By supporting Project 2050, Tangerine is empowering Canadian youth for a sustainable future. Project 2050 provides environmental education and leadership skills to children aged 6-12, instilling positive environmental habits in the next generation and building a nationwide movement of children contributing to Canada’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
With Tangerine’s support, Earth Rangers has launched six Project 2050 Challenges resulting in nearly 20,000 children logging more than 700,000 climate-friendly habits, from turning off the lights to eating less meat to shopping locally. Challenges have addressed single-use plastics, food waste, deforestation, and more.
In each Challenge, kids collaboratively achieve milestones and unlock rewards. Each Challenge completed results also sets in motion the support of on-the-ground initiatives to protect climate-affected Canadian ecosystems. These have included the reintroduction of the Blanding’s turtle to the Rogue Valley, the restoration of wildfire-affected areas in Kamloops, and the safeguarding of pollinator ecosystems in the Northwest Territories. For kids, this reinforces the notion that they can affect change when they work together.
Among children who have participated in Project 2050:
91% feel they have a better understanding of climate change and how to help;
95% have increased their climate-friendly habits and behaviours at home;
94% feel more optimistic that they can make a difference in the fight against climate change.
Earth Rangers thanks Tangerine for their support of Project 2050 and shared commitment to creating the next generation of conservationists!
Greetings from Pacific Rim National Park, in beautiful British Columbia. It’s time to dive in and hop into Emma’s kayak as she explores the epic wildlife on these rugged shores. Tune in to join the adventure!
In today’s episode, Emma explores a particular park on the west coast of Canada: Pacific Rim!
Pacific Rim National Park is known for its interesting biodiversity. In one part you can find yourself in a lush rainforest, and another, you can go swimming along its beautiful beaches! The forest and waters of this park shelter many different animals, from black bears, wolves, and otters to seals, whales, and various marine birds.
The diversity of Pacific Rim National Park means there is a ton to do and a lot to see! People can come here to enjoy camping, hiking, surfing, kayaking, and so much more! The park’s stunning landscapes and diverse wildlife make it a paradise for photographers looking to capture the beauty of nature. You can spend time birdwatching, or go on whale-watching tours. Organized boat tours can take you to areas specially designed for safe wildlife viewing. Some tours might even have hydrophones to listen to the whales’ underwater vocalizations! How cool is that?!
One animal you can find on these whale-watching tours is the grey whale. Grey whales are large –about 50 feet long and weigh nearly 90,000 pounds! Despite their size, they enjoy living in relatively shallow waters. Each year, these whales will swim from the Arctic waters down the Pacific coast, past Vancouver Island, to California, making one of the longest migrations of any mammal! An interesting fact about grey whales is that they don’t sing like many other whales. They communicate with grunts, ‘knocks,’ and croaks.
Emma’s time at the park was interrupted by an old friend – Adelia Goodwin! Adelia wants Emma to go to Wapusk National Park next. There she is to find someone called “Nellie Peters”. What does Nellie Peters have for Emma? Why is Adelia calling Emma up so suddenly? All of this sounds very strange…
What do you think of the Pacific Rim National Park?What awaits her in Wapusk National Park?Shouldn’t Emma be resting? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Quick! Check out these berry sweet ladybugs! Who knows if you’ll be able to spot them next time?
Here’s what you need:
Strawberries
Blueberries or grapes
Licorice
1 cup of chocolate spread (or chocolate chips)
A sealable plastic bag
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Cut up your fruit for your ladybug’s body, and head. You’ll need:
Half a strawberry for your bug’s body.
Half a blueberry (or grape) for your ladybug’s head.
Step 2:Put some chocolate spread into a sealable plastic bag.
If you don’t have any chocolate spread, make your own by asking a grown-up to help melt the chocolate chips. Wait until it’s room temperature before putting it into the bag.
Step 3: Cut one of the bottom corners of the chocolate bag and carefully make tiny dots on your strawberries. These will be your ladybug’s spots.
Step 4: To “glue” your ladybug’s head, add a bunch of chocolate to the top of your strawberry. Gently place the blueberry or grape on top.
Step 5: Finish your ladybug by adding antennae and legs! Get an adult to help you cut your licorice into six pieces, and poke these into your strawberry.
Beetle be ready to taste your delicious strawberry ladybugs!
Brrr… do you feel that? It’s still summer, but there’s sometimes a chill in the air. Winter will follow fall faster than you might think! But no need to worry – we’re totally ready for winter! We’ve got heaters for our homes and parkas, hats, and mittens to keep us toasty warm.
Hang on… What about our animal friends who have to brave the outdoors year-round? Some migrate, some hibernate, and some have extra layers of fat to keep them warm.
But our favourite, fuzziest, fluffiest, cushiest, coziest animal adaptation is: fur! As winter approaches, you might have seen your cat or dog grow fluffier and thicker fur. Their new “winter coat” is important for insulation. Fur protects animals from the cold!
Who is the fluffiest? Check out this list of our favorite SUPER animals who resist the cold!
Sea Otters
Have you seen those cute videos of sea otters cleaning themselves? This is to make sure their fur is in perfect shape. In fact, sea otters have the densest coat of all animals! They don’t have any insulating fat. Instead, their thick pelt captures air bubbles close to their skin. This protects them from the coldest water in winter.
Snowshoe Hare
Snowshoe hares are experts at preparing for the colder months. They trade their brown “summer wardrobe” for white fur to help them camouflage themselves among the snowdrifts. Their fur also grows longer to insulate them against the cold. It even covers their toes! This helps them create a snowshoe-like track to easily navigate their environment.
Porcupine
You might know porcupines for their sharp quills, but did you know that, during winter, they get all fluffy? The fluff is a winter coat that comes in under their quills to keep them warm. Porcupines also eat a lot in summer and fall in order to store fat to burn over winter. This allows them to survive even the chilliest Arctic temperatures.
Fox
Foxes are adaptation champions! Arctic foxes are made for winter, surviving the coldest of temperatures thanks to their perfect build for the weather. Other foxes, such as red foxes, grey foxes, and cross foxes, also grow long winter coats to help them stay toasty. You might even see a fox wrapping itself with its bushy tail to sleep comfortably in the snow!
Beaver
Beavers have not one, but two layers of fur! There’s a short, dense layer of fine fur for warmth, and longer hairs on top for waterproofing. Beavers also produce a special oil called castor oil, that they rub through their fur to make it waterproof. The waterproof fur keeps the beaver’s skin dry and warm while swimming in cold water.
Which animal on our list is the best INSULATION CHAMPION? Did we forget any animals that should have made the top five? Leave a comment to let us know what you think!
Why not try to be more like our animal friends? When winter comes, try turning down your thermostat and wearing extra layers of clothing? You can combat climate change AND feel fluffy.
Learn more in the Re-set the ‘stat Mission in the Missions section in the Earth Rangers App!
In the 1940s, two members of the Registered Nurses Union brought their pooch along to protest for safe and fair working conditions. From the SEIU Archives at Wayne State University’s Walter P. Reuther Library.
This Monday, September 4, we’re celebrating Labour Day! “Labour” is another word for “work.” This global holiday began in the 1800s, back when it was legal to hire kids like you to perform dangerous jobs from sun-up to sundown, often for just a few pennies a day!
Grown-ups also faced unsafe workplaces, low pay, and long hours. Some of these workers formed groups called “unions,” joining together to demand fair pay, safe places to work, and enough time to rest.
Because of the labour union movement, kids in Canada and the United States can go to school instead of worrying about making money to support their families. Plus, grown-up workers have more rights. This is what we celebrate on Labour Day!
But it’s not just people who work! For thousands and thousands of years, animals have helped humans do their jobs. This Labour Day, we’re spotlighting five hard-working animal heroes!
Pigeon Post
You can find the humble pigeon in huge swarms on any city street. Lots of people think of these birds as pests. Some even call pigeons “flying rats!”
But pigeons have a special ability: they can find their way home from hundreds of miles away – no map necessary! They can also fly as fast as 97 kilometres per hour. Long before planes, trains, or automobiles were invented, people relied on the quick and precise pigeon to deliver their mail! They simply tied a note to the bird’s feet or tail feathers, then let them fly!
In Ancient Greece, pigeons proclaimed the winners of the Olympics. In 1860, Paul Reuter, the founder of the Reuters news service, used a fleet of pigeons to send and receive news reports. And all throughout history, from the time of Genghis Khan to the modern day, pigeons have carried crucial strategic messages during battles. During World War II, 32 pigeons received the Dickin Medal for Gallantry for transmitting crucial messages that helped the Allied Forces defeat the Nazis!
Ship’s Cats
We all know that cats love mice – and throughout history, this has made them very useful on ships!
On long sea voyages, sailors can only bring a limited amount of food. If mice get into that food supply, sailors could go hungry or get sick! That’s why, ever since ancient times, voyagers have brought cats aboard their ships. A good ship’s cat catches mice and gobbles them up, keeping the ship’s food stash safe for sailors!
Francesco Morosini, a famous naval commander from the 1600s, loved his cat Nini so much that he never set sail without her! When Nini passed away, Morosini had her mummified with a mouse between her paws.
Rats… for Peace?
Would it surprise you to learn that rats are leading anti-war efforts all over the world?
Rats may get a bad rap, but they’re helping peace activists all over the world disarm dangerous weapons known as land mines. A land mine is an explosive device that soldiers bury in the ground. When a person walks over a hidden land mine, it explodes!
That’s where rats come in! These tiny rodents don’t weigh enough to set off a land mine. They can sniff out these dangerous devices without causing an explosion! When a rat finds a land mine, it scurries back to a team of workers, who then remove the land mine safely, so nobody gets hurt.
One heroic rat, Magawa, sniffed out more than a hundred land mines during his five-year career. He saved countless lives and even won a gold medal from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. Pretty good for such a little guy, don’t you think?
Guide the Way, Dogs!
Hundreds of millions of people around the world are blind or have low vision. They use assistive tools to navigate through the world and avoid obstacles. Some blind people sweep white canes across their paths to make sure the way is clear. Other people use guide dogs, also known as seeing-eye dogs, for the same purpose. Blind people tell their dogs where they’d like to go. Then the dog finds a safe route and leads the way!
Using guide dogs, blind people can take care of their day-to-day needs on their own, which makes them confident in themselves. Dogs also help blind people relax while exploring unfamiliar places. Many blind people also say that having a guide dog helps them make friends–a dog is a great conversation-starter!
Just remember that guide dogs aren’t pets: they’re hard at work! Never touch, feed, or distract a guide dog. These clever canines need to focus on helping their handlers!
Quit Hogging the Truffles!
Have you ever tasted a truffle? No, not the chocolate kind! This funny-looking fungus is actually a delicious, savoury food, with a taste somewhere between garlic and roasted nuts.
Chefs all over the world use truffles in haute cuisine, and certain special truffles are worth hundreds–or even thousands!–of dollars per pound.
But truffles can be hard to grow on farms, and even harder to find in the wild. That’s because they need special conditions to thrive, deep in the soil beneath the roots of trees.
So how do we harvest these tasty treats? Easy: With truffle hogs!
Pigs have an amazing sense of smell, and they can sniff out a truffle’s distinctive scent as deep as three feet underground! Plus, they love to root through the earth for food, which makes them naturally great at digging up these delicacies.
We got tons of great guesses on Part 1 of this Pixel Puzzler and now it’s time for the answer. Are you ready for the great reveal? Find out if you got it right!
The answer to this Pixel Puzzler is (drum roll please) a lynx! How did you do? Tell us in the comments!
Hello, Earth Rangers! I’m Nicholas Paroshy. I’m a researcher at the University of Alberta, and I love polar bears! I’m studying them in an area of the Arctic called the Beaufort Sea.
Fun fact: Polar bears don’t have white fur! Their fur actually has no color, but in the reflected light it looks white, helping them blend in with the ice around them. Talk about cool!
These extraordinary animals live in the Arctic regions of Canada, the United States, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. As apex predators, they’re found at the top of the food chain. They use ice platforms to hunt seals, their favorite food, and they’re built for this chilly environment. Polar bears have thick layers of fat and fur to keep them warm. Their wide paws help them travel over the ice and swim through the water. Plus, their curved, sharp claws keep them steady and help them grip their prey.
Polar bears need those layers of fat to stay warm, so they’re big eaters. They can eat up to 150 pounds (68 kg) of seal blubber in one sitting. With all that hunting and eating, polar bears use up a lot of energy, so they’re also excellent at sleeping and napping. In the summer they sleep curled up on the ice, and in the winter they burrow into the snow and can snooze for days. They’ve even been known to sleep through blizzards!
Polar bears rely on sea ice for food, but their habitat keeps melting as temperatures rise due to climate change. My research looks at how these changes are affecting the way these creatures live, so we’ll know how to help them. You can help, too!
Head to the Adoptions section in the Earth Rangers App or visit the Earth Rangers Shop to get your Polar Bear Adoption Kit and make a difference today!
