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How We Go Green with Friends & Family The Ripple Effect
Green Generations | Greening Your Pets | Time Out | Vacations | Learn More Teaching kids to be green can be a challenge but with patience and a little creativity, you can raise environmentally aware children who care for our air and our earth. Instill green values at an early age. Education, knowledge, involvement and encouragement are key in changing long-term bad habits and conditioned behaviors in children and teenagers. Parents and adults can set the example and be role models by modifying old behaviors and adopting greener approaches to their regular routine. These ways can include involvement in the world and the environment, going outdoors and being active, buying recyclable products and toys, planting trees and flowers, and participating in wildlife projects. Young Children — Preschool, Grades 1 to 3
You can start with an explanation of the different types of materials and where they go. As they get older, you can explain further why it is important to recycle. Air – Walk whenever possible. Plan out your weekly menu and shopping needs, and go to the store once to cut back on multiple trips. Older kids can take the bus to school to cut down on carbon emissions. Get your kids to learn more about air quality with the Air North Texas children’s activity book [PDF]. Energy – Tell them to turn off the lights when leaving a room and to leave the lights off during the day. Natural sunlight is so much easier on the eyes. Make it a rule to unplug the TV and turn off the computer at night.
Waste – Recycle newspapers, magazines and junk mail. You can present it as a game that involves sorting out the different types and putting them in their special bins for points. Assign a daily chore to help with the sorting and recycling. Water – Make it a habit for them to fill a glass with water to use to rinse their mouth out after brushing their teeth rather than leave the faucet running. Teach them to keep the water flow to a pencil-thin stream when using the sink. Older Children — Grades 4 to 8 When children are old enough to start helping around the house, you can get them excited about being green. It is important to demonstrate how they can make a difference and identify roles and activities for which they can be responsible. This is the age group where they get to explore and discover the joys of sustainable actions first hand.
Food – Enlist kids to help in the garden and give them their own plants to nurture. You can have them help with weeding, but you can also bring them in at the beginning of the process. Focus on healthy choices, and let your children help with the shopping and meal preparation. Ask them to help research the types of produce grown in your region and then source out the farmers and stores that sell local produce. Introduce them to new foods and explore the advantages of organic food together. Additionally, get them into the habit of refusing disposable bags when shopping. Waste – Encourage them to fix something before buying a new one. Teach them to value their belongings. If your child's backpack gets a rip or needs a new zipper, check to see if the manufacturer will fix it for free, take it to a local repair shop or D-I-Y it. Water –Teach kids how to wash dishes properly. By hand, use a basin and only a pencil-thin stream of water. By machine, scrape dishes off but do not rinse with water. Teach kids to wash fruits and veggies in a bowl to conserve water. Young Adults — High School & College As the younger generation become increasingly mobile and self-sufficient, you can encourage them to expand their green efforts beyond the home. Get them involved in local environmental projects such as planting trees and cleaning up local parks. For driving teens that may be looking to purchase their first car, steer them toward hybrid and electric cars as well as teach them the value of carpooling with friends.
Good pointers to keep in mind include, changing the air and oil filter regularly, keeping tires properly inflated, never top off, observe the speed limit, and don't idle when waiting for longer than 30 seconds. Bookmark the Air North Texas website on their computers to encourage them to stay connected and informed about the air in our region. Energy –When using technological gadgets, make sure to use rechargeable batteries. Educate them about the importance of energy conservation and encourage them to unplug their MP3, phone and camera chargers when not in use. Food – Give your teen/young adult shopping responsibilities. Take them with you to the local farmer's market and have them develop a shopping list that focuses on balanced, healthy meals using organic, local produce. This will prepare them for a lifetime of conscious and healthful eating.
Here are more ways to be kind to our environment while owning a pet: Feed them well – Look for brands containing all-natural, whole foods and ingredients—not meat “by-products” and “fillers” made from corn. Avoid food made with meat “meals,” which are leftover animal parts, boiled, and processed. Other ingredients in pet food are grown using toxic pesticides or contain potentially hazardous synthetic preservatives, or are made from foods declared unsafe for human consumption. Natural brands that provide and meet nutritional needs of your pet are a dime a dozen and can be found from a number of resources. Natural and organic pet foods use meats that are raised in sustainable, humane ways without added drugs or hormones, minimally processed, and preserved with natural substances, such as vitamins C and E. Buy fewer, greener toys – Look for toys made from pesticide-free cotton or recycled materials like fleece and rubber. There are many green toy selections available in the market today. Use natural pet products – Many companies make pet products that are good for your best friend and for the planet. A hemp collar (with matching leash) is a great accessory. These days, you can even get pet beds made with organic cotton or even recycled PET bottles. Green pet products and supplies are always in the market when there is consumer demand. All we have to do is to choose green. Clean up after them – Cat owners should avoid clumping clay litter at all costs. Not only is clay strip-mined, but the clay sediment is also permeated with carcinogenic silica dust that can coat your cat’s lungs. In addition, the sodium bentonite that acts as the clumping agent can poison your cat through chronic ingestion through their fastidious need to groom. Because sodium bentonite acts like expanding cement—it’s also used as a grouting, sealing, and plugging material—it can swell up to15 to18 times their dry size and clog up your cat’s insides. Eco-friendly cat litters can help alleviate these problems. Scoop up your doggie doo in biodegradable bags.
Managing fleas can be a major challenge. If you can avoid a chemical warfare on your pets, it will be an ideal situation not just for them but for the planet. To get rid of fleas naturally, try using vinegar and salt, keep your pet clean, and make sure you vacuum daily. For a healthy and happy pet, learn more natural ways to care for them. Let’s not only clean the air, let’s go out there and enjoy it. Studies have shown that reacquainting ourselves with the outdoors can lessen depression, anxiety and obesity. Hiking, running, brisk walking, swimming and biking are all activities that can keep you fit, healthy and happy. Doing these things will not only reconnect you with nature and save you money, it can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help us all breathe a little easier. Here are some ways to get started:
The runners club – Convince your teen or best friend to sign up for a running club in your area. Once you’ve gotten everyone hooked on the outdoors, quit the gym. A day at the park – How about dining outdoors? Everyone loves picnics, especially kids. Toss a Frisbee, play fetch with the dog or fly a kite-- picnics are fun and a popular outdoor activity for many. Just remember to pack reusable flatware and containers—ditch the disposables, they are bad for our planet!
The summer time is the most popular time of the year for family vacations and group getaways. Instead of going to a seaside resort or to an amusement park, plan to take your family on a volunteer vacation. You’ll not just save money, and have a terrific adventure, you, your family and your friends can provide valuable manpower on sustainable projects all across the globe. Volunteer vacations are a subset of a booming trend known as “ecotourism,” which means environmentally-conscious travel plans to destinations where nature is the main attraction. Most of these locations are in less developed countries and areas, so ecotourism also serves to benefit the local communities.
Keep Texas Beautiful – For a more local fare, Keep Texas Beautiful offers many volunteer and education programs for youth and young adults. Travelocity – If you must travel, learn ways to travel green. Travelocity has dedicated a whole site to help you plan your next volunteer vacation. WWF – Be equipped for your next vacation with eco-travel tips courtesy of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature. The world is in our care. What we do today has a ripple effect on our future generations. It is our responsibility to care for our environment to ensure that our children will have the same natural resources that we have. Just do one green thing today—it will lead to many more.
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