There are five ways even the smallest child can help to save our planet’s resources. Leading by example is the best way to teach your children about the importance of conservation, and the following are ways your whole family can get in on the act!

• Save water. Show your kids how to brush their teeth without leaving the water running full blast, and let smaller children share or take turns in a bathtub of water rather than draining and refilling the tub for each child. Alternately, teach them to take a quick shower to conserve water as well. They can help wash their own hair, and you can add silly foam soap to make getting clean in a hurry fun!

• Save electricity. Turn off lights when rooms are not in use

• Recycle. Small children can be in charge of stacking newspapers or magazines, while older siblings can rinse out metal and plastic containers and sort them for recycling. If you have curbside pickup in your area, take turns setting the bins out for collection, or make a family trip to your local recycling center. For a special treat, plant a tree together for Arbor Day!

• Eat Green. Pick a day of the week to give up meat and eat a salad instead. Keep a bowl of veggie sticks and dip in the fridge, and serve up breakfast for dinner. Eggs and pancakes with maple syrup will thrill most children to death, especially if you are a strict ‘cereal and toast in the morning’ type of family. Let your children help you cook, and enjoy your special meal!

• Volunteer. There are so projects for conservation that are in desperate need of helping hands! Volunteer as a family at non-profit events focusing on resource conservation and green living, and spread the word about water and energy conservation. Offer to water a neighbor’s lawn by hand if they are using automatic sprinkler systems, or pass out homemade canvas grocery carriers in front of a local supermarket to encourage people to ‘bag their own’.

Teaching your children about green living can be a rewarding experience for all of you! Once your children get excited about it, just watch them come up with ideas of their own to ‘save the planet’. Earth day might just be the best day of all fro your kids next year!

The whole country is trying to go green, it seems, and it’s time to join the parade! Did you know that using ‘green’ household product not only save trees and precious petroleum resources, it also is safer and healthier for you, your family and your pets?

Commercial cleaners contain harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin, eyes and nasal passages, as well as damage your home. Green products use natural cleansers to keep your house bright and shiny without these harmful additives.

Twenty Mule Team Borax is one of the best products on the market for cleaning bathrooms. Phosphate and chlorine free, this powdered cleanser is safe for septic tanks and easy on hands. Tubs, showers and sinks come clean with less effort than many brand name cleaners!

Seventh Generation Free and Clear boasts an impressive line of laundry and dishwashing products. These glycerin based detergents come in powder or liquid form and leave no residue to irritate your skin, and the softener is gentle and effective. Dish powder and gel leave your plates and silverware clean and grease-free. Their toilet paper, also green by virtue of its minimum 80 percent post-consumer content, is comparable to non-recycled brands.

Begley’s Best is a line of carpet and upholstery cleaners that is biodegradable and non-toxic, so you need not fear for your pats and children. Perfect Planet’s floor cleaners and polishers take stubborn dirt up off of hardwood floors and out of grouted tile joints with a strong but safe.

Each of these products can replace a commercial cleaner in your home, including those containing chlorine, ammonia and phosphates. Eliminating such toxic chemicals from your personal living space can only be beneficial, and helping conserve natural resources is a wonderful plus!
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