HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Do you wonder what YOU can do to help cranes and other wildlife?There are many things that you can do with your family, school, or community to help protect our natural resources and support conservation efforts.

Home

The first steps that you can take to conserve resources and protect the environment can be done right in your own home.We have provided a few suggestions for ways that you and your family can reduce your use of natural resources and incorporate environmentally-friendly action into your daily lives.

Conserve water

We share limited water resources with all other living organisms on the planet.If each of us takes action to conserve the amount of water that we use in our home, we can make important strides in assuring that there is clean and abundant water for everyone.There are several simple things that you and your family can do at home to accomplish this goal.

	Check water using appliances, such as toilets, clothes washers, or dish washers, for leaks and make arrangements to repair any problems as quickly as possible.
	Install a low-flow shower head in the bathroom.The low-flow head simply replaces the standard shower head and helps to reduce the amount of water that you use while showering.
	Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth or washing dishes.
	If your family needs to replace your clothes washer or dish washer, choose a water efficient model.Also check to see if your toilet is water efficient.Newer toilets are constructed to use much less water than older models, which means that you can save up to several gallons of water each time the toilet is flushed.
	Landscape with native plants that are adapted to your local climate to reduce the need to water your garden or lawn during the summer.

Plant a garden

Not only is planting a garden a great way to spend time with your family, it also can be great for the environment!When you grow some of your own food, you reduce the need to ship produce and other food items to your town from other communities, states, or even countries.This limits the amount of fossil fuels needed to power the trucks, trains, ships, and planes that transport our food.

When you plant a garden, you can also choose to use fewer pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals that are commonly used in modern agriculture.Many of these substances are washed off of fields and deposited in our wetlands, lakes, and rivers, where they can pollute the water and destroy important habitat for many species of plants and animals.

Recycle

By reducing the amount of garbage that you throw away, you limit the amount of waste deposited in landfills.However, just as important, when you recycle you also reduce the need for manufacturers to find new raw materials for products, which limits the amount of resources needed to manufacture new products.For example, if you recycle your soda cans, the cans can be broken down and the aluminum reused for other products.This reduces the cost and potentially negative environmental impact of mining and purifying new sources of aluminum from natural deposits.

School

If you can take action to help conserve resources and support conservation at home, imagine what you could do with the support of your classmates, teachers, and maybe even your entire school!