CYCLES - THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

We must work together to create a thriving planet where we can live and thrive. That is why, in 2015, world leaders did something unique. They drew up a list of 17 goals for a better world. All countries will now work together to achieve the Global Goals by 2030. We want to achieve these goals so that, among other things, we can accomplish the following four amazing things:

• That extreme poverty be eliminated. 
• Reduced inequality and injustice in the world. 
• More work toward peace and justice for all.
• A solution to the climate crisis.

Have you heard of the cycle of life?

A cycle can, for example, begin in a meadow. A hare munchs on a dandelion in a meadow. Suddenly, a fox creeps up and eats the hare. When the fox dies, it decomposes and turns into soil. After a while, a new dandelion sprouts from the soil. Then one day, a hare hops along—and the whole cycle starts all over again.

The Engine of the Cycle

There are both large and small cycles in nature. The sun acts as the engine of these cycles and keeps everything turning, first by providing plants with nutrients through a process called photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants create their own food from sunlight, air, and water in the soil. The plants are eaten by small animals, which in turn become food for larger animals. As we know, humans eat both plants and animals.

Worms, ants, millipedes, and woodlice are a few examples of animals known as decomposers. They take care of everything that dies in nature. They break down dead plants and animals so that they decompose and turn into new soil. The new soil, in turn, provides nutrients for new plants.

Humans have the greatest impact

Animals and plants live together and keep the cycle running as it should. Animals don’t make gadgets, and plants don’t throw away trash. It is we humans who affect the cycle.

Every time we make something, buy something, use it, and eventually throw it away, we affect nature. Sometimes so much so that certain animals and plants are at risk of disappearing entirely. So what happens if an animal or plant disappears and the cycle of life can’t complete a full cycle? Will anyone go without food? What happens in nature? These are the kinds of things we need to think about in order to live in harmony with nature.

The sun is our driving force

If the cycle of life is a wheel, then the sun is the engine that makes the wheel turn. Everything on Earth exists thanks to the sun, which consists of a hot, bubbling gas. The sun, which existed long before our planet Earth came into being, provides us with heat and energy.

Everyone wins when we recycle

A good way to help the environment is to recycle what we use. When we’ve finished reading a newspaper, we should put it in the paper recycling bin. The old newspaper is turned into paper, which is then used to print new newspapers. 

Help the environment by recycling

Batteries are convenient to use. We don't have to deal with cords and can take our gadgets with us everywhere. But did you know that batteries can also be dangerous? That's because batteries contain substances that are toxic.

If we throw batteries in the trash, the toxins can spread and harm animals, nature, and us humans. Besides, it’s better to melt down the metals and make new products out of them. Instead, put old batteries in the red battery bin at the recycling center.

That way, you'll be doing two good things:

1. You protect all of us from those dangerous toxins. 
2. You help conserve the Earth's resources—the metal from melted-down batteries is used in new products.

The various components of nature's cycle

The Green
Nature’s cycle begins with plants—more specifically, with green plants that can “make their own food.” This refers to plants that derive their nourishment from the sun, the air, and water from the soil. There are plants that are not green, such as black algae in the ocean.

Animals
Plants serve as food for animals, which in turn serve as food for other animals. Humans eat both plants and animals.

Decomposers
For the cycle to work, every part must function properly. Everything that dies must disappear somewhere; otherwise, the forests would be full of huge piles of dead animals and plants. The creatures that take care of everything that has died live in the soil and are called decomposers. They break down dead animals and plants into small pieces that become soil, which in turn nourishes the plants.

Worms That Munch

Earthworms turn our food scraps into new soil. They thrive in our compost bins, where they munch on old leaves and other things they find in the soil. Sometimes they drag leaves down into their secret tunnels deep in the soil. Maybe they just want to eat their dinner in peace?

The earthworm has no mouth, just a hole at one end of its intestine that runs through its entire body. It breathes through its skin. If its skin dries out, it dies. The earthworm can neither see nor hear, but it can sense when something is moving on the ground. It’s also good at sniffing out food.

The earthworm has muscles that can contract its body, making it short and thick, or stretch it out, making it long and slender. This is how the worm wriggles free from a predator’s grip and burrows into the soil.

Dead animals become someone's home and food

When a mouse dies, it is the smell that attracts flies and other insects. They lay their eggs in the dead mouse’s body. After a while, the burying beetles appear. These are black and red beetles that dig into the soil beneath the mouse so that the mouse’s body eventually sinks into the ground. After that, the beetles feed on the dead mouse. When they are full, the female chases the other beetles away. She is going to lay her eggs in the mouse’s body. When the eggs hatch, the larvae eat what’s left of the mouse.

1. What is a life cycle?

1. A.
   The circumference of a circle.
2. B.
   A running race.
3. C.
   That means everything in nature is part of a cycle.

2. What does it mean when we say that green plants can make their own food?

1. A.
   They take whatever they find in the forest and cook it.
2. B.
   They draw their nourishment from the sun, air, and water in the soil.
3. C.
   Their food is rainwater.

3. What are decomposers?

1. A.
   A machine that crushes rock into gravel.
2. B.
   This means that it starts to rain, also known as precipitation.
3. C.
   Small animals in nature that eat dead plants and animals.

Where do you dispose of old batteries?

1. A.
   Throw them away?! My collection consists of 428 pieces. Your parent's answer is worth 3 points.
2. B.
   In a battery drop-off bin, if there is one near my home. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.
3. C.
   You plan to take them to a recycling center, but get tired of it and throw them in the trash. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.
4. D.
   Always in a battery compartment! Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!

What do you do with the newspaper after you've read it?

1. A.
   Throw it in the trash. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.
2. B.
   Put it in the recycling bin! Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!
3. C.
   Of course it saves it! Maybe someone will want to read about what it was like in Sweden in 2020. Your parent's answer is worth 3 points.
4. D.
   Sometimes I throw it away, and sometimes I take it to the recycling center. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.

What do you do with your empty plastic bottle?

1. A.
   Wind instruments, cord organizers, shock absorbers, watering cans, or a sandbox. Your parent's answer is worth 3 points.
2. B.
   Throw the bottle in the trash. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.
3. C.
   Sometimes they return it for a refund, sometimes they throw it away. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.
4. D.
   I'll take that! Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!

How do you dispose of cardboard boxes?

1. A.
   I squeeze them together so they take up less space in the trash bag. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.
2. B.
   I'll throw them in the recycling bin for paper packaging. Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!
3. C.
   They make excellent gift boxes. Your parent's answer is worth 3 points.
4. D.
   I toss them into the trash room when no one is looking. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.

What do you do with tin cans and other metal?

1. A.
   Throw it in the trash. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.
2. B.
   Rinse it out and take it to the recycling center! Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!
3. C.
   I stack them on top of each other along the wall until they reach the ceiling. Your parent's answer is worth 3 points.
4. D.
   I'll take it to the recycling center if I have the energy. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.

Where do your empty glass bottles end up?

1. A.
   Sometimes I return bottles for a refund, sometimes I throw them away. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.
2. B.
   I'm throwing it all away; I can't be bothered to think about it. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.
3. C.
   Hopefully on the other side of the Baltic Sea, send a message in a bottle to your cousins. Your parent's reply is worth 3 points.
4. D.
   I return the bottles that are eligible for a deposit, and I take the rest to the glass recycling center! Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!

What do you do with old electrical gadgets, toasters, and things like that?

1. A.
   Just throw them away—they're so cheap. Your parent's answer is worth 1 point.
2. B.
   I'll give them away if anyone wants them; otherwise, I'll throw them away. Your parent's answer is worth 2 points.
3. C.
   Squeeze them into the storage room if you can. It's actually a little crowded in there. Your parent's answer is worth 3 points.
4. D.
   Take it to a recycling center, a flea market, or a charity. Your parent's answer is worth 4 points!

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