Kids+in+Action

=**Kids in Action**=

Green Up Day is special in the state of Vermont. It is a day when Vermonters clean up their communities. We are proud of our state and proud to be part of this great tradition. No other state matches the size and commitment of Vermont's anti-litter campaign. But - we should practice green up more than just one day of the year.

There are more than 6 billion people living on earth. We assume that the earth is a big place and that it will always be able to provide for us. The world may seem big, but it is actually quite small. We can not assume that our planet can continue to absorb everything that we throw at it. In the two hundred years since the Industrial Revolution began, we have completely changed the face of the Earth. Greenhouse gases are gradually changing the world's climate. Three of the Earth's rivers, the Yellow, the Amu Darya, and the Colorado no longer reach the sea during the dry season. Much of the water in those rivers is diverted to cities for human consumption.

Today's atmosphere contains 32% more carbon dioxide than it did a century ago. Only 20% of the Earth's population lives in developed countries, yet __these countries consume 80% of the Earth's resources, and produce 80% of the Earth's pollution.__ We are pushing the Earth to its limits.

The average teenager in America will consume 30 times more energy than teenagers that live in developing countries. If everyone in the world used the same amount of resources that we do in North America, it would require another 4 or 5 Earths. There is a hole in the Ozone. There is growing water scarcity. Deserts are expanding, coral reefs are decreasing, species are becoming extinct, and the Rain Forests of the world are being cut down at an alarming rate.

If we want future generations to have the same opportunities that we have had, we need to make a change in our relationship with the planet.

**How can you help?**
Visit http://www.ran.org/new/kidscorner/kid_s_action/7_steps_kids_can_take/ to learn about steps you can take to help save the Rainforests.