MAY NEWSLETTER
The Latest News
We'll have another Baby Environmental Hero joining Molelo and Elee soon. Princess follows a young orangutan's friendship with a human, based on a true story. Look for her new book soon! We'll also have a new book called The Belize Trash Monster coming out in the next few months.
May's Reader Challenge
We've all heard about single-use plastics. They may make our life easier, but they take their toll on the earth. I recently read a statistic that only 10% of single-use plastics are recycled! That means 90% of them are overflowing landfills, creating ocean pollution, disrupting wildlife, or littering our landscapes. What can we do to reverse this trend? One of the easiest things to do is to use reusable shopping bags. I keep a bunch in my car, so they are always handy - for all types of stores! Read here for more ideas or try other simple changes like:
- Bring a reusable straw or go without the lid/straw for your drink
- Take your own reusable water bottle/cup instead of depending on plastic water bottles or disposable cups
- Buy food in bulk and then divvy it up for individual servings in reusable containers rather than buying on-the-go packaging
- Look for items that are packaged in biodegradable/earth-friendly materials
- Support businesses that are environmentally savvy and stop visiting or contact those that use too much plastic
- Stop smoking or at least dispose of cigarette butts properly - their filters are made of plastic and are a leading source of the world's litter
Animal Calendar
Check out these animal days in May:
- May 1 - Save the Rhino Day
- May 2 - World Tuna Day
- May 3 - International Wild Koala Day
- May 5-11 - Be Kind to Animals Week
- May 6-13 - Donkey Week
- May 11 - International Migratory Bird Day
- May 13 - Frog Jumping Day
- May 15 - International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day
- May 16 - National Sea Monkey Day
- May 17 - Endangered Species Day
- May 23 - International Turtle Day
- May 23 - World Turtle Day
- May 28 - Whooping Crane Day
- May 29 - Pink Flamingo Day
Rhino Facts
Rhinoceroses are generally solitary animals, but sometimes they may live in a group, which is called a crash. Oxpeckers are often found perched on the backs of rhinos, because they eat the insects living on the rhino's thick skin. Because of that thick skin and their horns, rhinos have no natural predators, but they have been hunted to near extinction, largely because their horns are used in traditional Asian folk medicine. Learn more about efforts to help the rhino from our partner, Saving the Survivor.
Did You Miss...?
About the author
Lorielle Peterson