While Earth Day is only one day out of the year, preserving our resources and being good to Mother Earth shouldn’t end after the day of global awareness. Teach kids from a young age that it’s each person’s responsibility to help keep the Earth clean and preserve it for the next generation.
Simple habits can yield big changes if we all work together. While not all families may have time or money to invest in bigger eco-friendly initiatives like solar panels or a massive garden, everyone may take tiny steps to help lessen their carbon footprint.
Our carbon footprint is huge and so is our consumption of natural resources. The fuel that we use every day in our cars accounts for 36 percent of carbon emissions. And, according to the United States Geological Survey, most of us will use about 80 to 100 gallons of water each day!
Adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle and teach kids to do the same. Here are 10 changes you can make every day that helps the Earth and may even cut down your costs.
1. Limit your water consumption.
This doesn’t mean you should drink less water…but you should teach kids to use less water. Turn off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth. Fill the bath up only halfway or cut your shower time. There also are low-flow faucets to reduce water waste.
2. Turn off the lights.
If you’re not in a room, keep the lights off. Make sure kids flip off the lights when they leave a room.
3. Plant a small garden.
Gardens don’t need to be massive and include every vegetable or herb. Plant a small garden and include your favorite veggies like carrots, tomatoes or cucumbers. Every green life you plant releases more oxygen into the environment…and sucks up carbon dioxide!
4. Eat less meat.
According to Earth Day statistics, the meat industry accounts “for approximately 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.”
5. Carpool.
Need to drop the kids off at school or head to the office? Snag a ride with someone who’s heading there, too. Carpooling can reduce the number of drivers on the road…and one less car is one less car emitting gases into the air!
6. Or bike…or walk.
You don’t have to get in the car to go around the corner. Sure it’s convenient. But teach kids that biking is fun and better for the Earth. Walking or biking doesn’t pollute the environment, and it’s great exercise. Just remember to wear reflective gear at night (and a helmet for all bikers) and obey all traffic laws.
7. Fix those leaks.
Leaky faucets waste water. Tighten up the pipes and fix those leaks. It may sound like a little thing, but even drops of water add up!
8. Recycle!
Invest in a few recycling containers and start separating paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum. In some areas, you may even make a little spare change for your efforts! This helps kids understand that not all of our waste needs to be wasted, sometimes trash can get another life!
9. Reuse and repurpose.
How many old t-shirts do you have? Before you toss them, think about cutting them up and using them for dust rags. Or donate them to a charity! Clothes can almost always earn a second life; don’t toss them in the trash, they only use up landfill space!
10. Stop buying bottled water.
Unless your water supply is absolutely horrid, stop wasting money on bottled water. Instead, invest in a water filtration system and buy reusable bottles that can be washed and reused. Let kids pick out their own water bottle in a favorite color or character. They’ll love reusing their special bottle!
Teaching kids to be eco-friendly starts with you…and with little habits. Make small changes to help make bigger changes in the environment. Every little step helps preserve our planet for the next generation!