Go Green with Your Kids
Tips to teach your children to live earth-friendly at every age
- Water: Teach kids to wash fruits and veggies in a bowl to conserve water.
- Energy: Instead of using the AC or heater, teach kids to put on a sweater or hat when they are cold or to open a window on each side of the house when they are hot.
- Toxic Exposure: Make sure children know that they should never microwave plastic or Styrofoam.
- Waste: Make notebooks out of cereal box covers and fill with three-hole punched recycled paper. It's simple: Have your kids save their favorite cereal boxes and cut out the front cover a little larger than 8 1/2 x 11. Collect 50 sheets of paper already printed on one side; flip the stack over and punch holes in the entire stack. Slip metal rings through the holes to hold it all together.
- 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. Start with sunflowers, carrots and pole beans. Check out Kidsgardening.com for more ideas.
- Transportation: Carpool to activities. Check with your child's daycare or school teacher to find out if other kids live nearby and plan carpools to school and other activities.
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