Earth Day is fast approaching. As a parent, who enjoys "teachable moments" I am trying to come up with some activities/ideas for Earth Day. And why not? My kids are part of the tree-huggin', polar-bear-lovin', we've-got-to-do-somethin' generation. They have grown up with recycling programs and water conservation. At school, they create art projects using re-purposed materials. At home, they turn off lights when they leave a room so they don't use up energy. Saving the Earth isn't part of what they do...it's is part of who they are! I wonder, do they really need more "teachable Earth moments"?!...
Simple answer. Yes. Partly because my kids really do like doing something for the planet (oh those darling tree-huggers!). Partly because I'm compulsive about raising educated beings (that's my own issue).
Seems everyone is doing a little somethin' somethin' for Earth Day (gosh, even Jon & Kate had a GREEN episode this week!).
So here are a few of Earth Day activities to do chez nous (and I mean "chez nous" in the global community - we are a village - sort of way);
- Go to a movie theatre to see Disneynature EARTH(opening in Canada on Wednesday April 22nd). Follow three families (polar bear, whale and elephant) over one year of their lives. I've seen trailers for this film and the cinematography looks AMAZING. I think older children will appreciate the story and parents should enjoy the message.*
- Use "green" products to clean the house. Phosphates and chemicals contained in "regular" cleaning products eventually go down the drains and wash into the water systems. These chemicals affect our water ways and aquatic life.
- To get rid of those carpenter ants nesting in the yard - pour boiling water down the ant holes rather than spray insecticide. (Yes, we love polar bears. No, we don't love carpenter ants. Hypocritical - I know). Insecticides and pesticides leach into the ground - yuck. 'Nuf said!
- Walk to a store to buy milk & bread rather than driving your car. Reducing carbon emissions is a good thing. Buying locally produced foods is good for local economics and lessens the travel miles of the food.
- Send a litter-less lunch to school and work - using stainless steel re-fill-able containers and bottles. Less plastics in the landfills!
- Consider the packaging before your purchase. Have you noticed how much plastic is wrapped around a toy these days?! Other than the fact that it takes about 20 minutes and some really sharp scissors to get to that digger truck...all the plastic packaging winds up as waste.
[*"Happy Feet" is another entertaining movie which has a message of human influence on the environment (note the plastic around Lovelace's neck). Available to borrow from the library; saving you rental fees and a drive which creates those pesky carbon emissions]
Now, I will confess: I'm not an environmental-pedestal-preaching-saint. I drive a carbon-emission-generating vehicle. I buy bottled water when I forget to bring my own. I sometimes pack plastic bags in lunch boxes bc I haven't washed the containers.
That said, I will try to engage in some small teachable Earth Day moments - to educate my kids and remind myself - of the greater good.
Your turn...what are you doing on Earth Day?
Comments