Five Easy Ways to Teach Toddlers to Live Green

As a mom it is always front and center on my mind how I can teach my children to be good stewards of this great earth. It can be tough for younger children to grasp the concept of living green but through our example we can really teach our young ones to start caring now, thus leaving a legacy of caring that is more precious than anything you can make from plastic. Below are five ways to start teaching toddlers today.

1. Take your children on a field trip to an organic farm that will allow them to pick fruits and veggies. While there discuss why organic farming is good for the earth. Also talk to them about how we should pray for farmers and thank God for them as well – after all, we get much of our food from those farmers.
2. Young children go to a lot of birthday parties. A great way to encourage green living in your toddler is to opt out of buying new wrapping paper for presents. Rather, you can recycle an old paper bag and have your children decorate it with crayons and markers. Use this time to discuss recycling and why it is important for our earth.
3. Plant some flowers or even a tree. Children, especially young children, love to help their parents out in the garden. Have your toddlers assist you in planting some beautiful flowers or even a tree or two and explain to them how this helps the environment. You can even take this time to discuss how God made the flowers and trees and that part of taking care of our earth is helping these wonderful things He created to grow.
4. Teach the importance of conserving water – when your children are brushing their teeth or washing their hands teach them to turn off the water in between brushing or scrubbing. Talk to them about how water is a resource we all need and that we need to make sure there is enough to last for everyone. Have your kids think of other ways they can conserve water around the house – you will be amazed what toddlers can come up with!
5. Get out a great nature movie or series such as Planet Earth and watch it with your little ones. While watching it discuss with them the beauty of God’s creation. Teach your children to appreciate what the Lord has provided. Discuss with them all the many different types of plants, animals, trees, etc… Have your kids draw pictures of the earth and tell you what they appreciate about it most. Pray and thank God for giving us this beautiful place to live in.

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Xeriscaping

I live in a desert region so when figuring out what to do with the landscaping at our new house one of the first things we thought of was xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is landscaping in such a way to avoid the use of unnecessary amounts of water. Xeriscaping is also known as “zeroscaping”, “water-conserving landscaping”, and in some places “smart scaping”.

Xeriscaping is a great way to save water and energy. With xeriscaping there is little to no use of water, there isn’t a lot of grass to mow so there is no extra fuel or energy consumption, and it is generally easy on the environment as you would just be using natural materials that are common in your area and these materials don’t require any sort of fertilizers or harmful pesticides.

When we started here with our new house we only planned out our front yard. Our back yard will take more work, but it will be xeriscaped as well. In the front we brought in common drain rock found at our local rock quarries – it is a form of river rock, only the smaller version. We laid the rock down around a few shrubs that fit naturally into the environment for the area directly in front of our house and then for the rest of the area we have the rock spread out with a few boulders mixed in. The result is a very simple yet beautiful yard with very little maintenance needed. The few shrubs in front are on a drip system that only runs for 20 minutes a day, three days a week – that’s it!

If you are looking for ways to reduce water consumption and save some energy as well there are some tips you should know before xeriscaping.

Xeriscaping Tips

• Choose plants wisely. You should only choose plants that are drought resistant and that can survive where you live. If you live in a desert region like me you don’t want to pick tropical plants, this will defeat the purpose. Choose plants that are more native to your area to insure their survival.
• Set up a drip system for plants. Drip systems only water when needed and it really allows the plants time to absorb what they need rather than get overloaded.
• Make sure to weed on a regular basis. Weeds consume more water than your plants so you want to get rid of them as soon as possible.
• Cover your soil. You can leave the ground bare, but covering with rock or mulch will keep it cooler and help your plants to need less water.
• Aerate the soil before you cover it. Keeping the soil in good condition will help your plants thrive without the need for more water.
• If you use rock, keep it natural. Don’t worry about bringing in fancy rock that has been chemically processed to create a neat color – natural rock will look better, be better on the environment as a whole, and it will save you money.

If xeriscaping is something you think you’d like to do the fall is a great time to get busy. Many landscaping companies lower prices at this time of year and you might be able to get plants for less. Remember, even though you are going for something natural you still need to get it from the correct resources. Just going out into nature and picking up rocks and plants is not only illegal in many places, but it is also destructive to the natural habitats of many species. Find a local nursery and a local rock quarry to work with, plan out what you want to do being careful to take good measurements of your area, and with the help of the experts you will be able to create an environment you will love.

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Green Water Heater

Making our home green one step at a time will help our environment for years to come. Let’s take today to look at a very important home appliance, the water heater.

Tips for a Green Water Heater

Check the Temperature. You do not want your water heater to over do it’s job. Make sure you keep it at an average setting of 120 degrees. This will save a ton of energy and it will save you money as well. IMPORTANT: Never set it below 115 degrees though. You will be dealing with some nasty mold growth if you do.

Use Insulating Foam. Wrap the first six feet of pipe with insulating foam.

Wrap the water heater in a foil blanket. Be careful when doing this. You do not want to block important vents or controls. You will want to follow the instructions very carefully. Your water heater may not allow for this idea.

Invest in a Tankless system. These water heaters are designed to be “on demand.” They will save a lot of water and energy.

Keep up with it. Check it regularly. Make sure that it is working properly and repair it when needed.

Go Solar. Another option is to buy a solar water heater. This will save you money on your electric bill, save energy and be a better choice for the environment.

Implementing these tips will help you contribute to the environment in a positive way. It only takes one good choice at a time to begin the trek of becoming a better steward of God’s planet.

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Green Tip of the Day (3/12/09) – Use Less Water Washing Dishes

Washing dishes does require using water. However, we can cut down the amount of water we use to wash dishes drastically. A couple simple changes and you will be on your way to greenville. One way to save water while washing dishes is to only fill up the sink half way. Turn off water. Wash each dish and then dip it back into the soapy water, giving it a partial “rinse.” Then, turn on water and rinse. Only use as little water as you can. Just enough to rinse the dish. Another way, is to use your plates and cups more than once. The less you use, the less you need to wash, and the less water you will waste.

Any other ideas to save water washing dishes? Post them below!

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