Making Kermit Proud – Kids Go Green!
Today more than ever, being green is incredibly important. I used to laugh at school, when we were shown movies with people in “baked potato suits” walking around, unable to be outside without that suit. The idea of our world reaching a point where fresh air, clean water, and a safe environment were no longer available seemed outlandish to me. Fortunately, our children today do not see that future as something made up. Children around the world are becoming more and more environmentally conscious and trying to find ways to protect Mother Earth.
As parents, we must encourage this by example and opportunity. Here are ways you can help your kids go green! Recycling! Yes, recycling is one of the best ways to help save the environment and it is free. 1 plastic bag takes 100 years to decompose. Think about how many plastic bags come into your home in a week. Recycle these bags by keeping a stash in your car so you can bring your own bags to the store while you shop. Have your kids collect the bags from home to recycle; Whoever gets the most wins a prize.
Teach your kids about water conservation. Instead of running the water all the time, they brush their teeth, wet the toothbrush, turn off the water, turn on to rinse, and then turn off. Encourage them to shower faster or bathe. Did you know that the amount of water an adult would use in a three minute shower is more water than most people in Africa have to use for all their daily activities? If your children do the dishes, ask them to fill one sink with hot soapy water and the other with clean water to rinse. They can be towel dried or allowed to drip dry. Avoid using paper towels, use tea towels.
Bottles of water are another big concern. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, invest in a filter to make the water taste better and have your kids refill the bottles you have instead of throwing them away.
Their toys encourage them to share them with friends instead of throwing them away. My daughter and her friends have one day a week where they get together and exchange toys. At first we were upset about this, but then we realized that each child was giving them a new toy and that they weren’t throwing the toys away. If other parents of your children’s friends are not interested in this idea, ask your child to pick up the unwanted lot of toys and go to the local homeless shelter, or talk to their doctor’s office to donate to the game room.
Talk to your child about ways they can make their school green and ask them to introduce it together with you to help make the school green too. Go Green schools save an average of two million pounds of paper and 14,000 pounds of cardboard or 24,792 trees. Forty thousand three hundred pounds of plastic beverage containers, 8,700 printer cartridges, and 13,648 pounds of food waste. This is just to name a few things a green school can save.
No child is too young or too old to start turning green. You can help them make a difference. It doesn’t even have to cost you a penny. Involve; help your children protect our planet. Thanks.