child with a strong thumb-sucking habit may not respond at all to negative comments or care if other people watch him.



To help your child give up thumb-sucking, first talk to him about it. Pick a time when you’re both calm and tell him your feelings and ideas. Acknowledge his desire to keep sucking his thumb but let him know how much you want him to stop. You can ask for his suggestions: “How can we help you give up this habit?” Remember that while thumb-sucking is a problem for you, it may not seem like one to him.



You can suggest that your child wear a bandage on his thumb to remind him not to suck, or you can gently signal him when he puts his thumb in his mouth. This is more effective than abruptly pulling on his hand or angrily saying, “Take your thumb out of your mouth!”



Try distractions that occupy his hands - playing with clay or helping in the kitchen. You might want to work out an agreement. If he stops sucking his thumb, he gets a reward. One family kept a daily chart for their daughter, and after a week of checkmarks for not sucking her thumb, she got a special game.



Ask trusted friends for suggestions. And if one technique doesn’t work, try another. One family bought their child a fancy glove to keep her thumb covered. Some parents paint a foul-tasting liquid on their child’s thumb, or have the dentist place a special tooth guard in their child’s mouth. Don’t try either method without getting your child’s permission. You should never force such methods.



As you help your child give up his habit, create an atmosphere of respect in your home and try to keep him from feeling humiliated or embarrassed because of his thumb sucking. Then don’t let your other children make fun of him. If he seems particularly anxious, he may be feeling too pressured. You might want to slow down your attempts to eliminate his habit, or hold off for a few weeks.



Throughout this process, give lots of positive feedback; “You’re really trying hard. I appreciate what you’re doing.” Don’t be surprised if steps forward are followed by steps backward. It’s not easy for him to give up thumb-sucking, especially if the initiative is yours and not his.



Picture Credit : Google



 

Should my child believe in the tooth fairy?


      Children under seven generally follow their parents’ lead when it comes to believing in imaginary characters. If parents encourage their child to believe the tooth fairy is real, she’s likely to go along with them. And if they tell their child there is no such thing as the tooth fairy, she’ll accept that as fact.



      Of course, she may figure the truth out on her own, especially if she’s awake when her parents put money under her pillow. “Dad, I saw you! You’re the tooth fairy!” Some kids hear the truth from older siblings. However, having older siblings can sometimes make a child believe more firmly, since tooth fairy visits have been part of household lore from the child’s early years.



      Children often ask each other, “Do you believe in the tooth fairy?” While they may take different positions, they rarely quarrel about the issue. Instead they’ll say, “Jermaine believes in the tooth fairy but I know it’s my parents,” or, “Sarah doesn’t believe in the tooth fairy but I do!”



      Children who do believe in the tooth fairy sometimes worry about getting the rituals right. If a child’s misplaced her tooth at school or at a friend’s house, or if she didn’t notice it fall out or swallowed it, she may be afraid the tooth fairy won’t visit. Another common fear is that she won’t get to keep the truth; many children are interested in their teeth and don’t want to give them up to the tooth fairy.



      When your child has one of these concerns, let her know she’ll receive a gift under her pillow whether the tooth is there or not. If you want her to continue believing in the tooth fairy, suggest that she leave the fairy a message explaining the special circumstances.



      At some point your child may ask, “Are you the tooth fairy?” Ask her what she thinks. If she really knows the truth, explain that you are and then add, “It was fun to pretend a fairy was leaving you gifts,” or, “I enjoyed thinking about the tooth fairy when I was little, and I thought you would too.”



      If you choose not to teach your child to believe in the tooth fairy, the two of you can still have fun with the idea. You can both pretend the fairy is real and you can leave your child funny notes “from the fairy.” If you don’t want to talk of a fairy at all, you can leave a special treat “from Mom and Dad” under her pillow.



      Magical thinking slowly disappears during the elementary years and eventually all children realize the tooth fairy isn’t real. Still, the myth is an enjoyable one whether your child believes or just plays along. Getting a treat - money, stickers, baseball cards, or a small toy - makes losing a tooth even more special.



Picture Credit : Google



 

What should I tell my child when he says, “Everybody else has lost a tooth”?


      Losing a first tooth is a milestone for children. From kindergarten on, they look forward to the event as a sign that they are truly growing up. Adults often forget how important the experience is and how devastated a child can feel if he’s one of the last in his group to have a loose tooth.



      If your child is upset because he has “slow teeth,” spend time listening to him and reassuring him. Even though his problem is a mild one, don’t lightly dismiss his unhappiness because his feelings are very real. He wants to experience what his friends and classmates have gone through. If he has older siblings, he’s seen them get money or a gift along with a lot of attention for losing teeth. It’s natural that he wants to be part of this.



      He may have a kindergarten or first grade teacher who makes a fuss over lost teeth. Some classrooms have colorful wall charts showing how many teeth each student has lost, and some teachers offer special privileges on the day a tooth comes out. This can be hard for some kids, especially those with end-of-the-year birthdays who are likely to lose teeth later than their older classmates. If your child is unhappily waiting for his first loose tooth, such schools activities may make him feel worse.



      Fortunately, you can promise him that he’ll lose a tooth. While you wait, you can read him some comforting books about other children in his situation. One mother wrote soothing notes to her child, saying that the tooth fairy knew all about him and would be visiting one day. Other parents suggest that their six- or seven-year-olds wiggle their front teeth looking for a hint of movement. Even if it takes months for a tooth to fall out, a child will feel better as soon as he detects a bit of looseness.



      Occasionally, the first tooth a child loses is one a dentist extracts. If your child has to go through this procedure because of dental problems, talk to him about what will happen. If he’s anxious, let the dentist, know and ask for help in reassuring your child. If your child wants you close by during the extraction, plan to stay with him. However, if you anticipate an outburst, you might want to send him off with just the dentist and assistant. Some children are more in control of their emotions when their parents aren’t with them.



      Before and after the tooth is pulled, tell your child about the “treasure” he’ll get at the dentist’s office and the surprise he’ll find under his pillow. Even though the extraction is unpleasant, when it’s done, he’ll still have the excitement of having lost his first tooth.




Picture Credit : Google



 



 



How can we reduce climate change?



There are many ways you can help slow down climate change. Just by turning off your computer or the TV when you’re not using them, or the lights when you leave a room, or by walking to school, you reduce the level of waste gases in the atmosphere.



Renewable energy:



Use more energy from resources that there are plenty of, such as sunshine, wind, and waves. Wind and solar energy have experienced remarkable growth and huge cost improvements over the past decade with no signs of slowing down. Prices are declining rapidly, and renewable energy is becoming increasingly competitive with fossil fuels all around the country. In some places, new renewable energy is already cheaper than continuing to operate old, inefficient and dirty fossil fuel-fired or nuclear power plants.



Green transport:



Avoid transport that releases waste gases into the air. When you can, cycle or walk instead. Even when considering hybrid cars, bikes are still more environmentally friendly. Hybrid cars are still much larger than a bicycle and still require a battery, which clearly has known carcinogens. Hybrid cars often have nickel batteries and nickel mining contributes to air pollution as well. Hybrids also still require gas to run, while bikes do not.



When you choose a bike over a car, you are less likely to go further because it’s hard to ride a bike for long distances. When you’re in the car, it’s easier to travel further from home, which releases even more pollutants into the air around you.



Recycle:



Recycling helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy consumption. Using recycled materials to make new products reduces the need for virgin materials. This avoids greenhouse gas emissions that would result from extracting or mining virgin materials. In addition, manufacturing products from recycled materials typically requires less energy than making products from virgin materials.



Waste prevention and smart shopping are even more effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions that result from energy consumption. When we buy less or reuse products, less energy is needed to extract, transport and process materials to manufacture products. Purchasing products made from recycled materials, such as paper, plastics, and metal, instead of virgin materials also helps to reduce energy consumption. In addition, waste prevention and recycling paper products allows more trees to remain standing, where they can continue to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



Save electricity:



Stop leaving your computer or the TV on standby, and turn off lights when you leave a room. When you consume less power, you reduce the amount of toxic fumes released by power plants, conserve the earth’s natural resources and protect ecosystems from destruction. By taking steps to reduce your energy intake, you’ll contribute to a healthier and happier world.



Grow your own food: 



Food grown at nearer home saves on the fuel needed to transport it to local shops. For the average American, about 8% of personal carbon footprint comes from food! Of that, 28.5% is from transporting the food, and 10% is from . By growing as much food as you can in your back yard – you are cutting down these percentages. Ambitious gardeners that use their garden to replace 20% of bought food, reduce their carbon footprint by about 68 lbs of CO2 per year!



 



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What are the effects of climate change?



Extreme weather:



Heatwaves, droughts, heavy rain, and flooding are becoming more and more common, because of Earth’s atmosphere warming up. It may seem counter intuitive, but the increase in snowfall during winter storms may be linked to climate change.



Remember – a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. So when the temperatures are below freezing, snowfall can break records.



Rise in sea levels:



Higher temperatures melt glaciers and ice caps. The water formed eventually flows into the ocean. Sea levels rise and areas near the coast are flooded. The causes of changes in sea level are not limited to those related to climate change. It is well known that the mean sea level has repeatedly had a large fluctuation due to the alternation of glacial and inter glacial periods for the past several hundred thousand years in the Holocene. This fluctuation of mean sea level reached about 120 m. There are also much shorter-term fluctuations in sea level, such as tide, waves and tsunamis.



Changing natural habitats:



Many animals live in special places, such as on sea ice or in coral reefs. Warmer temperatures can destroy both of these, so animals lose their home. As the Earth gets warmer, plants and animals that need to live in cold places, like on mountaintops or in the Arctic, might not have a suitable place to live. If the Earth keeps getting warmer, up to one–fourth of all the plants and animals on Earth could become extinct within 100 years. Every plant and animal plays a role in the ecosystem (for example, as a source of food, a predator, a pollinator, a source of shelter), so losing one species can affect many others.



 



Picture Credit : Google


What is Climate change? What are the causes of climate change?



Earth’s climate has always changed naturally over time. However, climate change now appears to be speeding up! Many recent changes in climate are caused by our modern way of life. Earth is getting warm, which can have a huge effect on the environment.



Causes:



Humans are thought to be responsible for the most recent, major climate changes. Waste gases from industry, transport, and deforestation have built up in Earth’s atmosphere. These trap more heat around the Earth, so temperatures rise.



Industry:



Whenever we burn oil, coal, or natural gas, waste gases are released into the atmosphere. The most well-known and the most important greenhouse gas is CO2. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is subject to variation even without human intervention. The carbon cycle causes an exchange of CO2 between the biosphere and the oceans on the one hand and the atmosphere on the other.

Vast amounts of CO2 are also released by the burning of fossil fuels. There is incontrovertible evidence that the CO2 concentration in the air has never been so high in 800,000 years (probably even 60 million years) as it is now. The trend suggests that CO2 emissions will continue to rise globally, although the economic crisis did prevent a rise in 2009. The Netherlands (per head of population) is high on the list of CO2 emitters in the world.

Besides CO2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), fluorinated gases, ozone (O3) and water vapor are important greenhouse gases. Water vapor plays a unique role as it strengthens the heat-trapping effect caused by other greenhouse gas emissions. This is because a warmer atmosphere retains more water. The amount of water vapor cannot be artificially increased or decreased.



Transport:



We now use cars, buses, and planes regularly. They all fill the air with lots of waste gases. Transportation is the single largest contributor to the nation’s carbon footprint, causing more damage than industry, homes or commercial buildings. More than four-fifths of transportation emissions come from the tailpipes of our cars, trucks and buses.



Three factors affect the amount of carbon released into the air from transportation: the type of fuel we use, the fuel efficiency of the automobiles we drive and the amount of driving we do. Some improvements are being made on the first two legs of this stool with the push for hybrid/electric vehicles and tighter fuel economy standards.



Progress is much slower on the third leg: curbing the demand to drive. Though driving is down now because of our economic malaise, studies show that even small increases will spew out so much carbon that they will wipe out the benefits of fuel-efficient cars and the expansion of clean-fuel alternatives.



Deforestation:



Trees help remove gases from the air. As more trees are cut down, more waste gases stay in the air. Water vapor is another greenhouse gas that keeps heat from the sun trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere and helps maintain a temperature at which life can flourish on our planet. However, deforestation also affects the amount of this in the air. Studies have shown that deforestation has contributed to the amount of water vapor in the air and, over just a few years, the amount of water vapor present has increased by four percent. Besides increasing the temperature of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, this also has knock-on effects for weather patterns.



 



Picture Credit : Google


What is Climate change? What are the causes of climate change?



Earth’s climate has always changed naturally over time. However, climate change now appears to be speeding up! Many recent changes in climate are caused by our modern way of life. Earth is getting warm, which can have a huge effect on the environment.



Causes:



Humans are thought to be responsible for the most recent, major climate changes. Waste gases from industry, transport, and deforestation have built up in Earth’s atmosphere. These trap more heat around the Earth, so temperatures rise.



Industry:



Whenever we burn oil, coal, or natural gas, waste gases are released into the atmosphere. The most well-known and the most important greenhouse gas is CO2. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is subject to variation even without human intervention. The carbon cycle causes an exchange of CO2 between the biosphere and the oceans on the one hand and the atmosphere on the other.

Vast amounts of CO2 are also released by the burning of fossil fuels. There is incontrovertible evidence that the CO2 concentration in the air has never been so high in 800,000 years (probably even 60 million years) as it is now. The trend suggests that CO2 emissions will continue to rise globally, although the economic crisis did prevent a rise in 2009. The Netherlands (per head of population) is high on the list of CO2 emitters in the world.

Besides CO2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), fluorinated gases, ozone (O3) and water vapor are important greenhouse gases. Water vapor plays a unique role as it strengthens the heat-trapping effect caused by other greenhouse gas emissions. This is because a warmer atmosphere retains more water. The amount of water vapor cannot be artificially increased or decreased.



Transport:



We now use cars, buses, and planes regularly. They all fill the air with lots of waste gases. Transportation is the single largest contributor to the nation’s carbon footprint, causing more damage than industry, homes or commercial buildings. More than four-fifths of transportation emissions come from the tailpipes of our cars, trucks and buses.



Three factors affect the amount of carbon released into the air from transportation: the type of fuel we use, the fuel efficiency of the automobiles we drive and the amount of driving we do. Some improvements are being made on the first two legs of this stool with the push for hybrid/electric vehicles and tighter fuel economy standards.



Progress is much slower on the third leg: curbing the demand to drive. Though driving is down now because of our economic malaise, studies show that even small increases will spew out so much carbon that they will wipe out the benefits of fuel-efficient cars and the expansion of clean-fuel alternatives.



Deforestation:



Trees help remove gases from the air. As more trees are cut down, more waste gases stay in the air. Water vapor is another greenhouse gas that keeps heat from the sun trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere and helps maintain a temperature at which life can flourish on our planet. However, deforestation also affects the amount of this in the air. Studies have shown that deforestation has contributed to the amount of water vapor in the air and, over just a few years, the amount of water vapor present has increased by four percent. Besides increasing the temperature of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, this also has knock-on effects for weather patterns.



 



Picture Credit : Google


What is Climate? What are the climate zones?



The climate of an area is the type of weather it usually experiences. It includes the amount of rainfall, hours of sunshine, and highest, lowest, and average temperatures. Earth is divided into climate zones that are based on their distance from the equator.



Tropical zone:



This area is very hot and damp all year round. It rains a lot and thunderstorms are common. Nevertheless, this belt still receives considerable sunshine, and with the excessive rainfall, provides ideal growing conditions for luxuriant vegetation. The principal regions with a tropical climate are the Amazon Basin in Brazil, the Congo Basin in West Africa and Indonesia.



Because a substantial part of the Sun’s heat is used up in evaporation and rain formation, temperatures in the tropics rarely exceed 35°C; a daytime maximum of 32°C is more common. At night the abundant cloud cover restricts heat loss, and minimum temperatures fall no lower than about 22°C. This high level of temperature is maintained with little variation throughout the year. The seasons, so far as they do exist, are distinguished not as warm and cold periods but by variation of rainfall and cloudiness. Greatest rainfall occurs when the Sun at midday is overhead. On the equator this occurs twice a year in March and September, and consequently there are two wet and two dry seasons. Further away from the equator, the two rainy seasons merge into one, and the climate becomes more monsoonal, with one wet season and one dry season. In the Northern Hemisphere, the wet season occurs from May to July, in the Southern Hemisphere from November to February.



Subtropical zone:



Here, summers are long, dry, and hot. Winters are wet, but usually short and mild.  In general, the mean temperature year round is above 20 °C (68 °F), the coldest month of the year has a temperature below this mark. Mediterranean climates are considered subtropical. Different subtropical areas have different types of plants. Humid subtropical areas have evergreen and deciduous trees, Mediterranean areas have scrub, and deserts have cacti.



Temperate zone:



Extreme conditions are rare here. Summers are warm and winters cold, but not freezing. The changes between summer and winter are generally invigorating without being frustratingly extreme. There are two types of temperate climate: maritime and continental. The maritime climate is strongly influenced by the oceans, which maintain fairly steady temperatures across the seasons. Since the prevailing winds are westerly in the temperate zones, the western edge of continents in these areas experiences most commonly the maritime climate. Such regions include Western Europe, in particular the UK and western North America at latitudes between 40 and 60° north.



Polar zone:



 It is icy and dry all year round here. Winters are long round dark, while in summer the Sun shines most of the time. During the long polar nights, which last six months at the poles, temperatures can fall to extremely low values. The lowest temperature ever recorded occurred in Antarctica, where a value of -88 degree Celsius was reported.



The North Polar Region includes the ice-covered Arctic Ocean, the Greenland continent and much of Northern Canada and Northern Siberia. In the Southern Hemisphere, the vast mountainous continent of Antarctic is covered by snow and compacted ice several kilometres thick.



Polar climates tend to be dry because the descending air is cold and lacks significant moisture, precluding the formation of clouds and snowfall. Some polar regions receive less than 10 inches or 250 millimetres of precipitation each year, and can be as dry as the hot deserts of the subtropical climate zone. The continental ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica have taken many millions of years to form.



 



Picture Credit : Google


How seasons change?



During the year, the seasons change depending on the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth as it revolves around the Sun.



The seasons are caused as the Earth, tilted on its axis, travels in a loop around the Sun each year. Summer happens in the hemisphere tilted towards the Sun, and winter happens in the hemisphere tilted away from the Sun. As the Earth travels around the Sun, the hemisphere that is tilted towards or away from the Sun changes.



The hemisphere that is tilted towards the Sun is warmer because sunlight travels more directly to the Earth’s surface so less gets scattered in the atmosphere. That means that when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. The hemisphere tilted towards the Sun has longer days and shorter nights. That’s why days are longer during the summer than during the winter.



In general, the further away from the equator you travel, the cooler summer and winter temperatures become. At the equator there are no seasons because each day the Sun strikes at about the same angle. Every day of the year the equator receives about 12 hours of sunlight. The poles remain cool because they are never tilted in a direct path of sunlight. Much light is scattered by the atmosphere before reaching the Earth surface at the poles. During midwinter, when a pole is tilted away from the Sun, there is no daylight at all. The sun never rises! However, during the summer, a pole receives sunlight all the time and there is no night!



 



Picture Credit : Google


What are Seasons? What are different types of season?



Earth takes a year to travel, or orbit, around the Sun. At the same, it spins on its axis, an imaginary line between the Poles. This means the amount of sunlight falling on any area of Earth varies during the year, changing weather and creating seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter.



Spring:



 Spring is a time of change between summer and winter. Days gradually get brighter, warmer, and wetter. Animals that have been hidden away in a deep sleep called hibernation wake up and come out from dens. Many birds and animals return from their winter homes and start to breed. In the northern hemisphere, Earth’s upper half, spring begins in March. In the southern hemisphere, Earth’s lower half, spring begins in September.



Summer:



Summer is the hottest season. The days get longer and the nights become shorter. Plants grow well in the warm sunlight. There are lots of green leaves on the trees. People spend time outside, enjoying the long, sunny days. In the northern hemisphere, Earth’s upper half, it is summer from June to September. In the southern hemisphere, Earth lower half, it is summer from December to March.



Winter:



Winter is the coldest season. Days get shorter and nights get longer. Some animals grow thick coats to keep them warm in winter. Others just fall asleep, or hibernate. People need to heat their homes and wear thicker clothes to keep warm. The freezing winds often bring snow and ice. Winter lasts from December to March in the northern hemisphere, Earth’s upper half, and from June to September in the southern hemisphere, Earth’s lower half.



Autumn:



Autumn is when summer gradually changes into winter. In some places, rainfall increases. In areas with icy winters, some trees, such as oak, sycamore, and birch, prepare to lose their leaves. These trees are called deciduous trees. They stop producing chlorophyll, which is a chemical that helps plants make food from sunlight and also gives leaves their green color. As chlorophyll gradually disappears from the leaves, they turn to shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown. Many plants make seeds that will become new plants in spring. Some animals grow thicker fur to get ready for the cold winter. Others gain weight to prepare for a deep sleep called hibernation to take them through winter. In the northern hemisphere, Earth’s upper hals, fall takes place from September to December, and in the southern hemisphere, Earth’s lower half it is from March to June.



 



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What is Weather? What are the different conditions of weather?



Weather is the state of the atmosphere at any given period of time. The atmosphere is made up of the gasses, like oxygen, that surround the Earth. What is happening in the atmosphere is the weather. Weather includes several different factors that we can measure. Sunshine, clouds, wind, rain, frost, and snow are some of the different weather conditions that we experience on earth. The Sun plays a major role in the way one set of weather conditions changes to another set.



Sunshine



Heat from the Sun warms up the air, creating dry, bright weather conditions. Most people find sunny days pleasant. With the absence of clouds, the sun is able to shine through and provide warmth. A sunny day doesn't always mean it's warm, though. Cold temperatures and wind can be present on sunny days.



Clouds



Sunlight warms water in lakes and rivers, turning it into vapor that rises, and then forms tiny water droplets that gather together as clouds. The amount of water in a cloud, the height, and the air temperature, all affect what the cloud looks like. There are three main types of clouds, stratus, cumulus, and cirrus, and lots of combinations of these.



Wind



The sun warms the air to different places. As warm air rises, cooler air rushes in to replace it, creating wind. Light winds, called breezes, rustle leaves and twigs. In stronger gusts, whole branches sway. Very powerful winds may snap or uproot trees and cause damage. A wind that blows most often in a particular area is called a prevailing wind.



Rain



Rain is droplets of water that fall from clouds. Heat from the sun turns moisture from plants and leaves, as well as oceans, lakes, and rivers, into water vapor, which disappears into the air. This vapor rises, cools, and changes into tiny water droplets, which form clouds. The water droplets in the clouds join together to form bigger drops. When the water droplets get too large and heavy, they fall as rain. Big, heavy droplets falling to the ground are called rain and small droplets are called drizzle. You know that it’s likely to rain when you see dark clouds approaching. They are dark because they are full of big water droplets that block out the light from the sun.



Snow



Snow is water that has frozen solid. Water is in the atmosphere in the form of water vapor. When there is a lot of vapor, clouds form, become heavy with water droplets, and then the water falls as rain. But if the temperature in the cloud is below freezing point, the water droplets turn into ice crystals, forming snowflakes, and fall as snow. In very cold weather, snowflakes fall as showers of powder snow. In warmer temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius, snowflakes join up to form big, fluffy clumps of wet snow. The heaviest snowfalls happen when the temperature is just below 0 degree Celsius.



Extreme Weather



We say that we have extreme weather when conditions are very different to those that we are used to. Extreme weather can suddenly appear without warning, and may last for hours or even days, bringing death and destruction to an area. Flooding, heatwaves, blizzards, hurricanes, and tornadoes are all types of extreme weather.



 



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How is our Earth affected?



When people fail to conserve resources, Earth is affected in a number of ways:



Energy:



Natural fuels, such as gas and coal, are used up too quickly, and cannot be replaced. When petroleum products such as gasoline are burned for energy, they release toxic gases and high amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Carbon helps regulate the Earth’s atmospheric temperature, and adding to the natural balance by burning fossil fuels adversely affects our climate.



There are huge quantities of petroleum found under Earth’s surface and in tar pits that bubble to the surface. Petroleum even exists far below the deepest wells that are developed to extract it. 



However, petroleum, like coal and natural gas, is a non-renewable source of energy. It took millions of years for it to form, and when it is extracted and consumed, there is no way for us to replace it. 



Pollution:



Waste gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the Sun, so the Earth gets hotter. We release a variety of chemicals into the atmosphere when we burn the fossil fuels we use every day. We breathe air to live and what we breathe has a direct impact on our health. Water Pollution Effects Just like the air we breathe, water is vital to our survival. We need clean water to drink, to irrigate our crops and the fish we eat live in the waters. We play in rivers, lakes and streams – we live near bodies of water. It’s a precious resource that can easily be polluted and the contamination can be transferred to us and affect our health.



Water:



Higher temperatures, along with low rainfall, will eventually lead to drought. The more that greenhouse gases saturate the atmosphere, the more intense global warming becomes. Global warming, or climate change, is a major causing factor of droughts. It’s unfortunate that human activities contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases, which in turn cause the abnormal elevation of global temperatures.



Higher temperatures will obviously lead to dryness and an increased rate of moisture loss from water sources, as well as in the soil. 



This directly contributes to dry conditions, drier weather, and of course, droughts.



Food:



Drought and soil pollution can damage crops, so there is not enough food. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. It has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers, clogging these waterways and causing declines in fish and other species. And degraded lands are also often less able to hold onto water, which can worsen flooding. Sustainable land use can help to reduce the impacts of agriculture and livestock, preventing soil degradation and erosion and the loss of valuable land to desertification.



Forests:



Cutting down trees can lead to plants and animals losing their homes. The lack of trees also allows a greater amount of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere. Presently, the tropical rainforests of South America are responsible for 20% of Earth’s oxygen and they are disappearing at a rate of 4 hectares a decade. If these rates are not stopped and reversed, the consequences will become even more severe. As large amounts of forests are cleared away, allowing exposed earth to whither and die and the habitats of innumerable species to be destroyed, the indigenous tribes who depend on them to sustain their way of life are also irreparably damaged.



The loss of forests has an immediate and direct effect on their lifestyle that we in the modern world, despite our own dependency on what the rainforest provides, will never know. The level of immediacy is exponentially greater.



Waste:



Waste pollutes the environment. Also, if we waste resources, they will run out! Some ecosystems, like the marine and coastal ones, can be severely affected by poor management of waste, or by littering. Marine litter is a growing concern, and not only for aesthetic reasons: entanglement and ingestion constitute severe threats to many marine species.



Waste impacts the environment indirectly as well. Whatever is not recycled or recovered from waste represents a loss of raw material and other inputs used in the chain, i.e. in the production, transport and consumption phases of the product. Environmental impacts in the life-cycle chain are significantly larger than those in the waste management phases alone.



Directly or indirectly, waste affects our health and well-being in many ways: methane gases contribute to climate change, air pollutants are released into the atmosphere, freshwater sources are contaminated, crops are grown in contaminated soil and fish ingest toxic chemicals, subsequently ending up on our dinner plates…



Illegal activities such as illegal dumping, burning or exports also play a part, but it is difficult to estimate the full extent of such activities, or of their impacts.



 



Picture Credit : Google


What is Conservation?



We need to preserve and take good care of the Earth and resources – the air, water, soil, plants, and animals on which we depend. This is what conservation is all about.



If we really care about nature, then surely conservation has to be practical; it needs to work. Everything we hear on the news seems to say the opposite: nature continues to go down the tube; extinction rates are increasing; new threats like climate change are emerging; and beautiful places are being destroyed before our eyes. All this is true; and yet, paradoxically, there is increasing evidence that conservation is working. How so?



Surely, if things are getting worse, it is obvious that conservation is failing. Well, no. For sure, the overall situation is getting worse, but not as fast as would be the case if we were doing no conservation at all. For example, in 2006, scientists at BirdLife International showed that conservation action had prevented 16 bird species from going extinct during the 1994-2004 time period. In 2014, scientists from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust found that sustained conservation action from 1988 to 2012 resulted in eight species being down-listed to lower categories of threat on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (meaning they are now less at risk of extinction). In a pivotal study in 2015, a group of researchers from the IUCN Species Survival Commission found that without conservation action that took place between 1996 and 2008, the status of the world’s ungulates (deer, antelopes, cattle and their relatives) would have been nearly eight times worse (as measured by the IUCN Red List Index) than was actually observed.



There is one clear conclusion from these and similar studies: conservation does work, but we do not do anywhere close to enough of it. The threats to nature are certainly growing and this means that we have to spend more on conservation just to stand still. On the other hand, if some of the commitments made by the world’s governments are actually acted upon, such as the 2010 Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, then the amount of resources to be allocated to conservation is set to increase. Let’s hope that this will indeed be the case. In practice, to achieve the level of success that we need, governments will need to do much more, but so will all of us, including commercial corporations.



 



Picture Credit : Google