In honor of Earth Day, we thought we’d look to our friends from Nature Cat for some guidance on how we can make our world a greener place.
Nature Cat is a series that follows the adventures of Fred—a yellow house cat with no instincts for nature—as he ventures outside to explore the great unknown! Along the way he meets a hilarious and helpful cast of characters, who help him to learn about the world around him, and in turn teach us how to better interact with our environment and develop a greater understanding of nature.
So, Onward and Yonward!
Here are five important environmental lessons we have learned from the mighty Nature Cat.
Clean Up!
When things get messy, it’s time to roll up our sleeves, and help clean up!
In episode 102 ‘Muck Amok,’ Squeek’s cousin Marvin needs big-time help: his marsh home is in danger of flooding! When Nature Cat and friends arrive, they discover the flooding isn’t the only problem – the marsh is filled with trash! Lizards with their heads stuck in bottles and tires floating down stream… something is not right. The gang finally discovers the source of the flood: the fresh water is coming into the stream, but it’s blocked from going OUT by all the trash! Nature Cat and friends spring into action to clean up the marsh, throwing away pop cans, food containers, even a broken bicycle they find.
When you see trash on the street, litter in the park, or a plastic bag floating down the river – pick it up and throw it in the trash. Don’t let Squeek’s cousin Marvin, or any other animals, live in our filth any longer! Be sure to clean up not only after yourself, but after your fellow humans too.
Take Nature into Consideration!
In episode 210 “Rights or Wrong,” Squeeks’ Cousin Marvin is having more troubles at the marsh. This time, Ronald’s new water slide is stopping the water upstream and now the marsh has no steady source of water and has dried up! Nature Cat and friends try to come up with a better solution, maybe move the slide down stream so it won’t block the marsh stream? Before taking action, the gang heads downstream and talks to the fish, flowers, and other wildlife about how they would be affected if a water slide was put there. With the go-ahead from all the wildlife, Ronald moves his slide downstream and Marvin’s marsh goes back to flourishing.
It’s important to consider the impact our actions can have on nature. Before you dive into your next project, like building a tree house for your kids in the backyard, take the time to understand what animals and wildlife live in your backyard and depend on the resources there. Next step is to integrate those findings into your design decisions, maybe this means relocating to new spot that doesn’t interfere with a bird’s nest, or incorporating a place for local animals to rest and grab some food and water, and always remembering that this is their home too.
Make Changes – Big and Small!
In this lesson, Fred and the gang teach us how a little change can go a long way…
In episode 117 “Earth Day”, the gang takes a nature hike over to Butterfly Hills but they don’t get too far before running into many plastic bags blowing in the wind. Upon further inspection, they see the plastic bags are coming from the local supermarket. Instead of just cleaning up all the bags and removing them from the natural environment (which, in and of itself, is a tremendous act of care for the earth), Nature Cat and friends take it one step further and do something to help. With some of Nature Cat’s extra shirts, he makes green cloth bags which the gang put outside the supermarket entrance with a sign showing a cloth bag filled with groceries. This way, people can grab a re-usable bag instead of disposing of their plastic bag into the natural world.
Helping the environment starts with us! Small changes to our daily routine can add up to a big impact over time. For example, switching from plastic water bottles to a re-usable one, using cloth grocery bags, or taking some time to help clean up litter from your community park. Little changes go a long way, and we can all help make the world a better place if we try!
Help Out Your Friends!
We all need a little help now and again.
In episode 301 ‘Animal Rescue Crew,’ Nature Cat and his pals come across a struggling, yelping little baby fox in the wild. Upon further inspection, this little guy has a cut on his front paw and is in a lot of pain. The Animal Rescue Crew take the exact right next step: call an expert! They get Racer the Rescue Racoon to help rehabilitate the fox and nurse it back to health. With warm blankets, nutritious food, some rest, and a lot of love, these guys help bring the fox back to full health and release it back into the wild.
Nature Cat and friends set the perfect example – when they found an injured animal, they didn’t ignore it or try to help it themselves, they called up an expert and got it the proper care it needed. If you ever encounter a struggling animal on the street, in the ocean, or anywhere you may be, it is important to give it the help that it cannot provide itself.
Get Creative!
Who said nature isn’t fun?
In episode 104 ‘Pet Sounds,’ the Nature Cat Band is taken by surprise right before The Battle of the Pet Bands when a mishap launches all their instruments into the ocean! But Nature Cat has an idea… When the band opens on stage, Hal drums along on a log, Daisy chimes her clam shell, Squeeks blows into her reeds, and Nature Cat shines on a kelp horn like a smooth Kenny G. The gang was able to scrape up makeshift instruments from the natural world, encouraging the audience to get in on the fun, and ultimately winning the Battle of the Pet Bands because of it! Similarly, when Hal forgets to buy Valentine’s Day gifts in episode 114, he decides to pursue a “No Waste Valentine’s Day” – instead of buying stuff that would just get thrown away, he decided to make his gifts!
Looking for something fun to do today? Consider getting creative with nature! For example, why not try out some crafts from recyclable materials, like tie dying one of your old shirts with natural dye from fruits and flowers to give it a fresh, new look! Or you can check out our list of fun recyclable crafts for the whole family, including how to make a Nature Cat pet rock! Instilling an appreciation for, and a creative relationship with, the environment is such an important way to ensure our kids connect with the world around them and take care of it.
With these lessons, we can help make our earth a better and greener place! And if you want more Nature Cat, you can catch it on PBS, or you can find it on YouTube.