National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Washington, D.C.

Maryland

National Capital Parks-East

Climate Friendly

This booklet belongs to: 

Photo courtesy of NASA

Junior Ranger

Climate Friendly Booklet
Welcome to 

National Capital Parks-East!

1

Welcome Junior Ranger!

National Capital Parks-East (NACE) 

welcomes you as a Junior Park Ranger. 

NACE is one of the many jewels of 

the National Park System dedicated to 

conserving resources and providing safe 

and enjoyable experiences for this and 

future generations. NACE consists of 16 

major park sites, parkways and statues 

of more than 8,000 acres of natural, 

cultural, historical and recreational 

parklands located in Washington, D.C. 

and Maryland. For more information, 

visit www.nps.gov/nace.

NACE Jr. Ranger books and programs 

are stepping stones to learn more 

about the National Park Service, while 

making a difference for years to come. 

Any comments or questions about this 

booklet or Jr. Ranger programs are 

welcomed and should be sent to:

Ms. Lori M. Spillman

National Capital Parks-East

1900 Anacostia Drive, SE

Washington, DC 20020

202-692-6036

lori_M_spillman@nps.gov

We thank you for your interest in 

National Capital Parks-East and hope that this booklet sparks an interest for you to explore, learn and 

protect your national parks.

 Alexcy Romeo

 Superintendent

Baltimore-Washington 

Parkway

Greenbelt Park

Mary McLeod Bethune 

Council House National 

Historic Site

Anacostia Park

Frederick Douglass 

National Historic Site

Suitland Parkway

Shepherd Parkway

Oxon Cove Park

Harmony Hall

Piscataway Park

Capitol Hill Parks

Oxon Run Parkway

Fort Foote

Fort Circle Parks

Fort Washington Park

Carter G. Woodson Home 

National Historic Site
How do I become a 

Junior Ranger? It’s easy as

 1..2..3!

To become a Junior Ranger...

 1. Complete at least 5 of the 10 activities.

 2. Show your booklet to a park ranger to 

 get their signature.

 3. Earn your badge and certificate!

Easy activity pages are marked with a leaf.

Hard activity pages are marked with a flower.

Explore, Learn, Protect... 

Become a Junior Ranger!

Always remember... Be Safe!

•	 Stay on marked trails, so you don’t injure yourself or plants and wildlife.

•	 Wear sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays.

•	 Bring plenty of water when outside on hot days.

•	 Follow the rules of the park written on signs.

•	 Don’t forget to ask a park ranger if you have any 

questions! 2
What is climate change?

Climate change means big changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, or wind patterns 

that last a long time. Climate change may change the world’s environments and 

ecosystems over time.

Many leading scientists believe that human activities have caused most of the climate 

change we see today. Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) for energy in homes, business, and cars has increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Too 

many of these gases causes a global warming of the planet. 

So far, the Earth has warmed over 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past 100 years and it may 

increase from 3 to 7 degrees more! This may not seem like a big deal, but just that one 

degree was a large enough increase in temperature to melt ice from ice caps that caused 

sea level to rise 4 to 8 inches! By 2100, the planet may warm another 3 to 7 degrees, 

which can cause a 6 inch to 2 foot rise in sea level. 

Complete the climate change word search below by finding 

the words in the word bank

Word Bank:

global

warming

climate

sun

greenhouse

recycle

renewable

energy

pollution

carbon

parks

river

fossil fuel

protect

3
What is a greenhouse gas?

4

•	 Watch TV 

•	 Use the Air Conditioner 

•	 Turn on a Light 

•	 Use a Hair Dryer 

•	 Ride in a Car 

•	 Play a Video Game 

•	 Use the Computer 

•	 Wash or Dry Clothes 

•	 Use a Dish Washer 

•	 Microwave a Meal 

A greenhouse gas (GHG) is a gas that traps heat from the sun in our atmosphere, like 

a greenhouse traps heat for plants. The most common GHGs are carbon dioxide, water 

vapor, and methane. If we did not have this greenhouse effect, Earth would be freezing! 

Why are greenhouse gases bad?

Greenhouse gases are not bad in small amounts, but a large amount 

traps too much heat in our atmosphere, causing global warming. 

The extra GHGs come from burning fossil fuels, like coal, natural 

gas and oil, for energy. These are called “fossil fuels” since they are made from 

the energy of animals and plants that lived millions of years ago. Cutting down 

trees, farming, and creating a lot of waste also causes extra GHGs.

In the United States, we get 70% of our energy from fossil fuels that give off GHGs! In 

the entire world, the United States gives off one-fifth, or 20% of all the human-made 

GHGs! We are a big country with a lot of people who give off GHGs, even YOU!

When Do YOU Send Greenhouse Gases into the Air?

Whenever you...

This is called your carbon footprint, or the amount of greenhouse gases you send 

into the air.

We all cause extra greenhouse gases, but there are ways to lower the amount of gases 

that everyone can do! Go to page 13 to see how!
Climate Friendly Parks

The National Park System was created in 1916 to conserve and protect the scenery 

and the natural and historic objects for present and future generations to enjoy. Parks all 

across the United States are becoming Climate Friendly Parks. More parks are joining 

everyday. Check out www.nps.gov/climatefriendlyparks for more information.

Test your National Park Service knowledge!

1. Where are most of the Climate Friendly Parks 

 located? (see Climate Friendly map above)

A. Around the coast

B. In the middle of the country

C. Near the mountains

D. In deserts

2. Why did these parks become Climate Friendly 

 parks? 

A. To get a badge

B. To impress their friends

C. To help stop climate change and protect 

 the park

D. To win a contest

3. What is the symbol of the National Park Service?

A. A tree

B. An arrowhead

C. A car

D. A map

4. About how many National Parks are there in the 

 United States?

A. 392

B. 8001

C. 35

D. 3

5. National Capital Parks-East’s Kenilworth Park and 

 Aquatic Gardens is the only national park made for:

A. Trees

B. Birds

C. Insects

D. Water plants

6. Park rangers can be seen in every park. A park 

 ranger is...

A. Helpful

B. A source of information

C. Protects and preserves the park

D. All of the above

5

Climate Friendly 

Parks Map
Why are parks important?

National parks 

protect the environment, 

 preserve history, 

 and encourage community involvement.

Take a walk! Use your senses to experience your park.

(Remember: Stay on the trails and do not touch anything that could be harmful!)

LOOK

What do you see?

LISTEN

What do you hear?

TOUCH

What do you feel?

BREATHE

What do you smell?

What is your favorite thing about the park?

6
Carbon Sink

A carbon sink is a natural or man-made place that takes in and stores carbon. Too 

much carbon in the atmosphere causes global warming. Natural carbon sinks can be 

found in national parks throughout the country! 

Natural sinks include:

•	 Trees

•	 Oceans

•	 Soil

•	 Salt marshes

Connect the dots to create a carbon sink!

Did you

know...?

The ocean is the 

largest carbon 

sink!

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9

1

2

3

4

5 6

7

8

10 11

12

13

14

15

18 17 16

19

20

21 22

23

24

25

26

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What is this carbon sink?

BONUS: 

What else does it provide 

for us?
Does climate change affect 

the parks?

Climate change affects parks all over the country! Kenilworth Park and Aquatic 

Gardens and Anacostia Park are some of the affected parks in our area. Both parks 

sit on the banks of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., which could be flooded 

due to rising sea levels and an increase in the amount of rain. Kenilworth Park also has 

many wetlands that could disappear due to climate change.

At Kenilworth Park, rangers are studying the frogs. 

Why frogs?

Frogs are like the environment’s alert system. Their skin is very 

sensitive to changes to their habitat. When the frogs begin disappearing, 

we’re in trouble!

Complete the climate change crossword puzzle to find the 

secret word!

DOWN

1. Global warming can cause a 

 lot of rain, which makes the 

 rivers _________.

2. Warmer climate can change 

 how birds __________ south 

 for the winter and north for 

 the summer.

4. Many plants and animals 

 will struggle to survive 

 when the sun emits more 

 _____ that causes a warmer 

 climate.

ACROSS

1. _____ are one of the first 

 animal indicators of climate 

 change. (Hint: Read the information 

 above!)

3.. one can help stop 

 global warming!

Unscramble the red boxes to find the secret 

word! (Hint: It has to do with GLOBAL warming)

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2

1

3

4

3

4
Zero Waste

National Capital Parks-East sites are working towards zero waste in their parks. 

Greenbelt Park, with the closest camping grounds to Washington, D.C., is just one 

park that has a trash-free initiative. The more things that can be recycled, reused, and 

brought home help the park stay trash-free!

 REDUCE the amount of waste you make.

 REUSE items that can be used again.

 RECYCLE items like glass bottles, plastic bottles, metal cans, and 

 paper.

Circle the items at the picnic that you can recycle!

Did you 

know...? 

Recycling one 

aluminum can saves 

enough energy to 

run a TV for 

three hours!

What do you do at home to reduce your waste?

9
10

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass, a former slave and an activist for equality in the 

1800s, built two rain cisterns (“sis-turns”) at his house, Cedar Hill, 

in Anacostia. A cistern is designed to capture and store rainwater. 

It can be outside, like a giant barrel, or underground. Frederick 

Douglass used the water for household chores. Little did he know 

that he was not only being practical, but also helping to save water! 

You can you can learn more about Frederick Douglass when you visit 

the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site.

Draw your own house and rain cistern below!

What is another way you can save water? 

A drawing of a modern 

rain cistern
Renewable Energy

Right now, we get most of our energy from coal and oil, which produce a LOT of 

greenhouse gases! Renewable energy like solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, and 

hydropower do not produce very many greenhouse gases and are available almost 

everywhere. If the whole world switched to renewable energy, we could stop global 

warming in its tracks!

Match the different types of renewable energy, on the left, 

with the pictures of where they come from on the right.

11
12

Spread the word!

How would you tell others about global warming?

(Hint: You can write a poem, a letter, or a song or draw a picture!)
13

Do your part!

Here are ways that you can help create a more Climate Friendly planet!

•	 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, your carbon footprint

- Save energy 

 Turn off lights, the television, and computer when you are not using them.

 Unplug chargers when you are not using them .

 Wash your clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot.

- Save water 

 Take shorter showers.

 Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth.

- Instead of using a car to get around, try walking, riding a bike, or taking the bus.

- Recycle paper, plastic, glass, and cans! It saves natural resources like trees, oil and 

 metals.

- Plant trees. Trees help clean our air by absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse 

 gas, and giving off oxygen.

- Buy products that save energy, are made from recycled materials, or can be 

 recycled. 

 Ask a parent to replace light bulbs in your house with energy efficient light 

 bulbs. 

 Tell your parents about energy efficient products.

•	 Pick up litter.

•	 Read about the environment and teach others what you 

have learned.

At the park:

•	 If possible, take the shuttle into the park instead of driving.

•	 Pack your own reusable water bottle.

•	 Pack in what you pack out.

- Don’t leave any trash!

At-home activity:

Write three ways you reduced your carbon footprint this week:

1.

2.

3.

Did you 

know....?

In 2008, Americans 

changed their habits 

enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 

equal the amount 

given off by 29 

million cars!
This Certifies that you have 

completed the National Capital Parks-East 

Climate Friendly Junior Ranger Program

 Junior Ranger’s name: Park Ranger’s signature:  Date: 

Congratulations! You are now a 

CLIMATE FRIENDLY

JUNIOR RANGER

Cut here 



Put park passport stamp here!
Want to continue the Junior Ranger fun at home? 

Become a WebRanger!

A WebRanger is...

..a caretaker

..an adventurer

..a discoverer

There are over 50 activities created just for you! 

You can even earn a WebRangers patch, FREE! 

Log onto the WebRanger program at www.nps.

gov/webrangers. 

This booklet was designed as a part of the Junior Ranger Ambassador 

Program: a cooperation between the National Park Service and the Student 

Conservation Association. This program was created to improve the Junior 

Ranger experience in National Parks.

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM

This booklet is for children of all ages, but 

recommended for children aged 6-15. 

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior