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Health & Fitness

For Earth Day: Reducing your Carbon Footprint

Earth Day is a great opportunity to teach our children that even in small ways we can make a big difference.

Wondering how your family can make a difference and help the environment? There are simple ways to protect the planet without spending a lot of time or money. Help your children develop “green” habits now, they’ll endure over time.

Park the Car

Reduce the number of times you run errands in your car. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, between 1990 and 2001, the number of miles driven to shop increased by 40 percent — this increase is three times as fast as any other category of driving. Consolidate trips or, instead of traveling by car, walk or ride a bike to the store. Using a reusable bag will increase the impact of your efforts!

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Veg Out

Growing a garden is a great way to make an environmental difference. If you are limited for space try container gardening or participate in a community garden. Even toddlers can help plant, tend and harvest. Recycling compostable garbage including potato peels and eggshells in a compost bin is an additional way to enrich your garden and respect the planet.

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Save Energy at Home

You can save water immediately by taking faster showers, limiting your bath water or installing a faucet aerator in your kitchen and bathroom. Over time, replace current water fixtures and toilets with low-flow options. Shutting off the flow while you are brushing your teeth also helps save water.

When you switch from standard incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents, you use 75% less energy. Teach your children to always turn off the light and appliances when they leave the room. Some appliances, including DVD players, use energy even when they are turned off so you need to plug them into power strips to shut-off the flow of electricity.

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