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THIS WEEK'S ECO-TIP:
Teach Kids
April 6-13, 2008
The quickest way to hasten lasting change, I've learned, is to teach kids. Soon they're young adults making decisions of their own. With a firm green foundation, they're well on their way to living sustainably. Here's one week of easy spring tips to help kids "grow up green."
Sunday: Turn off the lights
Teach your kids to turn off lights every time they leave a room. It's old-fashioned frugal wisdom. All it takes is a flip of the switch--a simple change to habit--to save energy.
Monday: Dig in
Research indicates that kids who garden care more about their surroundings. Gardening also helps improve test scoresall the more reason to hand your kid a shovel and some seeds. If nothing else, help them plant a tree. The National Arbor Day Foundation has a great site that teaches kids all about trees. It's worth checking out: www.arborday.org. With a $10 membership, they send you ten seedlings. It's a start.
Tuesday: Reduce the juice
Your energy bill is one bill you can control. In 2005, the average household spent almost $1,900 on home energy bills. You can save 10% - 50% of that each year by making smart energy choices. Help your kids spot "energy hogs" around the home. Check out www.energyhog.com to find out how to conduct a simple home energy audit.
Wednesday: Watch water
A single slow leaky faucet wastes, on average, three gallons per day, or the equivalent of 27 baths per year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Christen your kids "the dripping faucet police." Teach them how to go around the house and see if any faucets are leaking. If they find any, show them how to fix it.
Thursday: Leave shoes at the door
This one easy step helps cut down pollutants in house dust by not tracking in pesticides, bacteria, viruses, and such. Teach kids to leave a pair of slippers or moccasins by the door to slip on when they enter. Separate shoes into "indoor shoes" and "outdoor shoes."
Friday: Shorten your shower
Show kids how to use an egg timer to cut down on the minutes it takes to get clean. No shower should be more than five minutes long. Three minutes is a whole lot better. Once a week take a "military shower"--get wet, turn off the water, lather up, wash off. Better yet, take baths--they use less water than showers.
Saturday: Save the rain
Help kits collect rainwater by putting a rain barrel under an eave of your house. Fresh rainwater is a whole lot better for thirsty plants than tap water which has been stripped of a lot of its natural minerals.
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 PROJECT:
Calculate Your Ecological Footprint |
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How much space does your lifestyle require? Find out.
Calculate your own ecological footprint by taking the quiz
at
www.myfootprint.org.
Then, you can compare your Ecological Footprint to what the
planet can sustain.
Adjusting your entries or playing with the Reduce Your
Footprint calculator will show how lifestyle changes affect
the Footprint size. Enter simple goals for your life on the
Action Calculator (such as a pledge to eat less meat) and
find out how many acres of land you could save just by
implementing that goal. Post your goals in a place where you
can see and review them every day. |
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ON THE AIR |
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Dec. 29-Jan. 2, 2009
Dec. 22-26, 2008
Dec. 15-19, 2008
Dec. 8-12, 2008
Dec. 1-5, 2008
Nov. 24-28, 2008
Nov. 17-21, 2008
Nov. 10-14, 2008
Oct. 27-31, 2008
Oct. 20-24, 2008
Oct. 13-17, 2008
Oct. 6-10, 2008
Sept. 28-Oct. 3, 2008
Sept. 22-26, 2008
Sept. 15-19, 2008
Sept. 8-12, 2008
Sept. 1-5, 2008
August 22-29, 2008
Aug. 18-22, 2008
June 30-July 4, 2008
June 23-27, 2008
June 16-20, 2008
June 9-13, 2008
June 2-6, 2008
May 26-30, 2008
May 20-23, 2008
May 11-18, 2008
April 6-13, 2008 |
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