Fresh Tips for Green Family Living

By Kim Laehle

Looking for a fun and meaningful way to celebrate Earth Day as a family? Visit CreekWeek.net for opportunities to "act locally" this month.

April 22nd marks the 40th celebration of Earth Day, but it’s the everyday things our families do that have the biggest impact on our planet. Those everyday habits also teach our kids how to care for the planet. Here’s some more good news: going just a little bit greener here and there may go much further than making a great, big sacrifice. Dr. Dudley Burton, Department Chair of Environmental Studies at Sac State, believes that families should keep their eco-efforts comfortable. “It doesn’t help if it’s seen as a burden,” says Burton. “Then it can lead to bad feelings about environmental stewardship.” Wherever your family falls on the green spectrum, these simple tips can make greener living a breeze.

Green…
These “light green” tips can be done rather easily with not many changes to your routine and at little or no cost. Still new to eco-minded living? These tips are perfect for you:

1. Look for EnergyStar labels.
When buying new appliances, look for the Energy Star label for efficiency that will spare the air and benefit your family budget (rebates and tax credits are even available for some Energy Star purchases).

2. Use e-invites.
Save trees (and money, and time) with free programs like Evite.com to send out paperless invitations and track responses with ease.

3. Frequent your library.
Or share books and DVDs with neighbors and friends when you’ve finished. Tara McConnell, an Auburn mom, gets great delight in sharing her children’s old books with friends’ children. And the kids love getting books that come highly recommended from friends.

4. Reuse that paper.
Besides having your children use both sides of the paper for drawing and writing, you can reuse paper for printing non-important items or make your own notepads by stapling together sheets from the paper recycling bin.

5. Donate old eyeglasses.
Instead of throwing out old frames and lenses, donate them to organizations that recycle them. Kaiser Permanente accepts old glasses at certain locations. You can also check out OneSight.org and click on their Regional Programs to find other local businesses participating in recycling eyeglasses.

Greener…
Ready to go a shade greener? Try these tips:

1. Reduce more.
By now, we’ve all heard the mantra, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” and most of us are probably pretty good at recycling. But Global Stewards, a Web site that provides environmental tips and sustainable solutions for a healthy planet, says, “The critical first step of waste prevention has been overshadowed by a focus on recycling.” They request that families become more aware of the “reduce” aspect. “By making the effort to reduce what you own, you will naturally purchase less and create less waste.”

2. Buy secondhand.
When you need new items, check out local secondhand sources first, including thrift stores and Web sites likeFreecycle.org. Donate your unused items to local charities or sell them at local consignment stores for cash or credit to purchase other secondhand items.

3. Plant shade trees.
Planting a deciduous (leafy) tree that loses its leaves in fall on the south side of your home will cool your home in the summer and allow sunlight in during the winter. Planting deciduous trees on the west side of your home will help to keep the summer heat out in hotter areas. The Sacramento Tree Foundation is a great local resource, offering info, free SMUD shade trees, plus trainings and classes.

4. Take the odometer challenge.
Two years ago, Mike McCoy, Director of the Urban Land Use and Transportation Center at UC Davis, anguished over buying a sports car that only got 25 mpg when there were cars with better mileage out there. He made a deal with himself that he would only drive 12,000 miles instead of 18,000 miles which would make this the equivalent of a 37.5 mpg car at 18,000 miles. Last year he actually got down to only 10,000 miles. He says, “Being more thoughtful about trip combining, using walking and biking when I can, and recreating at more nearby locations has been enough to make the difference. I really didn’t give up much, and I have a really fun car.”

5. Eat less meat.
Eating just two meatless meals a week greatly reduces your family’s impact on the Earth. In fact, if Americans reduced their meat consumption by 20%, it would save as much greenhouse gas emissions as if everyone switched to driving a Prius instead of a standard sedan. That’s according to estimates by Robin Shreeves at aLittleGreenerEveryDay.com.

Greenest!
If you are truly ready for even more green in your routine, check out these tips on how to be a “bright green” family:

1. Collect gray water.
Collect water from your sink or shower, and use it to water plants inside and outside.

2. Plant a garden.
Gardens can be planted in small containers or in large raised beds. It’s up to you to decide what works for you. No matter what space you have, try it! A tomato plant, some strawberries, or some herbs in a container can make nice additions to a family’s diet, and they provide a nice little discount to your family’s grocery bills.

3. Think before you throw anything away.
Can this be reused? Is there someone else who can use this? Can this be recycled? Before putting something in the trash, ask yourself these questions and see if what you are holding really is ready for the landfill.

4. No new toys.
More and more families are trying this out. Last year for my kids’ birthdays, we asked families to donate to a local charity that is dear to our hearts. One friend made a donation AND gave my son a wooden car garage that her son had outgrown but was still in perfect shape. It is the one toy that my son is still playing with five months later.

No matter where you are on the green spectrum, you can set a family conservation goal (for example, you can set a goal for reduced energy consumption or toward water conservation). Step 2: review your monthly bills with your children. If your family was successful, celebrate and do something fun as a family, or increase your children’s allowances by the amount saved to encourage them to find even more ways to conserve.

Positive role modeling is another powerful influence on kids, and it's simple really. Voice your eco-friendly intentions so kids can understand ("Let's ride our bikes, so we don't pollute!"), and show them positive reinforcement for making green choices ("Good job remembering to turn off the light—way to save energy!"). Nicole Hayes, a green-minded mom from Cool, sums it up this way: "One of my greatest goals as a parent is to create a nature-loving, nature-respecting individual who grows up knowing the impact of his actions on our Earth." Now, that's a journey worth enjoying.