Phil and Sue Fight Global Warming

About Phil and Sueinsurance.
Phil and Sue are two young soccer players who livePhil -And just because we're "just kids" doesn't mean
in Arizona. They live in Maricopa County. One day Philwe can't do something., Kids have lots of power to
went outside in November. In November it gets cooldo things. We could form a club., We can talk to
in Arizona. But today it was still very hot. He wantedother kids. We can talk to our parents. I can always
to play outside with Sue. Sue lived next door. Theyget my Mom to do anything I really want.
were best friends. They played on the same soccerSandra - We are all in soccer. Is there something we
team. They had always lived next door to eachcan do?
other. They did everything together. They told eachSam - But still. We are not cutting down the rain
other secrets. They fought together when a bad kidforests here in Arizona. We don't even have any rain
moving into the neighborhood. Joe was his name,. Heforests. And most of the factories are about est.
tried to beat up Sue. Together Phil and Sue beat upHow can we do anything here in Arizona that would
the bully and after this Joe left them alone.stop global warming.
Phil and Sue loved school. They were in the samePhil - The first thing we have to do is see that we
room. But they did not sit next to each other., Theyare living in one world The air circulates over the
talked too much and got into trouble. So the teacherwhole planet. When the weather changes off South
had to move them to the opposite corners of theAmerica it makes it our weather reacts here in the
room.United States. The hurricanes that come to the
But they still managed to get into trouble at recessCaribbean all come off the coast of Africa. We are all
together.living on the same planet. What we do to the air in
That day it was a very hot at recess time. TheArizona affects the air in Japan or in Brazil. And the
teacher said they could not go out to recess. Thereweather comes from the air.
was a heat advisory. Phil was upset about notSue - We learned a lot about carbon emissions when
getting to play outside. "What is a heat advisory"?we were doing our research. Carbon emission is the
Sue came over. "Let's use the internet while we arecarbon dioxide we are putting into the air. That is
inside for recess". They went to Mrs. Blake andcalled emitting carbon. To emit means to send out,
asked her if they could go online.release or give off. Like when we breathe, we emit
Mrs. Blake - Yes, go ahead. What are you lookingcarbon dioxide into the air. When we run our cars ,
for?we emit carbon dioxide. When we run our factories
Phil - We want to find out what a "heat advisory" is.to make products, we emit carbon dioxide. When we
As soon as the search engine posted the answers aburn anything we cause carbon dioxide to be
page on Global Warming popped up.emitted.
Sue - What is global warming?Phil - So if we can find a way to walk or ride a
Phil - I heard my Dad talking about it. We're all goingbicycle instead of driving our car we still emit carbon
to burn up. The ice will melt in Antarctica and thedioxide, but lots less. Driving in carpools with lots of
Arctic. The waters will cover all of the United States.people means we emit less gas than when each of
Sue - We'll have to grow fins and swim in the sea.us drives alone. And now they are making cars that
Maybe your folks will buy that houseboat they talkedemit less carbon dioxide.
about.Phil - Well, here in the valley there are more and
Phil - Joe would fit right in. He looks like a fish already.more people every day. More and more houses
Sue - Shhh. Here comes Mrs. Blake. She'll get us formeans more and more cars. So we have to find
talking too loud.another way.
Mrs. Blake - What is going on? I can hear you all theSue - Well maybe we can't stop people from
way across the room. I should never have let theemitting carbon dioxide in the air. That would be the
two of you get together.best way. But my Dad said sometimes you can't
Sue - I'm sorry Mrs. Blake. But it won't matterprevent something. But you can do something when
anyway. Soon we'll all be living in the sea andyou see it happening. Maybe we can't stop more
swimming all over when the earth heats up. Globalpeople from coming to Maricopa County. Maybe we
warming is going to flood the whole USA.can't stop people from driving longer and making
Mrs. Blake - What are you talking about?more trips. Maybe we can't stop people from putting
Phil - It's called global warming. We'll never be able tocarbon dioxide in the air. But there is a way to take it
go out to recess again.right back out. We can plant trees.
Mrs. Blake - I think since you guys know so muchJanie - You know I was on the internet looking for a
about this, I'm assigning you to prepare a Specialsoccer camp this summer. There is a program in
Report on global warming. You can present it to theHonduras called the Honduras Youth Soccer Program.
class in two weeks (SHE WALKS AWAY).They plant trees to offset global warming from
Sue - You and your big mouth.soccer mos in the USA.
Phil - You started it.Sue - Really? Tell me more about it.
Sue - No, you started it.Janie - I am trying to get my mom to send me to
Mrs. Blake (over her shoulder) I don't care whoHonduras to that camp this summer. They have
started it. You can't stay away from each other. Welltournaments and camps and they all plant trees with
now you're going to finish it together.the kids from Honduras. In addition to playing soccer,
Phil and Sue looked each other and threw up theirthey have trips to all kinds of cool places in the
hands.mountains. It is cool there all the time because its
Phil and Sue - Let's do it!over 5000 fet high. There are pine trees everywhere.
Phil and Sue started doing the research. After aAnd the kids from there will be planting trees with
couple of days they talked to Mrs. Blake.American kids.
Sue - This is really scary. We are destroying ourSue - Sounds cool and lots of fun. And planting trees
Earth. We are really doing a job on ourselves. We areis the best way to offset carbon emission.
making the world hotter.Janie - And if you can't travel to Honduras you can
Phil - We are cutting down all the forests. We arestill plant trees. They have a program where if you
polluting the air and the water.donate your old soccer gear - like the old cleats or
Sue - We need to do something.uniforms in your garage or closet, the kids in
Mrs. Blake - What do you mean?Honduras will plant the trees for you. You just have
Sue -We are making the earth hotter and hotter. Weto send the stuff to Soccer for Life, Inc in Arizona.
are cutting down the trees. Trees are where we getYou get so many trees planted depending on how
our oxygen. We are building more and more housesmuch gear you send. And they will send you a
here in Maricopa county. We are covering the soilcollection kit to use to collect from other kids in your
over with concrete.soccer club or group.
Phil -We are polluting our air and people are gettingSue - Do you have more information on that
sick. Some houses make people sick. There are evenprogram? Where did you find out about it?
people who have to live outside. They can't even goJanie - On the internet. I printed off the pages. I'll
inside the church.show you after class. It has the URL.
Sue - Some people say that when we go to soccerSue - It sounds really great. Trees are so important
practice in our SUV, we are adding to global warming.for fighting global warming. Those who want to could
Phil - Yeah, they say that soccer moms are one ofgo to the camps in Honduras and those who can't
the major causes of global warming. How can thatcould still help plant trees. Trees that store carbon
be? It is only 8 blocks to soccer practice from ourand keep it out of the atmosphere.
house. Driving eight blocks cannot add to globalPhil - This is right. Every tree stores carbon dioxide
warming.into the plant. You see, the way the plants grow is
Sue - The problem is there are so many kids playingto take in carbon dioxide and using it in making food
soccer in the USA. Did you know that there are overby photosynthesis. The light comes in, breaks the
17,000,000 kids playing soccer in the USA. Thatcarbon dioxide intocarbon and oxygen. The oxygen
means every day or week there are more thangoes back into the air to help us all live.
17,000,000 trips to soccer practice. And some teamsSue - Without plants producing oxygen from carbon
practice two or three times per week. And thendioxide, no life as we know it could exist on our
there are the games.earth. The way the tree help in addition, is the
Phil - I am not going to give up soccer. I love it.carbon produced by photosynthesis is then stored in
Someday I will play in the World Cup.the body of the plant or trunk of the tree.
Sue - I am a better player than you. I scored twoPhil - That means it is sequestered so it cannot
goals last week.interact with the oxygen in the air to create more
Phil - Girls can't be in the World Cup.carbon dioxide. That is why forests are called carbon
Sue - The American womens team won the Worldsinks. The carbon is stored in the trunk and it is like it
Cup in 1998. They men's team was way down. Girlsis sunk down into the tree so it cannot form gases in
are better soccer players than guys,the air.
Phil - Well. it's soccer moms that drive kids to soccer.Sue - Plants and animals could not live without trees.
That means soccer moms are causing global warming.Planting trees also clear the air of air pollution. Trees
Mrs. Blake - Sounds serious. But I think you needcause rainfall by reaching their root deep down to
more research. Make a thorough report. Then we'llget what is called ground water. By reaching roots
see what we can do.way down in the ground the roots can bring the
Sue - We want to first do more research. We wantwater up. Remember when we went camping. We
to make sure what we are telling the class is right.used kerosene lanterns. The cloth or wick reached
They we want to do more. We want to make thedown in the bottom of the lamp where the kerosene
report. Then I thought we could make up a websitewas. The wick brought the kerosene up to where it
and put what we learn on the Internet.could burn and give us light. The tree is like a wick.
Mrs. Blake - Wait until you get all the facts. Then weThe roots reach down into the ground, deep down
will decide what to do. The website will be somethingand brings water up just like the lamp brings up the
we can all contribute to.kerosene.
Phil and Sue Go To WorkPhil - Right you know things like to go from where
Two weeks of hard work followed. They went tothere is more of a liquid to where there is less. So
the library, even the Department of Environmentalthe water in the ground goes to the top of the tree
quality and the Environmental Protection agencyinto the air where there is less water. When the
downtown in Phoenix. They surfed the Internet.trees brings the water up, it uses it to cool off the
They even found some lesson plans for teachers .tree. And it cools off the tree the same way we
Sue- Let's write a lesson plan. And we'll make ourcool off at the beach. The water dries up by going
presentation in the form of a lesson.off into the air. And we cool off when that happens.
Phil - That's a fantastic idea. We'll teach a lesson justThe tree cools its leave the same way. And the
like Mrs. Blake would.water goes into the air.
Sue- Shouldn't we tell her what we are going to do?Sue - Without water in the air, you can't have rain.
She thinks we are going to just get up and talk.That's why in places where they cut down all the
Phil - She said to report what we found. She didn'ttrees, the rain stops falling. There is no water being
say how to report it. We'll make handouts and chartsbrought up from deep in the ground to fall down as
just like she does.rain.
Sue - Right, and we'll make a test and hand out fill-insPhil - And trees do more than that. Air is cooler in the
just like a class.shade so trees make your yard and house cooler.
Phil - This is going to be great.Because there is more moisture it feels cooler. Trees
The two worked for hours. They planned the lesson.can do a lot to take carbon dioxide out of the air and
What they would say . They rehearsed giving thecool our communities.
lesson. The prepared the handouts. They preparedBarry - If trees are so good, why do we keep
and took the quiz they developed themselves Theycutting them down? If we need the rainforest, why
prepared a poster like one of the one they had indo people keep cutting them down. And anyway
their class he calls.that is happening way away somewhere. It doesn't
THE GREAT DAY COMESmatter to us here in Arizona. Let them cut down the
Mrs. Blake - Today two of our students are going torainforest, it doesn't affect us.
make a presentation of our class report called "globalSue - Take a look at these two pictures of our earth
warming" to the class.and how the air circulates. Can't you see the air goes
Sue unrolled the poster and hung it over theall around the earth. Air we breathe out in Arizona
chalkboard.can end up over Brazil. I read that last century a
Phil - Today we are going to teach a class on Globalvolcano called Krakatoa erupted and people could
warming. Sue will pass out your study packet. Makehardly see for five years all over the United States.
sure you follow them as we present our lesson.It caused crop failures in our Midwest. Did you know
Mrs. Blake - Your lesson?that when the meteorite came that destroyed the
Sue - Yes, Maam.dinosaurs, the sun did not shine for five years? All
Phil - Class, today we are going to learn about a veryover the earth from one meteor fall. What happens
important subject. It's called global warming. Take aanywhere in the air affects the whole earth's air.
look at your study packet. The first sheet has a fewPhil - Remember the air movement is what ends up
definitions.as our weather. Hurricanes begin off the coast of
Let's look at themAfrica and then go to the Caribbean. Our earth has
1. global warmingone big atmosphere. The air circulate all over the
2. greenhouse gasesworld.
3. carbon emissionsJanie - So if we plant a tree in Honduras, it can
4. carbon sinkaffect the air here in Arizona or in Brazil or anywhere
5. carbon storagein the world. If they cut down the rainforest, that
6. carbon sequestrationmeans less oxygen for us here in Arizona. If we burn
7. climate changeforests in California, the whole earth's air becomes
8. greenhouse effectpolluted. There were a lot of forest fires in Borneo
9. carbon dioxideand Indonesia last year. The smoke traveled a long
10. oxygenways. Our whole earth is one planet. So if we plant a
11. air pollutiontree here in Arizona, it can affect global warming.
12. PhotosynthesisSue - Guys, there are lots of things we can do if we
13. SUVdon't want to change our climate. And we don't have
14. Soccer Momlost of time. We read one paper about how the
15. Tree plantingclimate changed from the last ice age in 16 years.
16. cloud coverJust 16 years. And the ice melted at the poles. We've
Let's take a look at them. Take them home and readgot to get started doing something about this.
them later.Phil - Think about how hot it is here in Arizona here in
Phil - take a look at study sheet One - The carbonJuly. We don't want it to get any hotter. Arizona is
cycle -notice how it workshot enough now. Kids still have time to make a
Carbon dioxide is given off by animals. Plantsdifference.
especially trees take in the carbon dioxide gas andSue - Kids have done a lot things to help the
separate it through photosynthesis. The sunlightenvironment. Some kids recycle, Some kids pick up
comes in and changes it into carbon, water andlitter and clean up communities. Some kids plant
oxygen. Carbon forms the food that we eat.wildflowers.
Sue- Notice the cloud layer above the earth. WhenPhil - My Dad is in Ducks Unlimited. They make places
the sun rays come to the earth they keep goingand land good for ducks. He and his friends love duck
through the air. Then when they hit the earth theyhunting. So they work to make the place better for
bounce back. When the sky at night is clear andducks. Last year we had a Father-Son workday. Dads
there are no clouds, the rays bounce back, that isin Ducks Unlimited, they call it DU, camped out
why it can be very hot in the desert during the dayovernight with their sons and we worked in cleaning
and very cool at night. That is why it is usuallyout stream beds. We planted trees, made duck
warmer when there is cloud cover. The clouds keepblinds. The kids worked just like the grownups. We
the sun rays from burning off and it warms thealso planted shrubs. We had fun and we helped a lot.
Earth.Andrea - I sold Girl Scout cookies in with our whole
Phil - the more gases like carbon dioxide we put intotroop. We used the money to help build more nature
the air the thicker the gases get, the more they holdtrails on our scout campground.
in the sun's rays. That means when there is moreBarry - I'm in Boy Scouts last year we planted lots of
pollution from carbon dioxide and other air pollutingtrees and shrubs andmade wildflower gardens at our
gases in the air -the atmosphere holds more heat in.camp.
That the same way a greenhouse work. The raysNancy - Our Sunday School class held a car wash to
come and can't get back out.raise money for family from Kosovo.
Julio - (holds up his hand) Why can't they bouncePete - Our church youth group was the host for a
back out the way they came in? They came inmeeting with at-risk kids from the inner city. We did
through the gases?everything - we made the sandwiches, decorate the
Sue - They hit the earth. The rays have a lot ofroom, made place mats. And we raised the money
energy when they hit the earth. Some of the energyto hold the meeting by making crafts and selling
stays in the earth. When the rays bounce back theythem. And we did all the cleanup after the meeting.
are not as strong.Sue - Kids can do things. There are lots of things we
Phil - And remember we studied about gravity. Thecan do to halt global warming.
rays come to the earth through gravity as it pullsWe'll end this class with a discussion of things kids
them down. But when they try to bounce back theycan do to halt global warming. What we will do is
are going against gravity. So they have to workcomplete the following form. It is study sheet # 5.
harder and they have already lost part of theirTHINGS I THINK KIDS CAN DO TO HALT GLOBAL
energy,WARMING
Sue - So the more gases there are in the air, theLet read it aloud and then I want you guys to vote
more heat is kept on our earth.on each one. If you think a kid or a groups of kids
Paul - Where do these gases come from and why iscould do this Alone could do with adults, or could not
this happening now?do. We will vote on each one.
Sue - Lots of things have happened in the last twoPrint this article off and then put a number next to
hundred years. More and more people. There areeach thing depending on what you think
now 6 billion people. More and more cars. Gas prices1. A Kid Or A Group Of Kids Could Do This Alone
are lower so people are driving more. more and more2. A Kid Or A Group Of Kids Could Do This With
air pollution from factories.Adults
Phil - And the worst things is we are cutting down all3. A Kid Or A Group Of Kids Could Not Do This
the forests that took carbon from the air and that1. Learn more about Global warming bya) going to
cleaned the air before. And soccer moms are takingthe library and looking it up in the card catalogb) go
17,000,000 children to soccer practice in SUVs everyon the internet and search for the following
week. Do any of you play soccer? Raise your hands.phrasesglobal warminggreenhouse gasescarbon
Almost every child in the room raises their hands.emissionscarbon sinkcarbon storagecarbon
Sue - You just want to blame it on soccer andsequestrationclimate changegreenhouse effectheat
soccer moms.advisorypolar ice meltcarbon dioxideoxygenair
Phil - Together all these things mean fewer trees,pollutiongreenhouse effectphotosynthesis
more gases in the environment, more carbon2. Talk to your teacher and see if she will let you
emissions, and it will all lead to the greenhouse effectmake a presentation of global warming to your class
and finally global warming and then the melting of the3. Talk to your teacher about letting you do a
ice in Antarctica and the Polar ice. It's all happening.presentation in the schoolassembly or program
The earth is one you know.4. Ask your teacher if your group can write a
Sue - The trees are the lungs of the Earth. Treesscenario about what happens when the earth gets
clean up the carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygenwarmer
and carbohydrates for food. But we are putting so5. Ask you teacher if you can take part in a school
much carbon dioxide and other gases into the air atassembly by doing something with global warming
the same time we are cutting so many trees.5. Prepare your own simple FAQ (Frequently Asked
Phil - And we are paving over farmland. We areQuestions Sheet) on Global warming
destroying areas where carbon is stored by plant and7. Talk to your family about global warming
the soil. At the same time more and more factories8. Ask your Sunday school teach if you can talk
are giving off more and more gases. Its called aabout Global warming and stewardship of the earth
vicious cycle.9. Ask your pastor if you can plant a tree in your
Jane - So what's going to happen to us? And to thechurchyard
earth? If it gets any hotter we can't live in Arizona.10. Find out if your school will let you plant a tree on
Last year it got up to 115 degrees.the school grounds
Sue - Take a look at the idea sheet we have. From11. See if your church will let you plant a tree
what we have told you, we want you to answer12. Call the Audubon society and see if there is a
these questions. Feel free to give your own opinionsplace you or your classcan plant a tree
as well.13. See if you can collect seeds from the tree son
1. What is global warming?your school ground or a local park and grow them up
2. How hot is the earth getting?in cups to plant
3. Will the ice melts and what do you think will14. Ask your parents to go bicycling with you on the
happen?weekend instead of going in the car
4. Does this have anything to do with he ozone15. Ask your parents to carpool
layer?16. Ask your parents to sponsor a tree to be planted
5, What will happen if the ice melts?overseas
6. What will global warming mean to the weather?17. Get together with kids in your class and sponsor
7. What are the things we each of us is doing thata grove of trees in Honduras.
cause global warming?18. Find out how many trees at your school and
8. What could we do to stop global warming?measure them for the amount of carbon being
9. We all play soccer. What can we do to offset thestored with your teachers help
global warming caused by all those trips to soccer19. Start up your own tree nursery, can work with
practice?your church, school scout troop or other group.
TIME FOR QUESTIONSGerminate the seeds in paper cup. Then transplant
Sue - Does anyone have any questions?hem into larger cups. When they are large enough
Pete - Yeah my dad say the global warming stuff isask your parents or teacher to help you plant them
all nonsense. Its all some folks who want to stop20. Hold a tree for life" booth at your local church
progress. You're just a bunch of ecofreaks.bazaar or other event. Give out flyers and
Sue - Let me show you a chart. See how much gasinformation on global warming and free seeds from
is in the atmosphere since 1700. It's almost doublelocal parks of tree seeds
and gases can be dangerous. One kind of carbon21. Talk to the city council about street trees
gases called carbon monoxide doesn't bother you in22. Send in letters to the editor about trees and
the open air and in small quantities. But if you are in aglobal warming
close place with lot of it can kill you.23. Talk to other children about saving their earth
Pete - That's not the same thing.24. Talk to your church or pastor about stewardship
Phil - No one know what will happen if we have moreor the Restoring Creation Movement which is
gases in the air. The question is what if it does affectecumenical
us? We can't wait until it happens to say "we could25. Go To Google and look up Global Warming
have done something earlier - why didn't we listen".26. After you gain enough knowhow put your own
Andrea - But what can we do? We're just kids. Andglobal warming website up. Then develop your own
maybe it really isn't going to affect us.internet strategy to let others know about global
Sue -My dad sells insurance. The people who buy itwarming.
don't know for sure they will need it. They don't27. Find out about the Phil and Sue Art Contest
want to get sick or die. But they buy insurance towhere you win prizes for illustrating the Phil and Sue
protect their families just in case. That way ifPlay Soccer and Fight Global Warming story.
something bad happens, they'll be protected. So justKids are the key to the future and our major
in case global warming does hurt our earth, we needweapon against global warming. Begin today to
to protect ourselves ahead of time. It's like flooddevelop your own project to combat global warming.