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A day without plants

Imagine waking up one day, looking outside your window, only to see a world without any plants.

No trees, no flowers, no grass, and no vegetables. That would be a very strange world indeed!

Growing carrots
Image caption,
Without plants, we wouldn't have vegetables like carrots

Why are plants essential?

Plants are essential to us because they give us so many things that we need in our daily lives.

They supply us with air to breathe. They take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, which is what we need to live.

Without plants, the air would become very polluted, and breathing would be hard for us.

Plants also give us food. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts all come from plants.

Without them we wouldn't have our favourite fruits such as apples, oranges, and bananas, and we wouldn't have vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and lettuce.

Growing carrots
Image caption,
Without plants, we wouldn't have vegetables like carrots
Cotton plants
Image caption,
A cotton plant growing in a field in Texas, USA

What else do we use plants for?

Plants are also used to make some of our clothes.

Cotton, which comes from the cotton plant, is used to make things like socks and t-shirts.

Wood from trees is used to make furniture, paper, and toys.

Some plants are also used to make medicine that helps us feel better when we are sick.

Cotton plants
Image caption,
A cotton plant growing in a field in Texas, USA
A recycling plant
Image caption,
We can help by recycling paper, so not as many trees need to be cut down

How can we care for our plants?

We can help by planting new trees and flowers, not littering, and recycling paper so that we don't have to cut down as many trees.

Plants are so important that we have special days dedicated to planting trees and flowers.

Earth Day, on April 22, is a day when people come together to plant new trees and flowers.

On this day, people also discuss how best to protect our environment.

This helps to keep our world green and healthy.

A recycling plant
Image caption,
We can help by recycling paper, so not as many trees need to be cut down

What do plants need?

Plants come in all shapes and sizes, from giant oak trees to tiny flowers.

Some have bright and colourful flowers, whilst others have leaves that turn red in autumn and fall off.

No matter what the shape and size, all plants need the following things:

  • air
  • light
  • water
  • the right temperature

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