A Gift to Our Earth Going Green for the Holidayslittle blue sticker saying “Energy Star.” This...
1
© 2008 Universal Press Syndicate release dates: December 13-19 50-1 (08) from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate BETTY DEBNAM – Founding Editor and Editor at Large TM from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate Go dot to dot and color. TM Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page ® . Have you ever noticed how much extra trash your family throws out during the holiday season? Experts say Americans throw out a million more tons of waste each week between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. The Mini Page gives you some ideas for turning this holiday season green. It’s easy being green Many of our favorite traditions of the winter holidays are already friendly to the environment. Some of these holiday customs include: • singing carols • giving gifts of time • sharing good food • visiting friends, family and people in need • sharing stories • worshipping in the manner you choose Green wrap When wrapping gifts, you could use manufactured paper and ribbons. Or you could make your own paper. If you use store gift wrap or holiday cards, make sure the label says they are made of recycled paper. The best kind of recycled wrapping paper or cards will have a label saying “100% post-consumer recycled.” Post means “after.” “Post-consumer recycled” means the paper is made from other paper products, such as newspapers, that people have used and then recycled. If a label says “recycled,” it may be made from scraps of leftover paper from a paper factory. Consumers may not have actually used the paper before. Wrapping it up Be sure to recycle your own wrapping paper and catalogs. You can also save wrapping paper and ribbon and use them again. Gift bags and cloth ribbons are especially easy to use over and over. Another idea is to wrap your gifts in colorful paper, such as the comics section of your newspaper or magazine pages. A Gift to Our Earth Going Green for the Holidays Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Eric Brown, courtesy U.S. Army Central Public Affairs Elementary school students sing Christmas carols to soldiers at Fort McPherson, Ga. The students caroled as a gift to the soldiers of the 3rd Army last year. The soldiers had been volunteering to help and tutor children from local schools. Mini Page photo by Lucy Lien This girl is decorating her homemade wrapping paper with glitter. Decorate brown paper grocery bags to make your own paper. DOING THE MOST GOOD Mini Spy . . . from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate Mini Spy and her friends are going green this year and decorating an outdoor tree for the birds. See if you can find: • bird • key • heart • fish • ruler • star • word MINI • exclamation point • muffin • mushroom • book • bell • flyswatter • letter U • question mark from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate TM Green cards The greenest card to send is an electronic card. However, getting a card in the mail might be even more fun. Try to send cards that have been made with recycled paper. If you are sending a card, think about writing a personal note too. For many people, it is much more meaningful to get a card with a note that you wrote. Green shopping Look for clothes with labels saying the material is organic or sustainable. The organic label means no pesticides were used to grow the fiber that the cloth is made of. A sustainable label means the whole manufacturing process is safe for the planet. For example, it means the dyes do not pollute the air or water. If adults are shopping online or by catalog, encourage them to shop early, so their gifts can be shipped by ground rather than air. It takes six times more fuel to ship things by plane than by truck or bus. Ground shipping will save money too. Green Is in Season Ask for green gifts If you are hoping to get a computer or TV for the holidays, ask your parents to look for the ones that use the least energy.You can tell this by looking for a little blue sticker saying “Energy Star.” This government label means the item uses less energy than others. If you are hoping for a computer, tell your folks that a laptop uses 50 percent to 75 percent less energy than a desktop because laptops are designed to work on a battery. Game players use a lot of energy. Be sure to turn off computers or game players when you are not using them. Words that remind us of green holidays are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: GIFT, WRAPPING, PAPER, CARDS, CHRISTMAS, TREE, WASTE, ENVIRONMENT, TRADITIONAL, TIME, FOOD, RECYCLED, LABEL, SHARE, DESIGN, POLLUTE, SAVE, PACKAGING, LIGHTING. Green Christmas TRY ’N FIND I’M DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS… GC E R AH S GN I P P A RW P I A S T L S AM T S I R HC WA F R A I G N I G A K C A P A F P T D V MQ E T U L L O P SO K EWS E E V N G I S E D T O L K R V L GN I T H G I L E D L E BA L D E L C Y C E R E E R T L A N O I T I D A R T R P T S T N E MN O R I V N E from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate Basset Brown The News Hound’s TM Mini Page photo by Lucy Lien These boys are dipping bottle caps and milk lids in paint to make design shapes for their own wrapping paper and holiday cards. Can you think of some objects you could use to make fun shapes? Be sure anything you use is something your folks don’t mind throwing away later. Check with your parents first. Mini Page photo by Lucy Lien One fun way to make your own cards is to cut apart magazines or last year’s holiday cards. Use those cut-out pictures to design your own cards. Rookie Cookie’s Recipe Corny Cheese Soup from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate Meet Monique Coleman Monique Coleman plays Taylor in the Disney movie “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.”She acted in the two previous “High School Musical” movies. She has also danced in the reality show “Dancing With the Stars.” She sang with the touring “High School Musical: The Concert.” Monique starred in the Hallmark TV movie “The Reading Room.” She has also appeared in several TV series, including “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,”“Gilmore Girls” and “Malcolm in the Middle.” Monique, 28, was born in Orangeburg, S.C.When she was in elementary school, she took piano and dance classes. She appeared in several school plays. Her college degree is in acting. You’ll need: • 2 (11-ounce) cans whole yellow corn • 1 (10-ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup • 2 cups chicken broth • 1 cup reduced-fat milk • 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled • 18 to 24 tortilla chips, crushed What to do: 1. Add corn, condensed soup, chicken broth and milk to a large soup pot. 2. Heat slowly to boiling, stirring frequently. 3. After boiling, allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, cook bacon according to directions. 5. Pour soup into individual bowls.Top with crumbled bacon and crushed chips divided evenly among the bowls. Makes 6 servings. *You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category? Gabrielle: What do the elves call the work they bring home from Santa’s workshop? Gary: Gnome-work! George: What type of music do Santa’s elves like to listen to? Gina: Wrap music! Greg: What do Santa’s elves enjoy surfing on? Giselle: Microwaves! TM TM photo by John Bramley, © Disney Enterprises Inc., All Rights Reserved from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate Packaging pollutes The packaging of goods is a big problem. For example, CDs are often packed with lots of plastic and paper. CD cases are made from plastic. Making plastic creates a lot of pollution, because it is made from oil. Experts say some music companies are trying to change their packaging so less is wasted. They want to make packaging out of green products such as recycled cardboard. However, many shop owners will have to change their shelving so the new packaging will fit on it. Buy or ask for gifts that are packaged in a green manner. Green trees The best choice for the environment is a living Christmas tree that can be replanted. Keep the tree in a pot and bring it inside. Plant it outside after the holidays. You might want to dig the hole for the tree before the ground freezes. Or you could keep the tree alive in the pot outside until spring. If you want a real tree that cannot be replanted, try to get it from an organic tree farm near your home. After the holidays, recycle your tree. Many cities have drop-off places where Christmas trees are chopped up to make mulch. Mulch is a ground covering that protects plants. Dreaming of a Green Season Artificial trees If you already have a plastic tree, it is fine to keep using it. But don’t buy a new one. Making plastic trees creates pollution because plastic is made out of petroleum, or oil, products. Making metal holiday trees does not cause as much pollution as making plastic trees. However, a live tree is still the best choice. Lighting Traditional holiday lighting can use a lot of energy. But if you switch to LED lighting, you can save lots of energy and money. (LED stands for light- emitting diode.) LED lights change electricity into light. The bulbs don’t have metal wires, or filaments, like traditional bulbs do. LED lights use 100 times less energy than regular holiday lights. They are much safer than traditional lights too, because they don’t get as hot. These lights cost a little more than regular holiday lights, but they will save money in the end. Experts say you can make up the extra cost in one season because they use less energy. LED lights should last at least 20 years. The bulbs do not break as easily as traditional bulbs. The Mini Page Staff Betty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist photo courtesy Holiday LEDs.com at www.holidayleds.com LED lights look about the same as regular holiday lights and come in as many colors. Mini Page photo by Lucy Lien A great way to give green gifts is to make your own. You could paint a picture or write a story for your parents or grandparents. The Mini Page thanks Jenny Powers, Natural Resources Defense Council, for help with this issue. Site to see: www.nrdc.org/greensquad/ Look through your newspaper for fun pictures you could use to make your own cards or wrapping paper. Next week The Mini Page is about model trains. This is an LED light set. If an LED bulb burns out, it won’t stop the whole string from shining. photo courtesy Holiday LEDs.com at www.holidayleds.com from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate Supersport: Chris Johnson Height: 5-11 Weight: 200 Hometown: Orlando, Fla. Chris Johnson has made a swift transition from college star to successful NFL running back. The talented rookie looks like a blue blur in the Tennessee Titans uniform. His speed, combined with skill, has put Johnson into the spotlight. In the Titans 9-0 start, he ranked seventh in the NFL in rushing (723 yards) and had caught 26 passes for 179 more yards. He is a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year and All-Star honors. Just a year ago, Johnson ran rampant at East Carolina University, where he led the nation in all-purpose yardage (rushing, receiving and returning kicks). The Titans picked him 24th in the NFL draft after watching him sprint the 40-yard dash in 4.24 seconds, one of the fastest times ever clocked. On the Titans’ Web site, Johnson lists his favorite athlete (Deion Sanders), food (pizza) and car (1973 Chevy Caprice). Meanwhile, he has become a huge favorite of Titan fans and coaches. TM
Transcript of A Gift to Our Earth Going Green for the Holidayslittle blue sticker saying “Energy Star.” This...
© 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
release dates: December 13-19 50-1 (08)
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
BETTY DEBNAM – Founding Editor and Editor at Large
TM
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
Go dot to dot and color.TM
Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®.
Have you ever noticed how much extratrash your family throws out during theholiday season? Experts say Americansthrow out a million more tons of wasteeach week between Thanksgiving andNew Year’s Day.
The Mini Page gives you some ideasfor turning this holiday season green.It’s easy being green
Many of our favorite traditions of thewinter holidays are already friendly tothe environment. Some of these holidaycustoms include:
• singing carols
• giving gifts oftime
• sharing good food
• visiting friends,family and people in need
• sharing stories
• worshipping in themanner you choose
Green wrapWhen wrapping gifts,
you could usemanufactured paper andribbons. Or you couldmake your own paper. Ifyou use store gift wrapor holiday cards, make sure the label saysthey are made of recycled paper.
The best kind of recycled wrappingpaper or cards will have a label saying“100% post-consumer recycled.” Postmeans “after.”
“Post-consumer recycled” means thepaper is made from other paper products,such as newspapers, that people haveused and then recycled.
If a label says “recycled,” it may bemade from scraps of leftover paper froma paper factory. Consumers may not haveactually used the paper before.
Wrapping it upBe sure to recycle your own wrapping
paper and catalogs. You can also savewrapping paper and ribbon and use themagain. Gift bags and cloth ribbons areespecially easy to use over and over.
Another idea is to wrap your gifts incolorful paper, such as the comics sectionof your newspaper or magazine pages.
A Gift to Our Earth
Going Green for the Holidays
Pho
to b
y S
gt. 1
st C
lass
Eri
c B
row
n, c
ourt
esy
U.S
. Arm
y C
entr
al P
ublic
Aff
airs
Elementary school studentssing Christmas carols tosoldiers at Fort McPherson,Ga. The students caroled as agift to the soldiers of the 3rdArmy last year. The soldiershad been volunteering to helpand tutor children from localschools.
Min
i Pag
e ph
oto
by L
ucy
Lien
This girl is decorating her homemadewrapping paper with glitter. Decorate brownpaper grocery bags to make your own paper.
DOINGTHE MOST
GOOD
Mini Spy . . .from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
Mini Spy and her friends are going green this year anddecorating an outdoor tree for the birds. See if you can find:
• bird • key• heart • fish• ruler • star• word MINI• exclamation
point• muffin• mushroom• book • bell• flyswatter• letter U• question mark
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
TM
Green cardsThe greenest card to send is an
electronic card. However, getting a cardin the mail might be even more fun. Tryto send cards that have been made withrecycled paper.
If you are sending a card, thinkabout writing a personal note too. Formany people, it is much moremeaningful to get a card with a notethat you wrote.
Green shoppingLook for clothes with
labels saying the material isorganic or sustainable.
The organic label meansno pesticides were used togrow the fiber that the clothis made of. A sustainable label meansthe whole manufacturing process is safefor the planet. For example, it meansthe dyes do not pollute the air or water.
If adults are shopping online or bycatalog, encourage them to shop early,so their gifts can be shipped by groundrather than air. It takes six times morefuel to ship things by plane than bytruck or bus. Ground shipping will savemoney too.
Green Is in Season
Ask for green giftsIf you are hoping to get a computer or
TV for the holidays, ask your parents tolook for the ones that use the leastenergy. You can tell this by looking for alittle blue sticker saying “Energy Star.”This government label means the itemuses less energy than others.
If you are hoping fora computer, tell yourfolks that a laptop uses50 percent to 75percent less energythan a desktop because laptops aredesigned to work on a battery.
Game players use a lot of energy. Besure to turn off computers or gameplayers when you are not using them.
Words that remind us of green holidays are hidden in the block below.Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find:GIFT, WRAPPING, PAPER, CARDS, CHRISTMAS, TREE, WASTE,ENVIRONMENT, TRADITIONAL, TIME, FOOD, RECYCLED, LABEL,SHARE, DESIGN, POLLUTE, SAVE, PACKAGING, LIGHTING.
Green Christmas TRY ’NFIND
I’M DREAMINGOF A GREEN
CHRISTMAS…
G C E R A H S G N I P P A R W
P I A S T L S A M T S I R H CW A F R A I G N I G A K C A PA F P T D V M Q E T U L L O PS O K E W S E E V N G I S E DT O L K R V L G N I T H G I LE D L E B A L D E L C Y C E RE E R T L A N O I T I D A R TR P T S T N E M N O R I V N E
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
Basset Brown
The News
Hound’s
TM
Min
i Pag
e ph
oto
by L
ucy
Lien
These boys are dipping bottlecaps and milk lids in paint to makedesign shapes for their ownwrapping paper and holiday cards.Can you think of some objects youcould use to make fun shapes? Besure anything you use issomething your folks don’t mindthrowing away later. Check withyour parents first.
Min
i Pag
e ph
oto
by L
ucy
Lien
One fun way to make your own cards is tocut apart magazines or last year’s holidaycards. Use those cut-out pictures to designyour own cards.
Rookie Cookie’s RecipeCorny Cheese Soup
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
Meet Monique ColemanMonique Coleman plays Taylor in the
Disney movie “High School Musical 3:Senior Year.” She acted in the two previous“High School Musical” movies. She has alsodanced in the reality show “Dancing Withthe Stars.” She sang with the touring “HighSchool Musical: The Concert.”
Monique starred in the Hallmark TVmovie “The Reading Room.” She has also appeared in severalTV series, including “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,” “GilmoreGirls” and “Malcolm in the Middle.”
Monique, 28, was born in Orangeburg, S.C. When she was inelementary school, she took piano and dance classes. Sheappeared in several school plays. Her college degree is in acting.
You’ll need:• 2 (11-ounce) cans whole yellow corn• 1 (10-ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup• 2 cups chicken broth• 1 cup reduced-fat milk• 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled• 18 to 24 tortilla chips, crushedWhat to do:1. Add corn, condensed soup, chicken broth and milk to a large soup pot.2. Heat slowly to boiling, stirring frequently.3. After boiling, allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.4. Meanwhile, cook bacon according to directions.5. Pour soup into individual bowls. Top with crumbled bacon and
crushed chips divided evenly among the bowls. Makes 6 servings.*You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
All the following jokes have something in common.Can you guess the common theme or category?
Gabrielle: What do the elves call the work theybring home from Santa’s workshop?
Gary: Gnome-work!
George: What type of music do Santa’s elveslike to listen to?Gina: Wrap music!
Greg: What do Santa’s elves enjoy surfing on?Giselle: Microwaves!
TM
TM
phot
o by
Joh
n B
ram
ley,
© D
isne
y E
nter
pris
esIn
c., A
ll R
ight
s R
eser
ved
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
Packaging pollutesThe packaging of goods is a big
problem. For example, CDs are oftenpacked with lots of plastic and paper.CD cases are made from plastic. Makingplastic creates a lot of pollution, becauseit is made from oil.
Experts say some music companiesare trying to change their packaging soless is wasted. They want to makepackaging out of green products such asrecycled cardboard. However, manyshop owners will have to change theirshelving so the new packaging will fiton it.
Buy or ask for gifts that are packagedin a green manner.
Green treesThe best choice for the environment
is a living Christmas tree that can bereplanted. Keep the tree in a pot andbring it inside. Plant it outside after theholidays.
You might want to dig the hole forthe tree before the ground freezes. Oryou could keep the tree alive in the potoutside until spring.
If you want a real tree that cannot bereplanted, try to get it from an organictree farm near your home.
After the holidays, recycle your tree.Many cities have drop-off places whereChristmas trees are chopped up tomake mulch. Mulch is a groundcovering that protects plants.
Dreaming of a Green SeasonArtificial trees
If you already have a plastic tree, it isfine to keep using it. But don’t buy anew one. Making plastic trees createspollution because plastic is made out ofpetroleum, or oil, products.
Making metal holiday trees does notcause as much pollution as makingplastic trees. However, a live tree is stillthe best choice.Lighting
Traditional holiday lighting can use alot of energy. But if you switch to LEDlighting, you can save lots of energyand money. (LED stands for light-emitting diode.)
LED lights change electricity intolight. The bulbs don’t have metal wires,or filaments, like traditional bulbs do.
LED lights use 100 times less energythan regular holiday lights. They aremuch safer than traditional lights too,because they don’t get as hot.
These lights cost a little more thanregular holiday lights, but they will savemoney in the end. Experts say you canmake up the extra cost in one seasonbecause they use less energy.
LED lights should last at least 20years. The bulbs do not break as easilyas traditional bulbs.
The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist
phot
o co
urte
sy H
olid
ay L
ED
s.co
m a
t w
ww
.hol
iday
leds
.com
LED lights look about the same as regularholiday lights and come in as many colors.
Min
i Pag
e ph
oto
by L
ucy
Lien
A great way to give green gifts is to makeyour own. You could paint a picture or writea story for your parents or grandparents.
The Mini Page thanks Jenny Powers, NaturalResources Defense Council, for help with thisissue.
Site to see: www.nrdc.org/greensquad/
Look through your newspaper for funpictures you could use to make your owncards or wrapping paper.
Next week The Mini Page is about model trains.This is an LED light set. If an LED bulb burnsout, it won’t stop the whole string from shining.
phot
o co
urte
sy H
olid
ay L
ED
s.co
m a
t w
ww
.hol
iday
leds
.com
from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate
Supersport: Chris JohnsonHeight: 5-11 Weight: 200 Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
Chris Johnson has made a swift transition from college starto successful NFL running back. The talented rookie looks likea blue blur in the Tennessee Titans uniform.
His speed, combined with skill, has put Johnson into thespotlight. In the Titans 9-0 start, he ranked seventh in the
NFL in rushing (723 yards) and had caught 26 passes for 179 more yards.He is a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year and All-Star honors.
Just a year ago, Johnson ran rampant at East Carolina University, wherehe led the nation in all-purpose yardage (rushing, receiving and returningkicks). The Titans picked him 24th in the NFL draft after watching himsprint the 40-yard dash in 4.24 seconds, one of the fastest times ever clocked.
On the Titans’ Web site, Johnson lists his favorite athlete (Deion Sanders),food (pizza) and car (1973 Chevy Caprice).
Meanwhile, he has become a huge favorite of Titan fans and coaches.
TM
