Howefitz Blog

The following post is part of a much larger project called Blog Action Day. Every year, bloggers unite to discuss a single cause. This year’s topic is Global Climate Change. I hope that you enjoy my humble offering, and that you’ll click the graphic on the left to learn more and read other great posts.

This past Earth Day, I blogged about how I felt that having kids was just about the worst thing you can do to be ‘sustainable’ or ‘green’. I still feel that there are a lot of things about the way we currently live that makes it increasingly hard to stay green when kids are a part of your life.

When you have kids, you look for any way to make your life easier and more convenient, because, let’s face it, as much as we love our dear little ones, they are not very convenient!

When Calli was first born, I was amazed at how much longer it took to just get into the car to go somewhere. I had to buy a set of matching luggage just to make sure that she had enough changes of clothes, snacks, drinks, blankets, etc. to make it through a trip to the grocery store. So anything like single serving chips, yogurt, cheerios, etc. is welcome. Now that we have Tristin, doubly so.

But what about the planet?

I’ve come to realize, mostly because I can’t imagine a life without my kids, that it is our responsibility to teach Earth stewardship to our children, so that by raising them right, we are leaving the planet a better place.

Well, I Don’t Believe In Your ‘Climate Change’, Treehugger! It’s all a Bunch of Nonsense Invented By Al Gore!

Yeah. Like the internet.

Look, regardless of how you sit politically, there are reasons for getting involved with caring for your planet whether you believe in global climate change or think that Global Warming is just another way of saying ‘good weather‘.

How many times has this scenario happened to you?

You wake up early in the morning, mentally preparing for a great day. You wake up the kids because you promised to take them hiking. ‘We’re going to get back to nature!’ you had said.

You breathe in deep as you hike. It feels good to get away from civilization. Away from cell phones and computers. Back to nature. You see a stream and tell the kids to kick off their shoes and explore!

You kick off your shoes as well, and realize that you have to be careful not to cut your self on the broken bottles and half-rusted cans…

That should be enough incentive right there. I don’t care if your hobby’s burning fossil fuels for fun, don’t you get irritated that the planet’s just junked up?

I live in the Rocky Mountains, ‘Where the air’s still clean’, as my employer that brought me up here from Missouri advertised. And even here, you can’t help but notice the effects of man on the planet. Strip mining is big business, and as much as I try, I can’t avert my eyes from seeing the devastation we cause.

At any rate, this post was supposed to be about what we can do as parents to teach our kids the effects we have on our environment. So here’s some ideas:

1. Don’t pass it up…

When you do go out on that nature walk with the family, after getting over your disgust at your fellow man’s reckless behavior, go ahead and pick up a little. By all means, take the proper precautions. Don’t let your kids cut themselves on glass or metal, but show them that even if you didn’t put it there, it’s OK to pick it up. In fact, it’s encouraged.

2. Remember the 3 R’s

It’s pretty much rote by now, right? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. I can’t think about them without getting Jack Johnson’s song stuck in my head. But how much do we practice it? Try to make every attempt to buy products with less packaging. Reuse everything. I’ve been known to save my sandwich bags for the next lunch, as long as it’s not sticky with jelly… And recycle. The recycling center I use is close to my work, so it’s not even inconvenient. Plus, most items are comingled, so I don’t even have to separate my glass from my plastic! Score!

3. Do you really have to drive EVERYWHERE?!

I wish I lived closer to work. I used to live roughly 2 miles away, so I rode my bike a lot. Not only was that the Earth-Friendly choice, but it was great for me! I had more energy on my bike days, and I knew I wasn’t helping to murder the planet. Walk, bike, use (shudder) public transportation, carpool. Find something you can stomach or possibly even enjoy in order to avoid using the car every now and then.

4. Buy local.

I have gotten addicted to visiting Farmer’s Markets. They’re just fun. You get to meet some great folks, and a lot of them entertain you with live music or food demonstrations as well. The best part is, the food you buy there is fresh because it didn’t have to travel, and better for the environment because, well, it didn’t have to travel! Plus, more than likely, that local food was organically grown. Better for you AND the environment!

5. Discuss being stewards of the planet with your kids

Be open and honest and come right out with it. You know how you feel about Climate Change, but do you know how your kids feel? Do they possibly disagree with you? One thing I’ve discovered is that kids learn things at school that you may not have thought about. Don’t get so caught up in your job as mentor to learn from your kids every once in a while. They might just surprise you…

I’ll be quiet now and let you get back to surfing the web. Just remember: we only get one Earth. If we don’t take care of it, who will?

Looking for more ways to take action? Visit Blog Action Day’s Take Action page. There you can sign a petition that calls for the U.S. to be a leader in reducing greenhouse gases, as well as other ways you can take action for the planet!

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