When you think of NASA, you probably think of astronauts, satellites, and other things not on this planet.  So why does NASA study Earth?  Because Earth is a planet!

NASA has actually studied Earth more than any other planet.  Not only is Earth a planet, it's the only one we know of that can support life.  NASA has been monitoring Earth's weather via satellite since the 1960s.  Todays satellites do a lot more.

Satellite data is used to observe how Earth is changing and to make predictions of what the future might hold.  NASA shares this research with scientists all over the world who use the data to work on some really big problems.  This data is being used to help us fight climate change, manage natural resources, and improve our responses to natural disasters!

To learn more about our Earth and play some cool games check out Climate Kids.

Earth Day is all about caring for each other and our environment.  Come celebrate with your community at one of these local Earth Day events!

SLC Earth Day Event
April 22
Jordan Park
10 AM-1 PM
Help clean up Jordan Park.  There will be several projects going on, including refreshing the dog park, bench repair, general cleaning, weeding, and more.  This is an outdoor event, so wear sunscreen and bring a water bottle!  Click here for more info.

Arbor Day Celebration
April 25
Red Butte Garden and Arboretum
9 AM-7:30 PM Free Admission

Composting is an easy way that you can help the Earth from home!  Compost is a dark, crumbly, loamy material produced by the decomposition of leaves, grass clippings, and other organic materials.  Finished compost contains nutrients necessary for plant growth and improves soil structure.  The decomposition process happens without human intervention, but composting allows you to expedite the natural process.

Composting reduces the amount of material going to landfills.  Approximately 51% of municipal waste is made up of yard waste, food waste, and paper, most of which can be composted.  Compost can replace soil amendments used by gardeners, such as peat moss, fertilizer, or vermiculite.  Compost even suppresses some soil-borne diseases!

What to add to your backyard compost pile:
Nitrogen-rich Materials ("Greens")

• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Grass clippings
• Coffee grounds and paper filters
• Paper tea bags (no staples)
• Eggshells (crushed)

Carbon-rich Materials ("Browns")

• Dry leaves
• Plant stalks and twigs
• Shredded paper (non-glossy, uncolored) and shredded brown bags
• Shredded cardboard (no wax coating, tape, or glue)
• Untreated wood chips

What do avoid adding to your backyard compost pile:

• Meat, fish, and bones*
• Cheese and dairy products*
• Fats, oils, and grease*
• Cooked food (small amounts are fine)*
• Compostable foodservice ware and compostable bags*
• Herbicide-treated plants and grass
• Aggressive weeds/weeds with seeds
• Diseased and pest-infested plants
• Treated or painted wood
• Pet waste and cat litter
• Dryer lint
• Glossy paper
• Produce stickers

*Backyard compost piles generally do not reach high enough temperatures to fully decompose these materials.  These can often be composted at commercial composting facilities.

Steps for backyard composting:
1. Collect and store your fruit and vegetable scraps in a closed container in your kitchen.  For browns, set aside an area outside to store leaves and twigs.
2. Choose a space in your yard for your compost pile that is easily accessible year-round and has good drainage.  Avoid placing it right up against a fence and ensure that there is a water source nearby.  It does not matter if it is in sun or shade.  Choose a bin for your pile.  They can be constructed from materials like wire, wood or cinder blocks.  They can also be includes in barrels or tumblers.
3. Build your compost pile.  Start your pile with a four to six inch layer of browns such as twigs or wood chips.  This layer absorbs extra liquids and allows air to circulate at the base of the pile.  Then layer your greens and browns like a lasagna.  When adding browns and greens, add at least two to three times the volume of browns to the volume of greens, and ensure that your food scraps are covered by four to eight inches of dry leaves or other browns.
4. To ensure air circulation, add enough browns, and turn the compost occasionally.  To maintain moisture, the pile should have the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.
5. As the materials in your compost pile begin to decompose, the temperature of the pile will rise.  A well-maintained backyard pile can reach temperatures of 130 to 160 degrees F.  Be sure to turn and mix your pile from time to time to help speed up the decomposition process and aerate the pile.  Use a garden fork to turn the outside of the pile inward.
6.  Monitor your pile for moisture, odor, and temperature.

• If the pile is too dry, moisten the pile and turn it.
• If the pile has a bad odor, it may be too wet or need more air circulation.  Add more browns and turn the pile.
  
• If the pile is not heating up, mix in greens and turn the pile.

7. When your compost pile is no longer heating up after mixing and when there are no visible food scraps, allow the pile to cure for at least four weeks.  After curing, your pile will shrink to about one-third of its original size.  Compost in a well-maintained pile will be finished and ready to use in about three to five months.  Unattended, it may take a year to decompose.
8. Screen or sift your finished compost to filter out materials that didn't break down.  Pits, eggshells, etc. that you sifted out can be added back to the active pile or to a new pile.

​Happy composting!

Plastics are one of the biggest pollutants on the Earth.  They are found in our clothes, our body wash, and nearly everything we touch every day.  Plastics eventually find their way into the ocean where they are hurting the wildlife.  Here are some things you can do to reduce plastic waste.

1. Bring your own bag.
Sea turtles mistake plastic shopping bags for jelly fish and ingest them, leading to blockages and starvation.  Reusable shopping bags are a relatively cheap and easy way to make a difference in plastic wastage.  At the store, try and choose products with minimal packaging.  You can let your fruits and vegetables stay loose in your bag or in your own cloth bag instead of collecting them in plastic.

2. Skip the straw.
This is as simple as saying, "No straw, please," when you are out to eat.  Straws take 200-500 years to decompose, and even then, they still threaten wildlife as they degrade into microplastics.

3. Use a reusable water bottle.
This reduces the use of single-use water bottles.  If you're concerned about the taste of your local tap water, consider investing in a water filter.  It's a small investment that pays off in the long run.

4. Pack your lunch sustainably.
Bring your own reusable containers from home and skip the plastic silverware!

5. Say no to balloons.
Balloons are another plastic that frequently gets mistaken for food by wildlife.  Animals also get tangled in the ribbons of discarded balloons.  And don't worry.  A party without balloons is still a party!

Don't get discouraged if you aren't able to completely cut plastic waste out of your life all at once.  If this list sounds overwhelming, trying choosing one or two of these ideas and challenge yourself to adopt that change for a month.  Once it becomes a habit to avoid plastic waste in one or two ways, it will get easier to make other changes as well!