Home green home
Kids can jump into the role of planet protectors at home by recycling, switching off lights and performing other simple, routine tasks. They love knowing that every little bit counts when it comes to green lifestyles. Try making some of these eco-practices family activities - you'll have fun together and teach your child to care for the earth.
Plant a seed.
On the first day of spring, Michelle Obama and local schoolchildren broke ground on a White House garden as part of a national campaign to promote eating healthy foods. Follow the first lady's lead and plant an edible garden in your own backyard - your child will develop a deeper appreciation of where his food comes from and may even learn to love broccoli. If you live in an apartment building or don't have access to a yard, grow herbs or vegetables indoors or join a community garden. For more resources, check out KidsGardening.org and the American Community Garden Association's Web site.
Do the rot thing.
Mealtimes are an opportunity to provide nutritious food not only for your family but also your yard and garden. Instead of tossing veggie scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds and the like in the garbage, have your child collect them in a container and empty it into an indoor or outdoor compost bin, which when properly maintained produces nutrient-rich, odorless fertilizer. Learn which materials are safe to compost and how to make your own bin at the Environmental Protection Agency's online composting guide and You Grow Girl. If your child is fascinated by creepy-crawlies, try vermicomposting - in which worms accelerate the fertilizing process - and let him feed the red wrigglers.
Banish energy vampires.
Sound scary? They are when you realize that some appliances keep drinking up electricity when they're turned off (known as standby or vampire power). Luckily, ridding your home of such e-wasters doesn't involve garlic or elaborate rituals. Just remind your child to unplug TVs, computers and stereos (or switch off their power strips) when not in use, and tell her she's an energy vampire slayer - sure to sound impressive. Don't forget to unplug chargers when they're done juicing up cell phones and cameras: Chargers consume power even when they're not connected to gadgets. Your child can learn more energy-saving tips at the EPA's Energy Star Kids site.
Flip a switch.
Your parents may have nagged you about many annoying things when you were young, but they were right about at least one: Turn off the lights when you leave a room. You'll save electricity and money while setting an eco-friendly example for your child. Replace all incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones and your home will be even more energy efficient. (Be careful when removing burned-out or broken fluorescents, however, because they contain trace amounts of mercury. See the Energy Star guidelines for properly disposing of them.)
