Green Family Values

The three R's of environmentalism are reduce, reuse, and recycle. They are important for green families to know and consider in daily life as they often serve as the foundation for green goals and family ideals. All three of them should be considered whenever we take out the trash or buy new products for the home.

Reducing basically means eliminating things you don't need to making less garbage. When making purchases it is important to determine if the products you are buying are really necessary. Many times we tend to find that we buy many luxury items along side the necessities. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself occasionally but as a rule simplicity is better. If you do decide to buy, you can still reduce your landfill contribution buy electing to buy products that will last for a long time or have another use later on.

Purchasing reusable items that need not be thrown away is another great way to avoid landfill waste. It is environmentally reckless to use disposable products that can only be used once before being thrown away. This puts a burden on our planetary resources and creates needless waste.

Recycling is the process by which materials are collected and used as a basis for new products or materials. Recycling items that you would otherwise throw away reduces landfill waste and helps us conserve energy and money. Buying products made from post consumer recycled materials encourages more recycling.

Here are some of the ways that green families can practice the 3 R's:

1. Use dishes, flatware, and glasses instead of their disposable counterparts.
2. Set out cloth napkins for family meals.
3. Use cloth diapers and cloth baby wipes.
4. Start a compost pile for kitchen scraps.
5. Ask yourself if that item you have your eye on is a necessity or a luxury.
6. Donate toys and clothes you no longer have a use for to others that can use them.
7. Instead of buying new check out second hand stores or online message boards like Craigslist and Freecycle.
8. Start an organic garden to reduce your grocery bill and time spent shopping.
9. Buy rechargeable batteries.
10. Invest in reusable shopping bags and stop using the paper and plastic ones provided by the store.
11. Join a book or clothing swap.
12. Recycle your old cell phones and eyeglasses.
13. Use paper scraps and old magazines for kids craft projects.
14. Don't purchase greeting cards and invitations from the store, send digital invites and greetings instead.
15. Use worn out clothing and make a memory quilt that will be treasured for generations to come.

Men usually love cool gadgets and tools. It seems that they trade in their love of toys as small boys and just move to more grown-up and high tech versions. Luckily the consumer market is a playground for them with all the cool gadgets and toys they could ever ask for. Where once they may have used Lincoln Logs or Legos to build the castle of their dreams they can now use modern technology to build their home castle now with all the creature comforts they want. Green dads have lot of options too. There are numerous green gadgets and toys out there for dads to "play" with.

One such gadget is an MP3 player or an iPod. An iPod is actually a very green gadget made by a company called Apple that strives to be green as well. Dads can save money on music since they can just download their favorite songs, old and new, from iTunes and forgo buying complete albums in stores. Since iPods and MP3 players are portable you no longer have a need to burn CDs on your home computer either. You can listen to your tunes on the go via your iPod, on your computer, by attaching your iPod to a sound dock, or by attaching it to a car stereo dock. Dads can even take their iPod to the gym or for a jog by attaching it to their arm with a special arm band. There are even athletic shoes that can be synced to MP3 players to monitor workout activity. It is efficient and economic. Another big bonus is the fact that MP3 solar power chargers are also available to make powering up a green process too.

While Dad is working out he might also sport a sleek reusable bottle from Klean Kanteen or Sigg. Klean Kanteen makes a line of stainless steel water bottles in various sizes with various lids and sport bottle attachments. Sigg is a bottle made from aluminum with an inert epoxy lining inside. Both options are infinitely better than plastic which is not biodegradable and can leach harmful chemicals into the drinking water. They last a long time, they are healthier to drink out of and they are planet friendly.

Dads that love to camp are in luck too. There are many green gadgets available that make camping a snap. One such product is a flashlight called a Forever Flashlight that powers up simply by shaking. As you shake the flashlight a magnet runs over a metal coil which then generates electricity for up to 5 minutes of light with only 30 seconds of shaking. It is waterproof and has no batteries or bulbs. It is powered 100% by you! There are also a variety of solar flashlights and solar lanterns available as well. Just leave them out in the sun to charge during the day and you will have light for the evening hours. Other solar powered camping gadgets that green dads will love include a solar powered computer charger, a solar cooking oven, and a solar power radio.

These products and many others are perfect for dads that love gadgets and toys and that care deeply about environmental issues.

One of the foremost reasons that many parents seek to live a green lifestyle is because they are mindful of the fact that the earth is an inheritance left to the children. Teens are closer to that inheritance than anyone so it is important that they too show a concern for the environment and step up to protect it as their parents have. This might be not be an easy task in today's fast paced world where teens are wired up, plugged in, and in sync with all the latest and greatest that the marketplace has to offer. The values of mainstream society around them might conflict with the green values you hope to cultivate in their minds and hearts. Since teens are more worldly and savvy than ever, it follows that they are primed to make a real difference and as parents, we can help them.

Here is a list of ways that teens can get their green on!

1. Take a solar backpack to school and charge cell phones or other portable devices with the power of the sun.

2. Pack a waste free school lunch with the Laptop Lunchbox system and carrying bag.

3. Use eco friendly school supplies such as paper made from recycled post consumer waste and stainless steel scissors.

4. Instead of burning CDs use an iPod or another MP3 player and charge it with a solar powered charger. Listen to your tunes via iPod, with a sound dock, on your computer, or with an iPod attachment for car stereos. Support bands that are eco friendly.

5. When done surfing the Internet or chatting with friends online make sure to turn the computer off and don't forget to turn off the lights behind you as well.

6. Help clean up your school by starting a recycling program and a weekly day for volunteer trash pick up to keep the school grounds beautiful. Plan something special for Earth Day and get your classmates involved.

7. Ask the school administrators to allow a showing of the climate crisis documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

8. Shop at second had stores and pick up some cool vintage clothing.

9. Eat one meatless lunch at school a week. Reducing meat consumption is good for the planet and your health.

10. Take your friends to see and environmental movies or documentaries like The 11th Hour or King Corn. Write a review of the movies for your school paper.

11. When second hand won't do and you need to buy new%u2026buy organic fibers like organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, or wool. Environmental slogans are a plus too.

12. Use organic and natural shampoos, toiletries, and make-up.

13. Instead of driving your car to school take the bus or walk. If you do drive you might be able to coordinate a carpool system with a couple of your friends.

14. Apply to colleges with green campuses and philosophies.

15. Pursue an eco friendly career in environmental science, organic agriculture, conservation biology, ecology, or environmental engineering. The world is full of possibilities.

Birthday parties are fun but they don't have to cost the earth - quite literally. Here are a few ideas to help you throw a sustainable party bash.

#1 - Use e-invitations. Avoid the paper waste and send out electronic invitations instead.

#2 - Use real plates and utensils. Paper plates and plastic utensils are tempting but they don't do the earth any good. Use real items instead and get your friends to join in with the washing up!

#3 - Use natural decorations. Decorations don't have to be fancy. You can make pretty flag bunting from fabric scraps. Often the simplest decorations look the best. Let the kids paint rocks in bright colors. Fill vases with fresh cut flowers from the garden. And make a home banner using recyclable paper.

#4 - Don't overdo the food. There are usually lots of leftovers at parties. Think ahead and don't prepare everything at once. If you do have lots of leftovers, offer them to the party goers to take home.

#5 - Make the cake. Homemade birthday cakes are a lovely treat. They don't need to be fancy. Kids (and grownups) really appreciate the effort in a homemade birthday cake - often more than the fanciest store bought cake. It means that someone took the time out to bake something especially for them.

It also means that you don't have to do the extra trip to pick up the cake or have to worry about getting it home in one piece!

#6 - Use local food. Local food is fresh, delicious and great for the environment. Where possible purchase your party goods from local suppliers.