Environmental Awareness

 Save the Planet Challenge! (And A Mini Game!) Hi! I'm so glad you're here. Last week's post was crazy, with ninety-nine total comments! You guys had so much fun with that comment war, and I can't wait to see what you'll do next! In the meantime, I'm keeping track of the action... :) Another thing: we found a few voles in our backyard! Unfortunately, we couldn't keep them in there because of hygiene and infestation issues, but we managed to relocate two baby voles! [ Update: The voles are happy and healthy! We checked on them to make sure they were okay and to see if we needed to contact a wildlife rehabilitation center. One of them started burrowing and squeaking as soon as we arrived, and the other was happily nibbling on something. We think they're adolescent voles, which means they're old enough to survive without their parents. We'll continue checking on them from a distance to make sure they stay safe and healthy.] Here they are: Also, I...

 I Built A Mini Backyard Ecosystem Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This is a Fourth of July special for all of my American viewers out there! Happy Fourth of July! I'm currently questioning my life choices, because this project was crazy difficult. (That's why this post doesn't have any coded elements or games; the experiment was very time consuming) I mean, how do you even build an entire ecosystem? You guys really wanted me to do this, so this post came to life. And, I'm happy to say that it was definitely inspired by the votes for "Mini Ecosystem" on the Environmental Vote Machine in the sidebar.  Thank you to everyone who commented and voted on the Environmental Vote Machine for this project, because it was (exhaustingly) fun. The picture below was my vision, but my ecosystem turned out...a bit different. :) Now, let's see what I've gotten myself into this time!  Objectives Before I started, I made a few rules for myself to make sure I treate...

 A Sustainable House (Mini Game!) Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This post is not actually inspired by the Environmental Vote Machine; my dad actually came up with the idea! I hope you like this post and the mini game at the end! Introduction Let’s be real for a second: when people hear “sustainability,” they imagine complicated science charts or adults arguing about carbon emissions. Honestly, though, a lot of it starts right at home, like in your kitchen, your bathroom, even that random drawer full of plastic utensils you forgot existed. :) This post is about making your house a successful little ecosystem and helping the planet at the same time! Whole House Fans  Air conditioning is like that friend who shows up in a giant truck, blasts loud music, eats all your snacks, and drains your wallet on the way out. It works… but it’s intense. :) Whole house fans are a better option, because of their cost benefits and sustainable use. The whole house fans pulls cool air in through op...

Sprout News and Other Random Stuff Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This is probably my most random post, but this is basically a middle-of-the-week update and some other stuff. (Also, if you believed the "Most people score 8/8" message at the beginning of my last post... I made that up. There was never any official statistic. I just wanted to see if you'd feel extra confident before starting the quiz. 😈 Don't worry, you're not the only one. Most people see a statement like that and think, "This will be easy!" Then the rats show up.) So, without further ado, let's see what I've gotten myself into this time! Okay, so first of all, I've kind of been going crazy putting these flyers up after the city sent me the approval email. (Shout out to the local store Bharat Spice Bazaar for following my blog and loving my flyers!) At this point, I'm pretty sure half my neighborhood has seen one. They're pretty cute, though, right? The next th...

A Super Easy Quiz That You Will Ace (WITH RATS) Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This post was inspired by the idea, "RATS AND ALL ABOUT THEM" on the Environmental Vote Machine in the sidebar. This is a super easy quiz that you'll definitely ace, because it's about animals that everyone knows and loves.  Most people score 8/8. Let’s see if that’s actually true. Have fun! >:) 🐾 Think You're an Animal Expert? Most people score 8/8... let's see if that's true 👀 Next Question ➜ 🔄 Play Again 🌿 Final Verdict: The animals have finished reviewing your quiz. They are not saying anything… but they are looking at you differently now. Especially the crows.

 Reptiles Vs. Birds: A Demented Game Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This post was inspired by the vote, "Reptiles and species of birds" on the Environmental Vote Machine in the sidebar. If you stick around until the end of this post, you'll find something fun...and maybe a bit chaotic. :) Let's get on with the post! Introduction Imagine a crocodile and a chicken standing side by side. One has scales and powerful jaws, while the other pecks at seeds and flaps around a backyard. They seem completely different, but they're actually closer relatives than you might think! Reptiles Reptiles are animals that usually have dry, scaly skin and lay eggs. Unlike humans, reptiles are cold-blooded, which means their body temperature depends on their surroundings. On chilly mornings, you might see a lizard soaking up sunlight like a tiny solar panel. Some common reptiles include snakes, turtles, lizards, and crocodiles. Reptiles have been around for a very long time. In fa...

 Mariana Trench Exploration: Another Interactive Journey! Hi! I'm so glad you're here. My last post was an interactive journey made on codepen, and you guys enjoyed it so much that I decided to make another one! This post was inspired by the idea, "Mariana trench animals" on the Environmental Vote Machine in the sidebar. I hope you enjoy this! 🌊 Play Mariana Trench Exploration ✖ Close

 Lost In The Forest: Surviving on Edible Plants! Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This post was inspired by the vote, "Edible plants" on the Environmental Vote machine in the sidebar. Also, I have another piece of fan art to shout out!  Here it is:  This is a really cute piece of art by my brother (so does it really count?) and I would love if anyone else wants to send me their art at this email: swaraaganesh@gmail.com Thank you! This is a different kind of post than usual, but I spent a lot of time on this, so I hope you like it! Basically, this is one of those "choose your path" games, and it's fully coded to make it even better. Let's get on with the post! How to Play You're lost in a huge wilderness after taking a shortcut that turned out to be a very bad idea. :) To make it home, you'll need to find food, water, and clues while avoiding dangerous choices. Pay attention to the story, because sometimes the clues are hidden in the details. Your...

 What Would Happen If Bees Disappeared? Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This is a really quick and easy post, because it's been a busy week, with the last week of school coming up and a lot of classes finishing up before the summer. (Also, I have a piano recital in like thirty minutes 😅) Don't worry, though, because I have something exciting planned for tomorrow! 😏 Let's get to the post! If Bees Disappeared Imagine walking outside one day and realizing that all the bees were gone. No buzzing, no pollinating flowers, nothing. It might not seem like a big deal at first, but bees play a huge role in our world. Bees help pollinate many plants, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Pollination happens when pollen is transferred between flowers, helping plants produce seeds and grow food. Without bees, many crops would produce much less food.  This doesn't mean all plants would disappear. Some plants are pollinated by wind, birds, bats, butterflies, and other insects...

 Random Videos of Birds in My New Birdbath Hi! I'm so glad you're here! Recently, my parents built a simple birdbath for our backyard, just for fun. We already get lots of birds at our bird feeder, especially hummingbirds, so we decided to give them another place to rest and cool off. I'm not exactly sure how this relates to my blog, but I really love animals and wanted to share these fun little clips. Also, most of the videos don't have an audio because of privacy purposes, with the exception of video number three. So, without further ado... here are some random videos of birds visiting our birdbath! :) Video #1: This video is when we first installed our birdbath, so most birds are either really cautious or haven't even discovered it yet. This was a small and cute bird that stopped to drink a little water. Video #2 This video is a bird that is completely in the bath, but still only drinks the water, so at this time the birds were probably still getting used to thin...

 The Extinct Creature People Still Hope To Find Hi! I'm so glad you're here. This post is a bit upsetting, so please don't continue if you think it might make you uncomfortable. Thank you! 💚 Thylacine in captive enclosure :( Before we start this post... I have to share an amazing piece of fan art! 🌱 My friend created this adorable version of Sprout, my character, in her own drawing style. She made it digitally on Kleki and sent it to me. :) Here it is! If anyone else wants to have their original art related to my blog featured in a future post, you can send it to me at: swaraaganesh@gmail.com This post was inspired by the idea, "the extinct creatures and why they go extinct", but this idea was deleted now since it was used in this post. The idea was put into my voting machine post and got the most votes, so thank you to the person who put that in! Now... let's get into the post. The Thylacine The thylacine, also called the Tasmanian tiger, was one of the st...

 How to Make the Internet's Favorite Endangered Animals...From Clay Hi, I'm so glad you're here! One of my most recent posts, “ 6 Super Fun Original Arcade Games :) ”, became really popular, so I decided to make more posts that combine creativity... and learning (of course). This post reflects one of my favorite hobbies: sculpting with polymer clay! Today, I’ll show you how to make some adorable endangered animals while also learning a little about conservation and why these animals matter. 1. Axolotl You’ve probably seen axolotls online before because they got really  popular recently. I mean… look at them. They just look like they’re smiling all the time. :) Axolotls are amphibians from Mexico, but sadly they’re critically endangered in the wild because of pollution, habitat loss, and invasive species. One thing that makes axolotls really unusual is that they stay underwater their whole lives and keep some of their baby features even as adults. They can also regrow body p...

 6 Super Fun Original Arcade Games :) Hi, I'm so glad you're here. I made 6 arcade game-style video games for you guys to play, all related to the environment. This post took soooo long, so I hope you comment and share for more posts like this! Okay, I'm gonna stop stalling now: here are...the games!  ♻️ Recycling Catcher 🎮 Directions: ⬅️➡️ Move the green catcher 🔵 Catch BLUE recyclables 🔴 Avoid RED trash ▶️ Start Game ⭐ Score: 0 ⬅️ ➡️ 🐢 Turtle Escape 🎮 Directions: ⬅️➡️ Move the turtle 🛍️ Dodge the falling plastic ⏩ The game gets faster over time! ▶️ Start Game ⭐ Score: 0 ⬅️ ➡️ 🧠 Eco Quiz Battle 🎮 Directions: Read the eco question ⬅️ = LEFT answer ➡️ = RIGHT answer ▶️ Start Quiz Press Start! ⬅️ LEFT ➡️ RIGHT ⭐ Score: 0 ⚡ Energy Runner 🎮 Directions: ⬅️➡️ Change lanes ⚡ Collect batteries 🛢️ Avoid oil spills ▶️ Start Game ⭐ Score: 0 ⬅️ ➡️ 🌧️ Acid Rain Dodge 🎮 Directions: ⬅️➡️ Move the pe...