Easy ways to get your kids thinking about the environment early

1. If your children are old enough to use scissors, teach them to cut the rings of all plastic beverage holders. Even if you dispose of plastic in a place you don't think animals will get to, the items can still be exposed by accident or on purpose through transport, destruction, or naturally breaking down.  These plastic rings can be harmful and even deadly to small animals that can get their heads or bodies stuck between them. Cutting the loops ensures the animals can free themselves if they wind up getting tangled in the first place.

Learn more about the problems with marine litter here.

2. Sow and grow a tree, bush, flower, or plant together. The act of choosing, planting, and caring for a seedling can give children the much needed connection to the Earth as well as teach them important lessons about responsibility. Much like a pet or assisting with the care of another child, having a plant will give your child the opportunity to be a part of something and earn the reward in its growth (and in the case of pets and children, good behaviour). Be sure to choose the seedling carefully and provide the proper care, temperature, and amount of sunlight and water as these will all be necessary for its success.

Check out this link for tips on gardening with kids, including the top 10 crops for children.

3. Get them involved in Earth Day and other green activities. Spending time with other kids doing eco activities is a great way for children to learn about the environment, develop their interactive skills, and have lots of fun. The group aspect of festivals and classes can help show them how many other people care about the environment too, as well as teach them some things they, or even you, may not know.

Visit this link for EcoKids Earth Day 2012 activities and more.

4. Learn about where things come from. A common misunderstanding in children is that items just appear; teaching them the who, when, where, why, and how of their everyday lives can help expand their vision past their home and town and begin an understanding of how big the world is.

Check out these books about where food comes from and visit your local library for more.

5. Teach them the 4Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink. While children often learn about recycling at school it's important to reinforce these lessons at home. Daily examples of reducing waste and making proper choices will help your kids do the same as they grow up.

Visit www.kidsbegreen.org for helpful facts and activities or try these suggestions below and more:

- save energy by turning off lights when you leave a room

- save water by turning taps on only as much as you need and turning taps off in between use

- reduce food waste by using properly sealed containers

- reuse of food waste by applying it to compost

- save plastic bags by using cloth bags

- recycle papers, plastics, and metals in their appropriate containers

- use eco-friendly products for cleaning and more

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about renewable energy - Knowledge Is Power! For more information go to www.endeavorscorp.com or write to us at info@endeavorscorp.com if you have questions or want to get involved. Have a green day! 


Sources Seagrant Fish, Earth Easy, Earth Day, Munchkin Food, Kids Be Green, Inspire Your Environment, Five Hive, Eco Mii, Borders, Mom Goes Green

How to Plan an ECO-FEST

Every #TeacherTuesday we search for ways to help teachers and parents educate children on the environment and the impact they can have. This week we were delighted to come across the idea of ECO-FEST from Eco Mall.

ECO-FEST is a fun-filled day of activities designed to excite, educate, and inspire! It can be held at your school or another public location and can have as many projects and activities as you like, just be creative and don't hold back!

Invite all area non-profit environmental organizations to set up booths. The goal is to make the public aware of the organizations that work every day on environmental issues, to educate and excite children, and to give people ideas on how they can be more involved.

Organize student exhibits on Solar energy, gardening, composting, recycling, pollution (home and outside), etc.

Set up an "ART" shop where kids can build things out of "recycled" materials. Also, have on display, functional and practical things that can be made out of recycled materials, such as bird feeders.

Have a gardening center where children can plant a seed to take home and people can ask gardening questions of Master Gardeners. Set up a compost demonstration and hold a plant sale.

Have an Eco-Health section that would focus on sun safety, healthy nutrition, etc.

Have games for kids to play made from recycled materials, i.e. bowling (made from soda bottles).

Sell healthy snacks, organic fruit and juice drinks instead of typical concession snacks.

Have separate bins for garbage and recyclable garbage.

Have entertainment.

Kids Speak: Set up an "open mike" where children can give 1-3 minute presentations on environmental issues.

Planet Earth Mural: Pick a theme and let the children paint or use sidewalk chalk.

Have an "environmental quote" wall. Post quotes by great thinkers and then invite children to write their own quotes and add them to the wall.

Have an environmental poster contest.

Invite local celebrities.

Invite the local press.

Print a directory of local environmental groups and websites to pass out to the attendees.

A percentage of the proceeds can go to an environmental organization that the children vote on.

Remember, Earth Day is every day. So, an event like this can be held any time of the year. Start planning the fun now!

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about renewable energy - Knowledge Is Power! For more information go to www.endeavorscorp.com or write to us at info@endeavorscorp.com if you have questions or want to get involved. Have a green day!