Environment

Environment

Sweet Solutions

April 6, 2018

Last year, Americans spent more than $22 billion on chocolate. But the tasty treat comes at a far greater cost than this. That’s because farmers often cut down trees in the rain forest when they need more land to plant…

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Environment

The Problem With Plastics

April 6, 2018

A cleanup crew was exploring the shore of a river in Washington, D.C. The water rippled under a blue sky, and grass swayed on the mudflats. But something else caught the group’s eye. Along the shore were heaps of plastic…

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Young Game Changers

Kid Heroes for the Planet

April 5, 2018

You don’t have to be a superhero to help the environment. Even small, simple actions can add up to big change. People around the world will celebrate Earth Day on April 22. But anyone—including kids—can work to help the Earth…

Environment

Goodbye to Glitter?

April 4, 2018

Want to help clean up the ocean? Then you might want to say goodbye to glitter. That’s what 19 preschools in the United Kingdom did last year. Now scientists are exploring the idea of a bigger ban. They hope it…

Animals

A New Home

March 16, 2018

The National Aquarium, in Baltimore, Maryland, is home to nearly 20,000 animals. Among them are seven bottlenose dolphins: Jade, Spirit, Maya, Bayley, Chesapeake, Beau, and Foster. Chesapeake, the oldest, is 26. None has known life in the wild. But…

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Weather

California Mudslides

January 19, 2018

Mudslides and flash floods destroyed parts of Montecito, California, last week. At press time, the natural disaster had caused at least 20 deaths. The mudslides were caused by a powerful storm. It sent mud and boulders down hills and into…

Weather

Disaster's Cost

January 16, 2018

Monster hurricanes. Raging wildfires. They helped make 2017 the costliest year ever for weather disasters in the United States. The nation was hit by 16 disasters that each topped $1 billion in damages. The 
total cost was $306 billion, according…

Environment

Water Works

April 14, 2017

In a small village in Thailand lives a girl named Wanjai. She and her family make their home on the Khao Laem Reservoir. Wanjai and her friends play in the water. Her family bathes, cooks, and cleans with it. They…

Animals

Shell Game

April 15, 2016

The ploughshare (plow -share) tortoise is one of the world's most endangered animals. Experts believe there are fewer than 300 adults in the wild. A small piece of land in northwest Madagascar is the species' only natural habitat. With their…

Food and Nutrition

Ugly but Tasty

April 15, 2016

In U.S. supermarkets, perfectly shaped fruits and vegetables line shelves. But not all the produce grown in the U.S. looks like what is being sold. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, more than a quarter of all fresh produce…