How we can protect the environment
Environments are the surroundings that we live in; the habitat that a plant or animal is adapted to survive and thrive in.
The environment provides everything that a living thing needs; food, oxygen and shelter.
Our environments are always changing, but what causes them to change and what impact does this have on the animals and plants that live there?
Watch: Changing environments
Fran: All things are constantly growing and changing.
Our environments are changing too.
They change with the seasons and weather.
They can change quickly when a natural disaster such as a flood or volcanic eruption happens.
They also change naturally, but very, very slowly.
Some changes are brought about by creatures that live in an environment, like these ants that are moving earth around them to build a nest, but the animal that can change the environment the fastest are us humans.
Humans have a huge impact on the environment.
Building homes and cities is called urbanisation.
We cut down forests to use the wood and make way for farmland.
This is called deforestation, and it leaves many animals with no habitat to live in and it destroys trees that we need to clean our air.
Humans also create pollution by burning fossil fuels, and that contributes to climate change.
Urbanisation, deforestation and pollution are some of the ways humans have a negative impact on our environments.
But us humans can also have a positive impact.
We can use clean energy sources like solar, wind and hydropower.
We can conservation projects and protect animal habitats.
And we can keep our environments clean.
What else can be done to change our environments for the better?
Child: A lot of our rubbish ends up in the sea, where it can cause damage to sea-life and wash up on our beaches.
But there are things we can do.
We can clean up!
A lot of this litter can be recycled.
When we recycle, we reuse old materials.
That means we are not creating any new rubbish and we're stopping old rubbish from polluting our environments.
It's a win win!
Fran: So next time you are out and about in the park, forest or beach, think about whether you're having a positive or negative impacton your environment.
How do enviroments change?
Natural changes
There are some changes which happen naturally and cannot be avoided.
Seasonal changes
In the UK we have four seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter. Habitats can look very different depending on which season we are in.
In summer, woodlands can be green and full of life. In autumn the deciduous trees are losing their leaves and starting to look bare. By winter, the trees are empty of leaves and lots of the animals and insects are hibernating.
In spring, everything starts to grow again and woodlands become busy once more.
These seasonal changes happen every year. The animals and plants that live in these habitats are used to it and often able to change what they eat, or where they shelter, depending on the season.
Weather changes
We have a wide variety of weather in the UK, from hot and sunny, to wet and rainy, to strong winds, to cold and snowy – sometimes in the same day or week!
Animals and plants that live here are used to all of the different types of weather and are able to live and adapt to the changes.
Sometimes animals and plants find it difficult when there is extreme weather that they are not used to. Habitats can be damaged by rain, flooding, strong winds and extreme heat.
Human changes
There are some changes that are caused by humans. Some of these changes can be damaging to the environment and the plants and animals that live there.
Image caption, Burning fossil fuels
To create energy to power our homes, factories, shops and other places we need to burn fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas. When fossil fuels are burned they produce lots of a gas called carbon dioxide which stops heat from escaping from around the Earth and out into space, which is causing the temperature to rise.
The more this happens, the worse it is, because when it is warmer it causes the ice in cold parts of our world to melt, and sea levels rise, which can cause the land to flood. The increase in greenhouse gases makes our weather more unpredictable, which is why we are having much hotter days, and much wetter days, than we have in the past.
This changes the habitats around us, and plants and animals are struggling to cope with this change.
1 of 5
Did you know?
Nearly 10 million hectares of forest are lost every single year from human deforestation, an area which is almost the size of England!
Watch: Learning how to protect the environment
Learn how we can protect plants and nature.
INTRO MUSIC
CALM MUSICBROOM NOISE
What is the problem with the forests again?
Well, we are using more and more of our woodlands to create new houses, roads and motorways, new shops and factories and rubbish tips. Soon we won't have any forest left at all!
Is there anything we can do to help? Could we share our houses with the animals?
Well, we don't have to do that. There are other things we can do.
Really? Oh thank goodness.
It's just that it needs everyone to take responsibility and play their part.
What sorts of things could we do to make sure that we are maintaining the right amount of plants in our world and encouraging animals to build their homes?
We could attract them to the local areas using stickers and sweets as a reward!
Plants and animals don't care about stickers and sweets.
Why not? Stickers are the best. I once got a sticker when I won a rap battle!
I'm not even gonna ask…
We need to create and take care
of nature reserves.
These protect the plants and wildlife inside them.
They guarantee that their habitats are undisturbed by humans.
Does that mean we can do what we want with the rest of the land that isn't part of the nature reserve?
Well not really.
We have to make sure we keep our world clean, don't drop litter and recycle as much as possible
Want to be green, keep the earth clean?
Then, in our towns and cities, we have to create ecologically planned parks, to increase the number of green spaces with plants, trees and animals inside.
What about the fish and the amphibians?
We can put ponds in our gardens and open spaces.
That provides good homes for those sorts of animals.
So if I grow plants in my home, and nature reserves and ecologically planned parks… all I have to do now is dig a hole!
Are we going to make a pond right now?!
Those fishes have got to have a home!
, always check with an adult before you dig a pond!
Alright then!
Ooooooh, yeah!
DREAMY MUSIC – BIRDS CHIRPING
Well, that's what it could look like…
Let's get back to digging our pond!
Fascinating facts
- The UK has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
- Trees and plants can turn carbon dioxide into oxygen which we breathe.
- Transport like cars, lorries, planes and trains can produce lots of pollution.
- Renewable energy like wind power and solar power does less damage to the environment than non-renewable energy like burning fossil fuels
- Preserving green spaces creates more habitat for animals.
Slideshow: Changing environments
Image caption, Deforestation
Deforestation is the clearing, or cutting down, of forests. At the moment we are cutting down more trees than we plant. It takes some forests hundreds of years to grow and for animals and plants to adapt to living there.
1 of 6
Did you know?
Meteorology is the study of the weather.
In the UK, a government agency known as the Met Office keeps track of the weather and climate.
They have noticed that the temperature on Earth is growing warmer, with all of the 10 warmest years ever in the UK having happened in the last 20 years.
How can we look after our environment?
There are lots of things that humans do to the environment that can be harmful and damaging, but there are also things that we can do to help protect the environment and start to reverse some of the changes that have been made.
This is called conservation. What other things can we do to make a difference?
Planting trees
By planting more trees we can replace those that are being cut down. We can create more habitats for animals and create sheltered places for a range of plants to grow.
Trees and plants are great at taking in carbon dioxide, which is one of the greenhouse gases, and turning it back into oxygen, This helps to reduce the effects of climate change and burning fossil fuels.
Protect and create green spaces
We can build more nature reserves, parks and garden ponds. By creating new green spaces and protecting those that already exist, we can make places for animals and plants to grow. This will create more clean spaces with less pollution.
Watch: Protecting green spaces
Looking to the future to learn about our present day environment.
Fatima: Hey people in the past!
Fatima's friend: Hey Fatima, who you talkin' to?
Fatima: Talkin' to people in the past all right?
Wivvout 'em we wouldn't be playing football here, so thought I send 'em a message. Coz look past people, look what it looked like back in your day.
That's unreal huh? All grim. Now it's green because of you. Hey, you know school can be a bit much sometimes. So gettin' out here and kickin' a ball around in the park is what I need. I've got you to thank for it.
You stood up for all green spaces, woodlands and forests. Coz they can't do it themselves, they need us. You planted, you protected and kept spaces green.
Trees are good for the planet and they're good for us too. They're jus' doin' their thing, not complainin'. They're helpin' the environment and makin' habitats for creatures we share the planet with. They don't need knockin' down to make way for us.
And it was you past people who realised we can use other spaces for building houses.
Back in your day, there were people just usin' up what nature got to give. But you guys realised you can't just take, you have to give back. And that's what sustainability is. Not takin' more than what the planet is givin'.
People were takin', takin', takin' until the world started sendin' a message. And it was a big message the world was sendin'. And you guys were the ones who listened. It was you who planted these trees, and then the animals noticed and they came back.
And you kept wild places wild. Not everywhere has to be a football pitch. You respected your space, planted trees and protected habitats and wild areas when they needed it.
Don't know why I'm tellin' you guys this, because you're the people who started doin' it!
So anyway, thanks for givin' green spaces a voice and standin' up to keep this world green.
Did you know?
The UK produces about 26 million tonnes of waste each year and less than half of this is recycled.
That is a lot of rubbish that is going into landfill sites!
Important words
Climate change – Long term changes in the temperature and weather conditions of a particular area, becoming either regularly warmer or colder than it would normally be.
Conservation – Protecting the environment from harm or damage.
Deciduous trees – Deciduous trees are a type of tree that go through changes with the seasons. Most deciduous trees lose their leaves in the autumn and grow new leaves in the spring.
Deforestation – This means cutting down trees and clearing forest land.
Environment – The area or surroundings in which animals and plants live, and the habitat they adapt to survive in.
Fossil fuel – Fossil fuels are non-renewable substances like coal, oil and gas. When they are burned they produce carbon dioxide which stops heat from escaping the Earth.
Greenhouse gases – Gases in the Earth's atmosphere that can trap heat and warm the planet, such as methane and carbon dioxide.
Habitat – A habitat is the home of an animal or a plant.
Hibernate – When animals enter a period of inactivity during the harsh winter months.
Meteorology – Meteorology is the study of the weather and climate.
Overpopulation – Overpopulation happens when the population of the Earth, a country, city, town or village overtakes the amount of homes, food and resources available.
Pollution – Pollution is the waste or dirt that makes environments more harmful and more unhealthy to live in.
Recycling – To convert waste into something that we can use again.
Activities
Activity 1 – Environmental changes quiz
Activity 2 – Changing environments
Humans are changing the environment, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.
Design a poster, explaining how your local environment is changing.
Play Bitesize Primary Games
Play fun and educational primary games in science, maths, English, history, geography, art, computing and modern languages.
More on Living things and their habitats
Find out more by working through a topic
- count5 of 15
- count6 of 15
- count7 of 15
- count8 of 15
