Tuna and Dolphins

Dolphins swim with other fish. Many are found trapped and killed in tuna nets. A company that cans tuna will not use any tuna captured with dolphins.

Finding tuna is hard to do. They hide in the shadows. For years, fishermen would find them by looking for dolphins. Then they would throw out their nets and pull in any fish

caught in the net.

Some people are very mad that all those dolphins are being killed. They are not buying the cans of tuna at the store.The company who sells the tuna will make sure no dolphins

are killed when they get the tuna.

Fishermen will get help from the canning company. They will help change the way they catch the tuna. A person on each ship will check to see if any dolphins were killed.

About 26 boats will have to change the way they fish for tuna. People buying the new cans of tuna will have to pay more money. But this change will save the lives of many

dolphins.

Lost Whales

Two humpback whales have swum up a river in northern California. They need to get back to the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are trying to figure out a way to get them to go back

to where they belong.

The whales are hurt. Veterinarians believe that they suffered cuts probably caused by a boat propeller. They are not healing well in the fresh water.

In order to try to coax the whales back out toward the ocean scientists have tried a few different things. They played different sounds underwater. One recording they played was of banging metal pipes. Another was a noisy mix of unnatural sounds. They even

tried playing sounds that they thought the whales would like. These were of humpbacks feeding. The whales did not respond to any of these. They also tried using a small fleet of

boats to herd the whales downstream. None of this worked.

The whales have been very active. One day they started slapping their tails on the surface of the water. This behavior concerns the scientists. They think that this could show that the whales are distressed. They also noticed that the whales’ injuries have gotten worse. Their skin is being affected by the fresh water. It has changed from smooth and shiny to

irregular and pitted. The scientists are worried about their health.

The U.S. Coast Guard will help protect the whales while they are in the river. They are making boaters stay at least 500 yards away from them at all times.

Scientists have backed off some of their efforts for now. They are concerned that the whales will become too stressed.

Fruit Flies

Two tiny fruit flies were found. These flies can be harmful. People are worried.

One fly was caught in a trap. The trap was in a tree. The other fly was found not far from there.

These flies can hurt fruit trees. They damage many different kinds of fruit trees. The flies need to be killed.

Some people make their money by selling fruit. These fruit flies are damaging their fruit trees. The fruit sellers will lose money if the flies are not stopped.

Workers will spray telephone poles and trees. The spray will have poison in it. They hope this poison will kill the flies.

Mosquitoes Are Coming

People of California are being warned about a virus. This virus can be spread by mosquitoes. It is called West Nile virus.

A man who is a State Public Health officer said that people should be careful. Because of the warm weather mosquitoes are breeding earlier that normal. No one can tell how bad

West Nile virus might be this season. People should try to protect themselves from mosquito bites. All standing water should be cleared so mosquitoes can not breed. Also,

insect repellent with DEET should be worn when outside.

It is also a good idea to stay inside during dawn and dusk. Mosquitoes are most active at this time. If someone must go outside they should wear long-sleeve shirts and pants.

No human cases of West Nile virus have been found yet in 2007. There have been areas that the virus has been found however. They are trying to reduce the number of mosquito

breeding pools there.

Most people do not usually get extremely sick from the virus. They may get flu-like symptoms like fever, head and body aches. Sometimes it can be very serious. A person

may contract encephalitis.

The first case of West Nile virus found in the United States was in 1999.

Crabs Cause Problems

Some crabs are causing many problems for rivers and streams. People are worried. They are trying to find ways to get rid of them.

These crabs are said to be a special food in China. Some people think that they were brought from China to California about ten years ago. Since then there are many more of

these crabs.

These crabs are making the sides of rivers and streams weak. This can be very dangerous. If the sides of the rivers and streams get too weak they can break and cause flooding.

People are trying to find ways to keep the crabs out of certain areas. They are using screens to do this. The screens are big enough to let fish through but small enough to

block the crabs.

Other people are collecting the crabs. They want to learn more about them. They hope to find a way to keep them from having babies.

Monarch Butterflies

One of the last sites of the monarch butterfly may soon be gone. The site is in Pacific Grove, California. That town calls itself Butterfly U.S.A.

In this town, one woman owns some land that the butterflies like to live on. She wants to sell her land to people who want to build homes. The city does not want her to sell

because the butterflies will not have a home.

The city would like to make the land a place just for butterflies. It cannot do this because it cannot afford to buy the land.

Millions of butterflies have followed the same paths for thousands of years. They start their trip in Mexico and return to the same trees in California. They come to Pacific

Grove to stay warm.

The female butterflies need the plants there to lay their eggs. Thousands of butterflies land on the local trees.

The monarch butterfly is the Pacific Grove city mascot. Many people come to the city each year to see them. The money these people bring is very important for the town. Some people say that more butterflies used to come. Not as many come now. Many

people think that all of the new buildings take the butterfly homes away. If their nests are destroyed, all of the monarch butterfly could be killed.

Sea Lion Found on Street

A sea lion, who likes to get around, turned up on a Sacramento street late last night.

People taking a walk at night almost stepped on the sea lion. It was sitting at the corner of two streets.

The passersby poured water on the sea lion to keep him comfortable. Then they called the police. "The callers told us there was a sea lion," said a police spokesperson. The police called other agencies that could help the sea lion. They found people who were experts.

They were from the Marine Mammal Center.

The experts from the center arrived early in the morning and moved the sea lion into a cage. They also gave the sea lion medical care. They think the lost sea lion swam from

the San Francisco bay into the Sacramento River. Then they think the sea lion took a side trip into the American River. He ended up in a creek that feeds the river. The experts

think the sea lion is confused because he may have a brain illness. Small polluted plant life could have made the sea lion sick and mixed-up.

This sea lion has also shown up in San Luis Obispo and in Moss Landing. A special tag that the sea lion wears lets people recognize him. Experts know where he has been

because of the tag.

A male sea lion can weigh more than one ton. Sea lions are mammals and have a bark like a dog. Sea lions are often seen along the rocky coastline during summer months.

They occasionally make their way upriver following the fish.

Problems With Bison

There is a large park in Montana. A lot of bison live in the park. These animals are like buffalo. The bison have lived there a long time.

The government wants to protect the bison that live in the park. Sometimes the bison move out of the park. They begin to eat food that is for supposed to be for cows. The

farmers who raise the cows do not want the bison eating their food.

The state of Montana lets the bison be killed if they are not inside the park. Bison have been killed by the farmers since 1990. The farmers claim there is not enough food for

both the cows and the bison.

Some people want the shooting of these animals to stop. Too many bison have been killed. Some of the bison are very young and some are pregnant. Some people think that

the bison are important to Native American culture.

Others want the bison killed because they carry a disease. The farmers are afraid the bison will give their cows the disease. The farmers also say that the bison ruin all of their

fences.

Right now there is no easy answer to the problem. Some people want to hunt them. Others want to stop them from having babies. The killing will continue because there is

no simple answer.

Save the Forest

A change is coming in the forest. Scientists are trying to make the logging companies stop clear cutting. We have to protect the fish, wildlife, and water quality. They have

value, too. The forest is a beautiful place that people should be able to enjoy.

It changes everything when the all the trees are cut. The trees, animals, and water depend on each other. Many plants and animals disappear. The water level in the ground

changes. It can even affect our climate.

This does not mean some of the trees cannot be cut. It just means all the trees in one place cannot be cut at one time. It means that you plant new trees when the old ones are cut.

When trees are cut in this way, the land does not erode. The streams do not fill with dirt and the animals are not destroyed.

The industry is beginning to cut trees this way. They are leaving many dead trees so small animals will have homes. They are leaving many trees alone to give shade and

shelter for animals. This also means that the forest's trees are not all the same kind. This seems very import to the survival of the forests.

Both the loggers and the forest scientists are trying to agree on things. They have to balance the lumber we need with the forest's protection. A good rule seems to be not to

cut more than you grow each year.

Unwanted Chimps

Many chimpanzees have been bred for AIDS research. Researchers did not learn enough about AIDS from chimps. The chimps are not needed. There are 1,500 of them. Some

people wanted to kill them.

A research panel has a different idea. It says someone needs to take care of the 1,500 chimps. It says to stop breeding more chimps. It says to put them someplace like their

natural habitat.

Many people say this is a good idea. They say chimps are very special animals. They look like people. They sometimes act like people. They are close relatives to people.

Some people do not want chimps to be used for research. They say it is not right to hurt them. They say taking care of chimps is better than killing them.

It will cost a lot of money to take care of the chimps. The government spends more than 7 million dollars a year to take care of them. The chimps will live 30 to 40 years. People

say it is worth using them. We have learned many valuable things from chimps.

Elephant Gets New Home

There is an elephant that has spent the last 20 years in a California zoo. Her name is Ruby. She was sent to the zoo after she spent some time performing in a circus.

A group called PAWS has been trying to get her into an animal sanctuary. PAWS stands for "Performing Animals Welfare Society. The animal sanctuary that PAWS owns has a

lot of land. They let the animals roam around instead of being in a cage. It would be more like a natural home to Ruby.

It took PAWS nine years to get permission to move Ruby. She was finally loaded onto a truck and moved out of the urban environment.

A person who works for PAWS said that she seems right at home at the sanctuary. She is eating well and has already made a special friend.

Ruby has been rubbing trunks with another elephant. This is something that elephants do when they care about each other. The other elephant was brought to the sanctuary two

years ago. She also came from a zoo.

The sanctuary will give Ruby 100 acres to roam around on. She will also get the chance to socialize with three other elephants there.

Experts say that elephants that have been in captivity often have a hard time getting along. Ruby seems to be doing great and adjusting well. She seems to like her new home

and friends.

Free Willy Update

The whale that starred in the movie Free Willy is not free. Keiko still lives in a large fish tank. He is healthier than when he was found in a Mexico City park.

When he was found, Keiko was out of shape and sick. Many people wanted to help save him. He now lives in Oregon.

The keepers of the whale want him to be healthy. Keiko eats up to 200 pounds of fish a day. He also does a lot of activities. They want him to start thinking for himself.

Keiko can do a lot of tricks. But they do not want people to watch him. The whale is trying to be stronger so he can one day live in the ocean. No one is sure if he could

survive living in the sea.

Hunting Whales

There were many whales swimming in the ocean a long time ago. Then they were hunted and killed by Native American tribes. They used the whale for food, oil, and other items. Seventy years ago, they were told to stop killing them because the number of whales was

so small.

Now the Native Americans were told that they could start hunting them again. The problem was that other people did not want the whales to be killed. They told the Native

Americans that the whales should be left alone. Many people were upset.

During a celebration, guards were asked to protect the Native Americans. There were no problems. One Native American felt good about that. He just wanted to enjoy his

celebration.

The Native Americans wanted to do what their ancestors had done for many years. They want to teach their children about their past. They think that it helps the group to stay

together.

Other people are afraid to let the Native Americans kill the whales. They think that other countries will start killing them, too. If too many people start killing the whales, then

there will soon be no more whales.

Some people will try to stop anyone from killing whales. They will sue the people who help to kill them. They will get in the way of those trying to kill a whale. Everyone will

be watching to see what happens the first time the whales are hunted.

Wild Horses Killed

More than 450 wild horses have been killed in Nevada. Some people say it is worse than when all the buffaloes were killed. Many of the horses were shot while running.

The land they were on belongs to the government. Twenty-eight thousand horses share the land with six million cattle. Cattlemen say the horses are crowding the cattle out. One

rancher said that there is a range war going on. Both the cattle and the horses need the water and grass that is on the land.

The law protects wild horses. The president of the Nevada cattleman group also helps to protect the horses. He says that he does not like what is happening to the horses, but he

does want the government to help keep the number of horses low.

Some people think the Navy used the wild horses for target practice. Pilots fly over the area where the horses were found. The horses were found far from the nearest road. The

killings happened over a large area. It has been happening for the last two years. The Navy said that they do not let their pilots kill horses.

Some people think that the horses should be gotten rid of. Others think that they should stay. In the meantime, the police will try to figure out who did it.

Nature Sounds

Burney Crouss went to school to study the sounds of nature. For 20 years he has recorded the sounds animals make. He has recordings of animal sounds from all over the world.

Burney has made a record of animal songs. It all began when he took some of the sounds and put them together. Last year, he put together a song he called "Jungle Shoes." It

turned out great.

Burney makes the music by taking part of his animal noises and saving them on a computer. He makes each sound play when a key is pressed. Then he asks other

musicians to play the keys into songs.

Burney believes in working to save nature. He thinks that more people need to take care of our world. The sounds of nature are quickly disappearing.

When he recorded whales in Alaska, he could hear the sound of oil well drilling from fifteen to twenty miles away. It was very loud. He says his goal is to save nature sounds

so his children will be able to hear them.

Yellowstone

Alsten Chase wrote a book about Yellowstone National Park. He is worried about the damage that fires can do to the park. He is also concerned about the park rules.

These rules say that nature should decide what happens to the park. Alsten writes that the elk herd has grown too big. The elk walk on the riverbanks. They eat the new grass and

roots of baby trees. The beavers need the trees to build dams.

The dams raise the water levels. Higher water levels put more water into the soil. Moist soil helps plants grow faster. The plants offer homes and food to other animals.

Chase thinks that the park rules would work only in a park with natural settings. He believes that Yellowstone has had an artificial setting for a long time. The native people left long ago. The wolves were taken away and other animals were removed. Some areas

were fenced off and other animals were added.

He thinks that rules that let herds grow too big and let fires burn are hurting the nature of the park.

The park manager thinks the rules are good and the park will be fine. Chase thinks the way the people run the park should be changed.

Timber or Trees

There are many trees in America. The trees have many uses. They provide many things to the area where they grow. Trees are also cut down to make many things for people to use.

People who cut down trees are mad. Many of them lost their jobs because they could not cut down any more trees. Some people want all the trees to grow and not be cut down.

Some people get together to make the National Forest Service stop the logging companies from cutting down trees. The logging companies get together to make the

National Forest Service let them cut the trees down. The National Forest Service is trying to let all the American people use the national forests.

The people with the most money can tell the forest service to allow the cutting to be done. Even when scientists say that cutting the trees down would hurt the forest and the

animals, they still cut the trees down. Anybody who does not like that idea is not listened to.

Some parts of the forests have been overcut. Too many trees have been taken away. Other parts have been stopped from being cut. When this happens, many people lose their

jobs. The biggest problem is deciding what should be done with all of the trees.

Snow Levels Are Just Average

Snowpack levels are very important to the people living in California. Many people rely on the snow for water throughout the year. Snowpack levels need to be checked and

studied many times.

Special people study the snowpack levels. These levels are checked in different ways. Sometimes people go to the snow to check the levels by hand. They do this five times a year in the Sierras. Another way of checking it is by using a special device that is left in

the Sierras all of the time.

When winter was half over in 2006, the snowpack levels were studied. The information showed that some parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains had a little less snow this year

than they have had in the past. Other areas had a little more snow than usual.

A man that was in charge of the project said that 2006 was a pretty normal year. He thought that it will stay that way. He knows that things can change though.

It is important for people to study the snowpack measurements. This information will help them figure out how much water will be available to use later in the year. It also helps power companies figure out how much power they will be able make by using

water.

Pollution Fight

A city wants to get money from some companies in the city. These companies are putting bad things into the water under the ground. It might cost $100 million to clean up the

water.

Companies use many chemicals in their work. Some of these chemicals can leak into the ground. The chemicals pollute the water under the ground.

The city does not want to put the companies out of business. It is talking to their insurance companies. One insurance company has already given the city $1 million.

Some companies are not happy about the city's plan. They do not want their insurance companies to pay the city. It would be like saying the water pollution is their fault.

A man in charge of the local newspaper does not like the plan. He does not want his business blamed for pollution. He is afraid lawsuits will put him out of business.

Volcano by the Sea

There is a volcano on a Hawaiian island. It pushes lava into the ocean and causes a lot of steam. But it is not the biggest volcano there. On the ocean floor, a new volcano is

erupting nearby.

Scientists are watching it underwater from a submarine. It has caused a lot of earthquakes. The scientists found a part of the new volcano is missing. An earthquake

made the volcano top collapse. They can tell that it will be an island some day.

The Hawaiian islands continue to grow. The lava from the middle of the earth continues to push upward. Hot water can be seen pouring out of the cracks of the new volcano. The

scientists can not get too close or they might get hurt from the new land breaking up.

Scientists will watch the eruptions and earthquakes as the new volcano grows. It will be the newest island in the Hawaiian chain. There will be plenty of time to watch it grow.

The new volcano will not reach the surface of the ocean for about 50,000 years.

Farmers and the Weather

The weather is very important to farmers. This time of year seems to be cooler than usual. This change is nice for some farmers but causes worry for others.

One man who grows grapes said that he welcomed the cooler weather. It was giving him and his workers extra time to bottle their wine. Usually they would still be picking grapes

this time of year.

Other farmers are not quite as happy. The possible rain can cause a lot of damage to their crops. Food that is not picked right away can often rot.

Farmers are usually on a very strict schedule. They need to get all of their food picked before the weather gets bad. When the rains start early it can ruin a lot of their crops.

It seems that some farmers are happy about the cooler weather and others are concerned. It has been a nice relief for a few of them. For others, they hope that the rain will not start

because it could ruin many of their crops.

Farmers Plant Different Crops

Some farmers are having a hard time picking their crops. There are not enough workers to help them with the harvest.

One farmer used to grow peaches, but will soon switch to growing almonds. Peaches require more labor to harvest. They are fragile, and must be picked by hand. Machines

would damage the ripe peaches. Then the farmer could not sell them. He is using a bulldozer to remove his peach trees. Then he will plant almond trees in their place.

Almonds are harvested differently. It does not take as many workers to pick them because a machine shakes the almond trees. The almonds fall on the ground and then are gathered up. The farmer does not have to hire many workers to pick the almonds off the

trees.

Some farmers think there are two reasons why there is a shortage of farm workers. One reason is that there are a lot of construction jobs in the area. These jobs pay higher wages.

Many workers are taking construction jobs instead of picking fruit.

Another reason is that it has become more difficult to cross the border from Mexico into California. Many farm workers come from Mexico. Fewer are able to cross the border in

order to work on the fruit farms.

One solution might be to allow Mexican workers to work here as guests. That would help them to provide for their family and help farmers harvest their crops.

Farmers say that unless things change, more produce will come from other countries. This is because labor is cheaper in other nations than it is in the United States.

Bad Fish to be Destroyed

The Northern Pike is a very bad fish. It is a big, hungry fish, and devours little fish such as trout and perch. Many Northern Pike live in Lake Davis. They are killing all the

smaller fish in the lake. The Northern Pike are a serious threat to the lake because they eat all the smaller fish. Soon, all other species of fish in the lake will be killed off. This is

not healthy for the environment.

Experts are afraid that the Northern Pike will swim out of Lake Davis through many smaller rivers that feed into the lake. They could spread all over the country and damage many other water environments. If that happens, it would be too late to stop the Northern

Pike.

For ten years, officials have been trying to remove the Northern Pike from Lake Davis. They have tried using nets, explosives and poisons. However, the Northern Pike

population is still doing well in Lake Davis. Many people do not like the idea of using poison to kill the fish. They worry that the poisons are bad for humans who use the water.

No trace of the poisons has ever been found in local wells, however.

Scientists are going to try the poison again. This time, they will drain the lake before they add the poison to the water. A public hearing will be held to talk about the problem.

Californians Want to Fight Global Warming

Many people who live in California are very concerned about the earth. They are worried that the earth is warming too much. They believe that living things on the earth will be affected by the warming. Most Californian's think that the state should investigate the

problem.

A survey was taken in California. The questions that were asked were about global warming. The results of the survey were very interesting. They showed that most people

in California are very concerned about global warming.

The survey showed that over half of the people who live in California want the state to work on the global warming. Last year not as many people felt that way. People think the

problem is getting worse.

Another poll showed that many people are not happy with the federal government. They do not like the way global warming is being handled. Only a few people asked think that

the federal government is doing a good job with this issue.

One man said that Californians are feeling worse, not better. They are more concerned today than they ever have been about global warming. Many of them want the state of California to deal with the problem instead of waiting for the federal government to do

something.

The people do not want to wait. They want the state to start working on the problem immediately.

Burning Wood Bad for the Air

A panel of government officials is worried. The air quality in some areas is not good. The air is polluted with soot. The officials worry that the air is harmful to the people who

breathe the air. They are experts. They study the environment. They discuss ways to stop the air pollution. The panel decided to make some changes to the law.

The new plan places strict limits on how much soot can be released into the air. Now, a measurement of 65 parts of soot is considered safe. The new plan would reduce that

number to 30. The daily limit of pollution in the air would be cut in half.

These new standards would affect industry. The limits would also affect people who own wood stoves and fireplaces. The county will keep track of the air quality every day.

People would be required to stop burning wood when the levels are high. They could also install a kind of special fireplace. These fireplaces burn very little wood. They do not pollute the air as much. Some counties will punish families who violate the ban. They

will have to pay a fine for not complying with the law.

Some states do not have much industry. Their pollution problem is not too bad. They would still have to regulate how much pollution is released into the air. The experts hope

that this ban will help keep the air cleaner.

Before the plan becomes a law the public will have a chance to comment on it. Citizens will have ninety days to ask questions and voice concerns about the plan. Then it will

become a law.

Group that Saves Animals Given Phony Donation

A group that takes care of animals was given a fake donation. It was for a very large sum of money. The check that they received in the mail was for $95, 000. The group depends

on donations to help the animals. They were very happy when they got the check.

Ed Stewart is very thankful when somebody writes a check for the animal group. He works for them. The animal group is called PAWS. They take care of animals that used to

perform and other rescued animals. They have elephants, lions, bears and lots of other animals at their shelters. They depend on donations to help feed and take care of the

animals.

There was a note that came with the donation in the mail. The note was short but looked official. It looked like it was from a company called O'Reilly Media. The note said that

the donation was to help PAWS.

PAWS took the check to their bank. They wanted to add the money to their bank account. The people who work at the bank said that the check looked real. The bank deposited the

check into the PAWS account. Then PAWS started spending the money. They bought equipment, paid for animal food and paid some of their bills.

A few days later PAWS got a surprise. Their bank called to tell them that the check was not real. The check bounced and there was no longer $95,000 in their account. The

money that PAWS thought they had was gone.

PAWS contacted the firm that they thought donated the money. They learned that the company did not send the check and was also a victim of the scam. They told PAWS that

they did not know who sent the phony check.

The publishing firm also talked to a local news station. They said that PAWS was not the first organization to receive a fake check. They told a reporter that several dozen

organizations had received phone donations in their name. The publishing firm said it has notified authorities in the United States and Canada. The phony donation to PAWS had a

Canadian postmark.

Once an organization gets a fake check they get a second letter a few days later. They are told in the second letter that part of the money needs to be sent back. The organizations

usually get the second letter before their checks bounce. They send money back and then find out that their donated checks have bounced.

PAWS did not receive a second letter from the crooks before their check bounced. PAWS did not actually lose money. But now they have to explain to people why their bills are

not really paid.

Polluting Cars

Some cars do not run the way they should. Bad smoke from a car’s engine can get into the air. This bad smoke is called pollution.

Pollution turns the air a gray color. It is very dirty. It is not good for people to breathe this dirty air.

In order to keep pollution down the state makes cars take a test every two years. This test checks to make sure the cars do not pollute the air. If a car does not pass the test the

owner cannot register it.

Some car owners drive their cars even though they cannot pass the test. This is against the law. It is also very bad for the air.

People wanted to find a way to get these cars off the road. A program was started that seems to be helping. This program buys cars that cannot pass the tests or will help pay for

repairs.

In order to qualify for the program a car must be drivable and the owner cannot make over a certain amount of money. This program has been helping people by giving them

money to help buy better cars or fixing their old ones. It has also been helping to cut down on pollution.

Relief Group Sends Supplies

Three men wanted to help survivors who lost their homes in a hurricane. They asked people who lived in their area to help too. People donated food, water, and even

medicines. They collected a lot of supplies to send to the Gulf Coast.

The men who started collecting were ready to send supplies after five days. They loaded a semi-truck with food, medicine and other things. The first truck was sent to Louisiana

to help people who had lost their belongings and homes. It took the truck about a day and a half to get there from California.

Seven more trucks were loaded and made ready. The trucks were sent to states that were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Those states are Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

The supplies will be given to people who survived the hurricane.

Chris Snow is a volunteer who is loading supplies into the trucks. He was asked why he was helping. He said, "It's a disaster and everybody needs to jump in and help."

Biosphere

People who fly in space have to eat food that they bring from earth. In the future, these people will grow their own food.

Scientists are getting ready for the future by living in a biosphere in Arizona. In 1989, eight people began living inside the biosphere. They were sealed off from the outside

world. They grew their own food.

A scientist said that we will need some kind of life system on another planet.

A new project is called Biosphere Two. Many different areas will be put in the biosphere. It will copy the oceans, the tropics, and a rain forest. A small desert and a tiny swamp

will also be put in. A greenhouse will help them grow food.

They will try to grow all of the food they need with no help from outside. If they can do this, then it could be done on another planet that does not have any plants growing on it.

The idea has been tried already on a small scale. On a desk in an office, two tiny shrimps have lived two years in a sealed globe.

Drought in California

A place in California called Marin County is having a drought. People who live there have very little water. It has not rained there for a long time. They have to keep track of

how much water they use. They can only use fifty gallons of water per day for each person.

One family has found a way to use less water. Not a drop of water is wasted. Family members take baths together. The bathtub water goes to the washing machine. Water

from cleaning dishes is put in the garden. All leftover water is saved.

Many companies that use water must save water to save them money. A car wash has been changed to use less water. A car wash could use three hundred gallons of water per

car. The changed car wash only uses five gallons per car.

People in Southern California are not as worried. They still allow pools to be built. The government does not force people to save their water.