16 - North Shore News ~ Friday, Aprii 21, 2009 Virtual AS well as doing your part around your home and in your communi- , you can celebrate Earth Day while surf- ing the Web. At , a part of the GeoPortals.com famiiy of Web sites, you'll find a comprehensive listing of ontine information about the planet. There, you can find links to numerous core envi- ronmental sites such as NASA, the Museum of Natural History and the Environmental Protection Agency. You can read about Earth — and even see photos taken of it from the moon, For example, a NASA link con- tains a database of more than 250,000 pictures oF Earth taken from the Space Shuttle. Another link displays a map of the Earth showing the day and night regions at the moment veu click. Check the link about 5 p.m. Eastern time and you'll see the darkened side of the map with che lights of major European and Asian cities plainly visible. There's even a capability to zoom into the map and see which parts are the most heavily populated. You also can view the Earth frora the vantage point of the Sun, the Moon, the nigh side of the Earth, above ay location on the planet specified by latitude, longi- tude and altitude, from a satellite in Earth orbit, or above various citics around the globe. In a section of the site titled “Learn About the Earth,” you can click on vari- - Think giobaliy LOOKING for ways to os Semember and respect the planet for Earth Pat Here are just a few ideas: ‘Having a bad air day? Take © a breath of fresh air. Reduce ke car_use when possible. ake public transit, car pool, . tide -your bike or walk, Car exhaust produces pollutants - which contiibute to acid rain, - global-warming, smog, and reduced air quality and teath- os illnesses., Automobile aust is the major contribu- “tor to smog:. Prolonged expe- “sure to smog can lead ta lung damage. and immune system impairment. °° @. Avoid dumping household hazardars: waste (HHW) in Une © garbage. and down the Grain... Properly dispose of common hese old chemicals ‘(such - as: paint, orl, solvents, ‘batteries, pesticides ond chem- locaily ical fertilizers) at your local hazardous waste depot. Every year, the average Canadian throws out 23 kg (50 lb.) of HHW accerding to the Ctntario Ministry of Environment. @ Avoid using disposable products, such as papez: tow- els, plastic cutlery, and foam cups and plates. ‘Tnstead, use products designed for durabit- ity atid reuse, such ‘as cloth napkins and towels, ceramic mugs and dishes, and steel utery. ry cloth — diapers. Canadians throw away I. 7 billion disposable diapers every year, This accounts for about 2.5% of all residential wasts sent to a landfill. The manufacture of disposable dia- pers: in. Canada consumes about £5,500 tonnes of pulp, 8,400 tonnes of plastic and 9,800 tonnes of packing mate- ral (Environment Canada). an exhibition of aren Paintings and prints Artists For Kids Gallery ‘April 10- ‘May 13, 2000 810 West 21st Street Nom Neneoget eC viewing www.artists4kids.com 664.903.3798 ; Hours ® 3: 00-6: 00 weel: kdays #12: 00-43 00 weekends 2 “admission by ‘donation: ~. . ous sections to get environ- mental facts. The Discovery Channel offers a virtual jour- ney to the centre of the Earth, among other information. At the link, “Ask an Earth Scientist,” you can post ques- tions about volcanoes, earth- quakes, water and sediments and receive a reply from a sei- entist at the University of Hawaii. The “Environmental News” section contains links to various providers: CNN, Greenwire, Planct Ark, Earth Watch, Earth Times and Lycos Environmental News Service. Professional societies that are dedicated to environ- mental issues have Jinks here too, including the Boranical Sociery of America and the International Society for Ecosystem Health. To truly get in the proper frame of mind for Earth Day, visit, the section — titled “Wonders of the World.” There, CNN and PES present Virtual tours of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. To read more about Earth Day, just log on to . will celebrate ALTHOUGH any day is a good one to remember the importance of our planet — tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day, an annu- al celebration around the world. Did you know: @ The first Earth Day was celebrated in, the U.S. on April 22, 19702 Only a few Canadians participated in the first Earth Day. @ The first International Earth Day took place on April 22, 1990? Two million Canadians joined 200 million people i in 14] countries in environmental activities ind projects that addressed pollution and environmental degradation. @ Today, about 5 million Canadians participate in Earth Day activities across Canada? This includes schools, community groups, and employee groups. Today, 500 million people in over 164 countries con- tinue to celebrate International Earth Day. School children are the most active Earth Day partici- pants. Virtually every school child takes part in an Earth Day event. Earth Day is the third most important date on the school activities calendar (after Halloween and Christmas). B Earth Day events include tree Plantings, neighbour- hood clean: -ups, workshops and seminars, concerts, - ccofairs, the launching,/expansion of environmental _ programs, and much more. THE TRADITION CONTINUES ~ Everything Half Price!* . - The Jewellery Event Of The Year! 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