Entries from August 2008
The beginning of the school year is a perfect time to start a carpool.
By now, most of our kids have gone back to school and have made some new friends. Many fall sports are about to start, which also offers the perfect opportunity to get a new carpool initiative up and running. Just like your kids are having to use those social and communication skills, be a role model by showing your kids that you are also working to make some new friends. Introduce yourself to parents of kids in your child’s class, and see if carpooling may be an option, either to and from school, or to and from extra-curricular activities. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Education
It’s easy and energy efficient to make your own juice.
Orange juice is great for many reasons, but it can carry with it one mammoth carbon footprint. After all, unless you live near fields of orange groves (Florida and California), that yummy vitamin D goodness traveled quite a way to fill your cup. But, there is an energy efficient choice you can make (other than fresh or frozen): Make your own juice from local fruits that are in season. This obviously isn’t a year-round option for most of us, but just doing it a few months out of the year will go a long way towards helping the environment. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Activities · Conservation & the Environment · Food & Beverage · Health & Wellness
Find out where your fish came from.
Whether you live on the coast or in a landlocked state, local seafood can sometimes be tricky to find. This is why the Monterey Bay Aquarium can help you with your seafood choices. This informative Web site offers ideal purchasing conditions and the benefits of your decisions. Talk with your children about fishy issues and the upside of eating certain kids of fish. By teaching kids where their food comes from, they’ll be more aware of the true prices paid for certain foods. This seems very timely in a world where so many issues surround food production and distribution. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Animals & Wildlife · Conservation & the Environment · Education · Food & Beverage · Health & Wellness
More things than coffee can be fair trade.
There are lots of great reasons to buy fair trade items, especially if they can be a teaching tool for our children. More and more, people are giving gifts and buying clothes with a fair trade stamp, but what about those items you wouldn’t traditionally think about? Today, seek out different options for fair trade items. Instead of buying plastic containers to store something, opt for hand-made baskets. Your home will have a very unique look and feel, not only because of its design, but also for the message you are sending by the kinds of items you purchase.
- Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Education · Food & Beverage · Politics & Justice
See what your local nature center has in store.
Whether you visit you nearby state parks regularly, or are still itching to make your inaugural visit, make sure to see what educational and information programming they have available. Many state parks have nature centers full of knowledgeable staff that are willing and eager to walk around with your family and share what they know about animals, plant life, and even environmental issues. Many of these facilities offer educational programs specifically designed for children of all ages. The next time the Girl Scout troop or the family is looking for something to do, you know where to take them. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Activities · Animals & Wildlife · Conservation & the Environment · Education · Family
Pots and pans now have a green alternative to Teflon.
Nonstick pans are super convenient and make cleaning up a lot easier. But do you ever wonder what’s in the cookware you use? Because I try to avoid using and eating things I can’t pronounce (like Polytetrafluoroethylene and Perfluorooctanoic acid), I’ve sought out some safer and greener alternatives. While few and far between, these items also have other great energy features, like energy saving construction, which retain heat better (thus allowing you to use less energy). See what you can find today that makes the world a little better and greener. Then, share what you find with a friend. - Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Food & Beverage · Home Energy Savings
Double up on the school supplies when shopping for your own.
You may have already bought that list of school supplies for your kids, but if not (or when you head back to get forgotten items), buy twice as much and donate the second set to a school or organization near you than needs them. This can be an activity for the entire family, as it’s a great way for kids to see that all kinds of kids need school supplies. Our children can learn that by doing something as simple as getting extra pencils and glue, they, too, are helping tosave the world, one kid at a time. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Activities · Education · Family · Poverty
Think you can’t recycle a TV? Think again.
We all know that we shouldn’t throw our batteries, toxic chemicals, and light bulbs in the trash, but what do you do with a computer or TV that’s broken? We all know we can donate one that’s still working, but if those circuits and wiring aren’t firing properly, it’s time to get rid of it. And, now recycling TVs and computers is easier than ever. Chances are, your local government has a special drop off day for this kind of thing, if not a year-round drop off center. See to it your old PCs find an eco-friendly second home. – Michelle Andrade
Categories: Conservation & the Environment · Recycle and Reuse · Safety
Want something for someone else.
If you’re getting married or having a baby soon, add something for a nonprofit to your gift registry. If neither applies to you, go make a registry for your birthday, graduation party, Labor Day or any other reason that fancies you. Just like Carrie Bradshaw registered for pricey shoes, you could register for dog food, paper towels, school supplies or anything else that could be of use to a nearby organization. So, if you have a big celebration coming up (regardless of what it is), pick on behalf of someone else. Changing your wish list could complete someone else’s. - Sam Davidson
Categories: Activities · Attitude of Gratitude · Education · Poverty
Want to receive an email every time we post a new article? 
