Here are several terrific ideas to get the whole family involved in creating a greener lifestyle!
Go on a hike/ visit a park – If you want your kids to one day be grownups who care about nature, get them outside. We love the outdoors and every year my family takes a trip to a National Park and a State Park, it’s become one of our favorite traditions!
Shop smarter for kids clothes – Using hand me downs or shopping for used is best. There are several great consignments shops right in my area that we love to hit up before a new season starts. If you prefer brand new, try organic cotton. Conventional cotton farming creates millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
Shop the bulk aisle – Those megatubs of grains, pasta, dried fruits and nuts offer a way to cut back on the packing waste. In the store, your kids can scoop bulk items into reusable cloth bags to be weighed. At home, let them help with storing goods in glass containers with lids, like washed out salsa or pasta sauce jars.
Visit the farmer’s market together – It’s the one place you can buy local organic food that is in season, has not traveled far on a truck and is unlikely treated with pesticides. Our local farmer’s market has special events in the Spring, Summer and Fall seasons. The Easter bunny even pops in for a visit in April, although Liston is never excited to see him!
Farmers Market Spring 2019
Review the rules – Have a family meeting to recap what goes into the recycling and composting bins. Look up specific materials your town recycles and ask the kids to draw pictures of what items go where.
Feed the butterflies – Planting milkweed in your garden helps monarch butterflies and bees, which are losing food sources as more wild areas get developed. In the summer when the caterpillars arrive it will be joyous to watch them munch on leaves and maybe even spot a cocoon.
Kids love mass transit – Hopping on a city bus or train is exciting for children and they may get to ride for free or cheaply. Mass transit reduces carbon and means no gas, tolls, or parking.
Pick up garbage – Take a trash bag and gloves to a park, the beach or around your neighbor. Nominate your kids to hold the bag open and spot trash while the adults handle the rubbish.
Air dry your laundry – Hanging things up and taking them down is a perfect starter chore for young children. You will run the dryer less and lower your energy bill, and clothes will last longer.
Plant a tree – Trees are the best and they are being cut down at an alarming rate. They sop up carbon, provide shade and produce oxygen. So let your kids dig holes in the yard and drop in a tree! If you make a $10 donation to the Arbor Day Foundation, they will send you ten saplings.
Michelle's House of Miniatures 