The Brink of Extinction

Extinction is when a particular species of animal is dead and gone from our planet forever (like the dinosaurs or the dodo bird).  The case of the Asian Crested Ibis is a hopeful story about an animal saved from complete extinction!

The Crested Ibis makes its home in the wetlands of Asia.

Due to habitat destruction, the Crested Ibis was on the brink of extinction.  In 1981, there were only 7 of these birds known to be alive in the wild!

Conservation programs were put in place to protect nesting areas, prohibit logging and stop the use of agrochemicals for rice farming.  In addition, Japan and China both began Ibis breeding programs to  help increase the number of birds in the safety of captivity.

Human activity was the direct cause of the Ibis's brush with extinction, but thanks to conservation, the Crested Ibis is making a comeback!  By 2002, there were approximately 140 birds living in the wild.  Today, there are more than 500!

Ten Crested Ibis are released into the wild in 2008.

Can you name some other animals that are currently in danger of extinction?  What is being done to help those animals survive in the wild?

THE TOILET TANK TRICK!

Most toilets in the United States use between 5 and 7 gallons per flush, way more than is needed.  Newer toilets are more efficient and some only use 2 or 3 gallons per flush.  Here's a simple way to conserve water in the bathroom without buying a brand new toilet!

[NOTE:  Be sure to get permission from your parents before performing the "toilet tank trick" and ask for assistance if you need help removing and replacing the toilet tank lid.]

Step 1: Remove the lid from your toilet tank cover and set it aside.

Step 2: Put a small amount of sand or pebbles in the bottom of an old water bottle, then fill the rest of the bottle with water.

Step 3: Replace the cap on the water bottle and place it in the tank.  (Be sure that the bottle doesn't touch any of the moving parts!)

Step 4: Replace the lid and presto!  You've completed the toilet tank trick!

WHAT DOES IT DO?

Placing a bottle, jar or other container in the tank displaces the water and allows you to flush the toilet without using as much H2O.  The amount of water in the bottle is the amount of water you save with each flush!  This simple trick can save you up to 10 gallons of water waste per day!

WILL A BRICK DO THE SAME THING?

Some people have tried this trick using a brick instead of a bottle, but that's not really recommended.  A brick can break apart over time and leave debris in your tank that may harm your septic system.

IS WATER A RENEWABLE RESOURCE?

The answer to this question is not as simple as you might think.  Yes, water evaporates and then returns to earth as precipitation (rain, fog, snow, etc.) and the same water animals drank 6 million years ago is the same water we drink today!  But this doesn't mean that wasting water is okay.  Water conservation is becoming an increasingly important issue! 

Did you know though that only 3% of the earth's water is freshwater?  The other 97% is ocean water, which is undrinkable.  Of all the water in the world, almost half of it is polluted in some way.  Polluted water can lead to disease and death and cause things like acid rain.

Did you know that over 1 billion people on the planet do not have access to clean drinking water?  As the population of the planet grows, this problem will increase since the amount of freshwater we have will always remain the same.  Groundwater cannot replenish itself at the rate we remove it from the earth.  Global climate change has also contributed to water shortages in places where lack of precipitation has caused drought and too much precipitation has caused flooding which makes the water unsuitable for consumption.

Another reason to be mindful of water conservation is energy consumption.  Heating the water you need for a shower or bath takes energy and every drop of water that goes down the drain must be cleaned at a water treatment plant, which also takes energy.

Like all issues having to do with the environment, we often don't seem to be concerned with a resource as long as it seems abundant.  In the United States, we have an ample amount of freshwater because of the number of lakes and streams.  In other parts of the world however, the amount of water we would use to take one 2-3 minute shower is the same amount of water an entire family uses to cook, clean, and drink for an entire week.

Think twice before you waste water and learn what can be done to keep water from becoming polluted!

WATER CONSERVATION - SHOWER OR BATH?

Rub-a-dub-dub!  What do we do in the tub?

Which uses less water?  Taking a shower or taking a bath?

Here’s a simple experiment you can try at home:  The next time you take a shower, plug the drain and let the water collect.  When your shower is over, see how much water is in the tub.  Compare it to how much water you would use to take a bath.  Which uses more water?  A bath or a 2-3 minute shower?