Helping the Earth
Kids these days are probably more aware of the need to help the earth than their parents were at their age. There’s so much information out there about problems on the planet. But we can all do our part to make things better. It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.
What can a kid do to keep the Earth healthy?
- Recycle!!!! Stop – don’t throw that can, bottle or newspaper in the garbage. Find the recycling laws for your town and make sure your family follows it. Check out http://www.obviously.com/recycle/ for more on the what, when, where and how of recycling.
- Conserve water! Did you know that if everyone in the U.S. used just one less gallon of water per shower every day, we could save some 85 billion gallons of water per year. Here are some ideas on how you can help your family save water:
- Check all faucets, pipes and toilets for leaks
- Take shorter showers
- Never use your toilet as a wastebasket
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth
- Only run your dishwasher when fully loaded
- Don’t rinse dishes under running water. Rinse them in a full sink or pan of water.
- Wash full loads of clothes
- Conserve electricity – some ideas that will help are:
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room
- Use fluorescent bulbs in your room
- Turn off your computer or TV when not in use
- Unplug chargers when not in use
- Close the blinds on a hot day if the sun is shining in. Dress lightly instead of turning up the air conditioning. Or use a fan.
- When it’s chilly in the house, dress warmly instead of turning up the heat.
- Offer to help your parents keep the air filters on your AC and furnace clean
- Walk short distances instead of asking for a ride in a car. It’s good exercise too!
- Plant a tree
Earth Day is always a fun day for kids. For more ideas, check out the U.S. government website for Earth Day.It includes a kids section with ideas and links to more sites. http://earthday.gov/kids.htm