• Instilling a love of nature in kids
• Reduce and Reuse

Instilling a love of Nature in kids
Kids are inheretly curious about the world around them. They stop to smell the roses, pick up rocks, watch bugs and spiders, and experience so many things in their new environment that we take for granted and overlook. One of the best ways to raise environmentally-kind adults, is to teach children a love of nature. Encourage their curiousity. Buy them books and toys that focus on exploring and discovering the wonders in the world. Take them on hikes in the woods, or on vacations to National Parks. Let them have pets, and possibly let the pets breed. I grew up with books like the Guide to North American Songbirds and Trees of the Southeast along side the Dr. Suess and Berenstain Bears books. I had rock and shell collections, raised gerbils, and went hiking and camping often. Now I watch my 2-year-old son gathering rocks from the yard, watching beetles with excitement, and dancing with joy when I put Animal Planet on the television. I hope to teach him that nature is a good thing, to be loved, nurtured and respected. To leave only footprints and take only photos, as they say. The greatest thing we can do for the environment is raise a generation of children who care for the environment, and leave them a world worth caring for.

 Reduce and Reuse
Simplifying our lives and being environmentally conscious can go hand-in-hand, and fairly easily. Two-Thirds of the Recycling mantra often get overlooked, but have even more impact on the environment than just recycling cans. One of the best ways to eliminate clutter from your life is to stop buying it altogether. Too many of us buy disposable items that could be replaced with reusable items.  Sure, the manufacture of some reusable items may pollute more than manufacture of a disposable version (look here), but over time they win out in the landfill category. And they take up less room in your home. Reducing incoming junkmail clutter can be time-consuming, but is good for your sanity and the environment. Try contacting the companies that regularly send you junkmail, and ask/insist that they remove you from their mailing list.  Here’s a good way to get started.  Finally, finding a new use for an older item helps keep it out of the landfills. A lot of our old stuff can find a second chance in service in the garage or outdoors. If it really must leave the premises, try Freecycle.org or Throwplace.com It’s Blog action day, so you are sure to find many other ideas and resources for helping the environment today across the blogosphere. Hopefully, you’ll find inspiration and possibility in my musings as well.