Making Every Lesson Count...
The kids are back in school. Why not help make the Earth part of every lesson plan? The environment can be integrated into nearly every academic subject: English, math, science, history, geography, current events, even physical education. Whether you are a parent or teacher, here are tips to make every school day Earth Day.
- Use simple explanations. Try to find real-life examples of things kids can relate to. Help bring lessons to life through everyday activities at home, at school, and in the local community.
- Give positive steps to take. Kids get frustrated if they can't solve a problem. Show them what they can do in their lives. Praise or reward their green actions much as you might other responfsible behavior.
- Get outside. Visit a park, science center, landfill, recycling plant, zoo, or any other place to help learn about environmental issues firsthand.
- Admit what you don't know. It's okay to shrug your shoulders when you can't explain something. (Even scientists don't have all the answers.) Most environmental problems are very complex. It might be an opportunity for you to find answers together.
- Avoid scare tactics. While environmental problems may be serious, there's no need to scare kids into action. Instead, empower them to take action.
Back to School. . . with a Breath of Fresh Air.
Most people know that outdoor air pollution can damage their health, but many do not know that indoor pollution can also have harmful effects. Government studies indicate that pollution indoors may be 2 to 5 times and sometimes more than 100 times, worse than outdoor pollution. Children are especially susceptible because they breathe more air relative to their body weight. What causes air problems inside schools? You'd be surprised at the variety of sources:
- Outdoor air pollutants such as pollen, dust, industrial emissions, and vehicle exhaust.
- Faulty or inefficient ventilation and air conditioning equipment.
- Emissions from office equipment, shops, and labs.
- Cleaning processes and supplies, emissions from carpet and furnishings.
- Pesticides and other landscape chemicals and more.
Untreated, indoor air problems can have serious consequences at school, such as:
- Increases health problems for students and staff
- Negatively affects student learning, comfort, and attendance
- Reduces staff performance due to discomfort, sickness, or absenteeism
- Accelerates deterioration of school buildings and equipment
- Strains relationships between school administrators and parents and staff
- Creates potential liability problems
What can you do to reduce the risks of indoor air problems at your school? Here are some actions to take:
- Identify the symptoms of indoor air problems. They can include: irritations of eyes, nose, and throat; dry mucous membranes and skin; mental fatigue, headache, and sleepiness; airway infections, cough, hoarseness, and wheezing; nausea; dizziness; redness, flushing of the face or skin rashes.
- Consider the health links. Does your child regularly go to school healthy and return home sick or deeply fatigued? Does s/he have more frequent or more severe asthma attacks on school days? Are any of your child's classmates coming home with similar health complaints? Is the school being renovated? Do the air intakes draw in vehicle exhaust or emissions from adjacent industrial facilities?
- Ask teachers and staff. Encourage them to describe observations they have about the building environment. Sometimes the problem is not an indoor air quality issue at all. Keep a log of all conversations.
- Conduct a school audit. Gather a committee of parents, teachers, and staff to inspect the school and grounds for possible problems. An excellent inspection checklist, and many other self-help tools and resources, can be found at www.epa.gov/iaq/schools.
In the Lunchroom...
Are bags, bottles, cans and boxes recycled? Are food scraps composted (perhaps in the school garden?) Are paper products (napkins, towels, etc.) made from recycled material? Look for ways to minimize trash going to landfills and use more products made from recycled material.
On the Grounds...
Find out how landscaping is cared for. What pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals are used? Has the amount increased or decreased during recent years? Are warning signs or other precautions taken to ensure these harmful substances don't harm people or animals? Find out about less-toxic alternative products or landscaping techniques.
Are there places on your school grounds where trees could be planted to provide shade? Is there room where shrubs and grassy areas can be planted to encourage birds and other safe wildlife?
For more information visit:
www.nwf.org/campusecology
www.ase.org/greenschools
www.yesworld.org/info/manual.htm
Have a Green Halloween...
Halloween can be scary - but it needn't be scary for the earth. Here are some tips on how to keep environmental boogey-men away on October 31st:
- Buy candy that uses the least amount of packaging. And try to purchase goodies made from organic and healthy ingredients.
- Teach your children. Urge your children to dispose of their candy wrappers in their bags or in trash cans rather than on the street.
- Check the labels on Halloween-related items and buy ones that use recycled content.
- Use pillow cases or reusable plastic containers instead of paper bags for collecting candy.
- If you plan a Halloween party, buy or use reusable utensils, plates, napkins, and tablecloths, or buy disposable items that have recycled content.
- Remember to be extra vigilant about fire safety! Decorations like corn stalks, leaves and hay are highly flammable. Not to mention, all store-bought goods like crepe paper, spider webs should be labeled "fire-safe" or "fire-proof." Keep a close eye on all burning candles as well.
- Instead of buying a costume, try to create a costume at home out of old clothes and other materials. If buying a costume is the only option, save it to use again, or give it to someone who can use it next year.
- After the festivities are over, start a compost pile with your old jack-o-lantern and any other organic materials. If you do not have space, check with your town officials or local garbage collectors about whether there is a community compost pile in your area.
- As you clean up after the holiday, don't throw away your Halloween decorations. Use them again them next year to save money as well as landfill space.
Enjoy a Locally Grown Thanksgiving...
- Bake a traditional pumpkin pie with pumpkins grown in a community pumpkin patch. Get kids to help!
- Make applesauce out of apples you pick at a local orchard.
- Visit farmers' markets for squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables that are harvested in the fall.
- Check with local poultry producers for turkeys raised on pastures instead of feedlots.
- Buy freshly baked bread at the local bakery - or try baking some fresh at home!
Learn about the preparation and consumption of natural, healthy organic produce, and get hundreds of recipes from The Green Chronicle at http://www.greenchronicle.com/organic_recipes.htm.
From Chestnut Soup to Crème Brule, these recipes are sure to make your holiday dinner a hit!
Thing Globally, Shop Locally...
One of the simplest steps you can take to help protect the planet is to buy products that are produced in your own community.
Consider the benefits:
- Local products reduce the amount of energy that would otherwise be used to transport them long distances.
- Foods that are grown nearby often require fewer pesticides than those that must be prevented from spoiling during cross-country commutes.
- Supporting the local economy often makes it possible for local manufacturers to try new environmental techniques with lower risk.
How can you buy "local"
- Buy fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets and roadside stands, especially during the fall harvest.
- Encourage your grocery store to carry locally grown produce.
- Pick your own fruits and vegetables at open farms and orchards. It makes for a fun family trip as well!
- Frequent crafts fairs, "mom-and-pop" shops, and local artisans.
FACT! The Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA has created a website with listings of farmers markets across the United States. To find a farmers market in your neighborhood, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm
Getting Rid of An Old Car?
Perhaps you're finally ready to get rid of ol' Betsy or you're considering living "car-free?" Why not consider donating your used car, truck, boat or RV to charity? Now you can donate your used vehicle to benefit Earth Share through Car Program LLC.
Most vehicles are accepted even if they don't run, although some restrictions may apply on older vehicles. It's easy and convenient, and you'll be eligible for a tax deduction as well!
Why donate my vehicle?
- It's much easier to donate your used vehicle than it is to sell it yourself.
- The tax savings might even be more than what you would receive from a trade in.
- Free towing!
How to make a car donation:
Visit Earth Share's website at www.earthshare.org and click on the link under
"Tip of the Day." This will take you to the online form which you can complete and fax back to Earth Share. Feel free to contact them with any questions.
In the Yard...
Though many people gear up to work on their yards and gardens in the spring, fall is actually an ideal time for yard work. By the time autumn rolls around, summer heat waves are long past, rainfall is usually more plentiful, and new trees, bushes and flowers have a greater chance of surviving than they would if they were planted during a hotter season. Here are a few ideas for your yard this fall.
Use a rake instead of a leaf blower. If you need a power tool for a hard to reach spot (like your roof, or in between shrubbery), try an electric leaf blower, rather than a gasoline-powered one. Electric leaf blowers are usually quieter and more energy-efficient than their high-powered counterparts.
Hire neighborhood kids to help. If the idea of doing the raking doesn't appeal to you (or you don't have time), hire a couple of high school kids to help out. They'll be affordable as well as ecological.
Choose hand-powered hedge trimmers. As an alternative to more energy-intensive trimmers, you can also try electric trimmers.
Consider a hand-powered lawn mower. Many yards are so small that a hand-powered lawn mower does the job just fine. You'll replace the roar of a power mower with the quiet whir of the low-tech model; even an electric mower is quieter than one requiring gasoline.
Fertilize organically. When preparing your soil for next year, add organic, slow-release fertilizers that will help enhance your soil over time. Most garden stores today carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers; many catalog companies also sell organic products.
See Earth Share's Web site at www.earthshare.org for more tips on gardening organically or check out your library for more information.
Plant trees. Choose species native to your area as well as those that are drought and pest resistant and can grow in the kind of soil and amount of sunlight available on your property.
Gauge your garden. Replace plants that demand too much water or attract too many bugs.
Let It Rot...
As you rake leaves this fall, consider this: leaves, grass clippings and other yard waste are the second largest source of household waste (after paper). There's a better solution -one that's good for your garden and the planet: composting.
Composting is nature's way of recycling wastes. In a compost pile, organic matters like food and yard wastes are biologically turned into humus, a soil-like material that can be used in gardens.
Composting helps the Earth in two ways: It keeps wastes out of landfills, and it replenishes the soil. Humus from composting helps retain water and improves the nutritional quality of soil. It makes plants grow better and more easily resists pests.
HOW TO USE YOUR COMPOST
- Dig some compost into the soil before you plant.
- Sprinkle some screened compost on your lawn and on the soil of houseplants.
- Use some compost as mulch around trees and plants to retain moisture.
- Mix compost with other potting materials to start seedlings or to re-pot house plants.
- Give some to a friend.
To find out just how easy it is to make your own compost. Visit the Compost Guide! http://www.compostguide.com/
Get Your Car Ready For Winter...
- Fix engine problems like hard starts, rough idling, stalling, and poor power. A tune-up can be a life saver as well as a gas saver.
- Check and replace dirty filters; air, fuel, PCV, etc. which can increase fuel use.
- Scrape off battery corrosion and clean its surfaces. If it is more than four years old, consider replacing it.
- Have your cooling system flushed and a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze added.
- Cooling system hoses and fan belts can deteriorate with age, but are easy and inexpensive to replace.
- As it gets cold, add fuel de-icer to the gas at every fill-up. Try to keep at least a half-tank of gas at all times to prevent water condensation, which can block gas flow and waste gas and money.
- Check and rotate tires and check tire pressure regularly to improve gas mileage and safety on slippery roads.
Do Your Holiday Shopping Online...
The season for shopping will be upon us soon! Shopping on the Internet can save energy by reducing trips to the store. And more web sites now offer products with environmentally preferable characteristics. Shop memolink.com this year and get all your holiday items shipped right to you ro your loved ones!
FACT! Each minute spent driving to the mall uses more than 10 times the energy of a minute spent shopping online.
Here's how to make sure the goods you buy online are as green as possible.
- Look for specific criteria used to determine whether a product or company is environmentally preferable. Look for sires that rely upon established third-party standards and eco-labels.
- Whenever possible, look beyond the product itself to the environmental practices of the manufacturer.
- Look for educational material to help you understand how your purchases impact environmental problems. Many sites provide balanced and credible information or link to other sites that do.
- Consider alternatives to buying. For example, consider renting, refurbishing or reusing something you already have rather than buying a new one.
- Avoid overnight shipping, which uses significantly more energy than shipping by rail or truck.
- Ask questions about environmental claims you don't fully understand. If you don't get satisfactory answers, take your business elsewhere.
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