Earth Day 2011 ~Raising Environmentally Aware Children

Earth Day 2011 is almost upon us. What are you planning on doing with your children to save our planet? Can’t we all stand to be a little greener? I KNOW we can in my house. Sure I take steps to be kind to the earth but when I get too busy or things get “inconvenient” all the “Green” goes out the door. So this Earth Day, I am committing to taking some steps ( with my children) to be kind to the earth. Are you? I partnered up for an  exciting Earth Day project with Nickelodeon, the National Wildlife Federation and The Motherhood.com. I signed up to be a B Kind 2 Earth Day leader for my state. You can be one too.  Just sign up here. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Photo courtesy of Google

Water

1. Use only the water you need, and reuse when possible.
*Rain barrels can be used to collect rain and then you can use it to water a family garden.
*Bathe together. Put the kids in the tub together. Shower with your kids or your husband. It’s saves water, creates memories and nurtures the bond between siblings.

2. Dispose of solid and liquid wastes and medications safely.
*Take advantage of medication take-back programs or household hazardous waste collection programs that accept medications, pharmaceuticals, oil, paint and other liquid wastes.

3. Protect your local water source from pollutants, excess pesticides and garbage.
*Everyone lives in a watershed — the area that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, wetland, aquifer, or even the ocean — and our individual actions can directly affect it. For example, watch the weather and apply necessary chemicals when the rain won’t wash them away, and dispose of livestock or pet’s waste appropriately or litter off the ground.

Image courtesy of Google, View Courtesy of Mother Nature!

Air

1. Pass on gas! Take public transportation, carpool, plan your day to reduce trips and vehicle emissions.

2. Make sure your home’s air is healthy, learn about indoor air pollutants from indoor energy use and toxins.

3. Reduce your potential for exposure to mercury.

4. Plant a tree. Or plant many trees! Plant a garden. Plant a vegetable garden.

5. Prevent additional air pollution by finding alternatives to burning your waste.

The air we breathe, the life we live

Land

1. Use pesticides safely! Reduce or eliminate where possible.

2. Learn about composting, try it out!

3. Learn about ‘Greenscaping’! Try it out at home and promote it in your community.

*By simply changing your landscape to a Green- Scape, you can save time and money and protect the environment.
*Save time by landscaping with plants that require less care
*Save money by eliminating unnecessary water and chemical use
*Protect the environment by:
*Conserving water supplies.
*Using chemicals properly and only when necessary to keep waterways and drinking water clean.
*Reducing yard waste by recycling yard trimmings into free fertilizer.

4. Learn about the native species and the negative effects of non native plants and animals in the environment. Plant native species in your gardens, encourage important pollinators such as bees and birds by planting gardens full of their favorite plants. Join a team in your community that removes non-native species.

Photo Courtesy of my Brother in Law

Energy

1. Save energy at home Choose energy-saving appliances if they’re available. Look for Energy Star!

2. Hang dry your clothes.

3. Go renewable! Create your own power from wind, the sun, water, or biofuels.

4. Find alternate ways to reduce use of diesel and other fuels for transportation, production and energy.

Waste

1. Reuse. Upcycle! Take something that is disposable and transform it into something of greater use and value.

2. Recycle metals, plastics and paper

3. E-cycle Recycle and/or properly dispose of electronic waste such as computers and other gadgets

4. Don’t litter! Properly dispose of trash and waste

Photo courtesy of Google

This Earth Day, my family will spend the day outside and unplugged; being mindful of our footprint. We will be staying around our home,  working in our garden. I also think it’s time to teach the girls about how to separate the recyclables. On a daily basis, my girls are mindful of their footprint and the older they get the more I will explain. For now, they can help by turning off lights, separating recyclables, not wasting, bathing together, buying locally grown organic foods, helping Mommy hang the clothes on the line and remember the reusable grocery sacs. Life is good. Let’s help it stay that way but raising responsible, socially and environmentally aware children.

The world is a beautiful place and we are allowed to marvel and enjoy her on a daily basis! Please take care of her! Recycle. Reuse. Reduce! Happy Earth Day 2011! The link I am including is a link to great ideas for Earth Day activities to do with your children. Go to a National park, the local farmers market, just go outside and enjoy the marvelous planet of ours! And remember to be #kind2Earth!

https://holidays.kaboose.com/earthday-activities.html