Looking After Our Planet

Our only home

Look up at the sky on a clear night and you will see thousands of stars. Around many of them are planets — but as far as we know, Earth is the only one with rivers, forests, animals and people. It is the only planet we can live on. Earth gives us the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and a safe home. That is why looking after our planet is one of the most important jobs we share.

Earth is strong, but it is not unbreakable. The way people live can harm the air, the water, the soil and the creatures we share the world with. So let's learn how to care for our planet — in ways you can start today.

Caring for our resources

The things Earth gives us are called resources: clean water, fresh air, fertile soil, plants, animals and energy. Many resources can run low if we waste them, so a big part of looking after the planet is using only what we need.

Save water. Clean, fresh water is precious — most of the water on Earth is salty seawater we cannot drink. You can save it by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, taking shorter showers, and telling a grown-up about a dripping tap.

Save energy. Most of our electricity is made by burning fuels, which causes pollution. Switch off lights when you leave a room. Turn off the TV and tablet when you are done. Open a curtain to use sunlight instead of a lamp. You can learn where energy comes from in Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy.

Waste less food. Growing food uses land, water and energy, so throwing food away wastes all of that too. Take only what you will eat, and ask a grown-up about composting leftover peelings.

Protecting plants and animals

Earth is home to millions of kinds of living things, from tiny insects to enormous whales. Every plant and animal has a place to live called a habitat — a wood, a pond, a meadow, a coral reef. When habitats are damaged, the creatures that depend on them lose their homes.

We can protect nature by keeping wild places clean, not picking wild flowers or disturbing nests, and supporting parks and reserves where animals are safe. Even a small garden can become a habitat: a patch of wild flowers feeds bees and butterflies, and a little pond gives frogs a home. Caring for the variety of life on Earth is so important that it has its own big idea, which you can explore in Biodiversity and Conservation.

Cutting down waste and pollution

Every time we throw something away, it has to go somewhere — usually a landfill. And when we burn fuels or drop litter, we create pollution. Looking after the planet means making less rubbish and less pollution.

Remember the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. Use a refillable bottle instead of buying plastic ones. Repair toys and clothes instead of binning them. Recycle paper, glass and cans. To dig deeper into stopping the harmful stuff, read Pollution and How to Stop It.

Everyday choices that help

Looking after the planet is not one giant action — it is lots of small, everyday choices:

• Walk, cycle or share a ride for short journeys.
• Carry a bag you can use again and again.
• Plant a tree, a flower or some herbs.
• Pick up litter and recycle properly.
• Turn off taps, lights and screens you are not using.
• Tell others why it matters.

None of these are hard. The secret is that millions of people each doing a little adds up to a lot.

Try this — a one-week planet pledge

Make a simple chart with seven boxes, one for each day of the week. Choose one planet-friendly action to do every day, such as "turn off the tap while brushing" or "switch off lights when I leave a room." Tick the box each day you manage it. At the end of the week, count your ticks and see how many good choices you made. Then ask a family member to take the pledge with you the next week — the more people, the bigger the difference.

Earth is the only home we have. By caring for its air, water, soil and creatures, you help keep it healthy for yourself, for the animals, and for everyone who comes after.