Eco-Activity: What goes into our water?

You probably know that oil spills are bad for the environment, but do you know why? What really happens when oil gets into our waterways? For today’s Eco-Activity, try out this experiment to see what happens when oil and water mix!

Instructions:

1. Fill a jar about halfway full of water

2. Add a few drops of food colouring

3. Pour in some oil so that there’s about a 1-inch-thick layer above the water

4. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar for about 30 seconds

5. Put the jar down and watch what happens to the oil and water. Write down what you see

Take a couple of minutes to think about the experiment. Can you see why oil spills are so bad? Oil isn’t broken down by water. We need to use special cleaning products to break the oil down and remove it from the ecosystem.  What are some other harmful toxins that we need to keep out of our waterways? Write them down and share them with your family. 

The Earth Rangers App is where kids go to save animals! It’s free to join and you’ll have access to real-world Missions like this one. Plus, you can adopt an animal to support conservation projects, and learn all about animals in the Wild Wire Blog. Find activities like this, and so much more in the App!