Moms Talk: Celebrating Earth Day With Your Kids

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 05:37 pm

Oh mamma earth! We recycle and then recycle some more. We try and do the best with composting. Two bins going strong. Takes a couple of years to get black gold but we did get use out of a bin of compost one year and put it in a raised bed. It was real nice. I use a few green products that are for the kitchen and bathroom. I do not go overboard but would like to know what else the moms have in mind. I guess you really cannot go overboard when it comes to our planet. I would love to have a totally green house -it has to start somewhere. Every bit helps, though I am not an expert. Ideas?

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 05:48 pm

There is a nice article on Wikihow - "How To Celebrate Earth Day."
http://www.wikihow.com/Celebrate-Earth-Day

Tiffany Prysmiki April 20, 2011 at 06:05 pm

We recycle, buy green products when we can and talk about keeping the earth clean and not wasting water etc. This year we are going to plant a tree! Lowes is giving out free trees on Saturday! http://chicagofree.info/2011/04/19/get-your-free-tree-on-april-23-2/

Marissa Amoni April 20, 2011 at 06:14 pm

Can't beat a free tree! Thanks for sharing Tiffany.

Marissa Amoni April 20, 2011 at 06:18 pm

I like that Red Oak Nature Center has activities for the family on Earth Day. There is also an annual environmental fair in Yorkville and a green fest in Aurora -- I think community events help educate and draw attention to things everyone can do for Mother Earth. At home, since my kids are young, I am trying to make sure that "recycle" is in their vocabulary. My daughter knows to recycle paper and plastic - and some times she needs to be reminded, but I am glad that it is becoming habit. I think just teaching our kids from the beginning to be respectful of nature is giving them a great gift.

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 06:23 pm

No you can't. Nice!

Steph Motenko April 20, 2011 at 06:27 pm

I would love to purge my home of all plastics and chemicals, eat organic and grass fed, free range foods exclusively, and get rid of my car entirely! For now those are pretty unrealistic goals, but I'll keep dreaming of dropping off the grid and living simply on a little farmette somewhere...
We haven't celebrated Earth Day in the past, but I do talk to my daughter about the need to conserve resources. We're growing about a zillion heirloom seedlings in her playroom at the moment (it has the best light), and we were discussing the Gulf Oil Spill last summer in great detail, even though she was only three years old at the time. We compost, buy second-hand when possible, and try to ride the bikes instead of driving when weather permits. Still, I always feel like we should be doing more. Becoming a parent has made me especially aware of the condition in which we're leaving the planet. It sure is hard to balance out those feelings with our typical 21st Century lifestyle, though.

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 06:31 pm

Wasting water in our house is a big concern. I try to enforce bathtub sharing. The two boys can get in at the same time or the two youngest can plop in together. My husband does not like that idea because of the probable mess and the fighting at times for a bathtub toy but I have to remind him of the waste or that the used water that is dirty is not a good idea for the second child. Leaving water off while brushing teeth is also a good habit. Yes Marissa it is all about getting into the habits. "Habits for habitat. ":)

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 06:36 pm

Can I tell you guys how frustrating it is that my in-laws down south do not recycle at all!!!!! You all know how much plastic and paper and glass is accumulated in one week. Every time I go there I want to recycle and I have to shed a tear and throw it in the garbage.:(

Marissa Amoni April 20, 2011 at 06:47 pm

Is recycling available in their community and they choose not to recycle? I would make a point of bringing a garbage bag or box with on your next trip and tell everyone to put recycling in the bag/box to bring back home to recycle. Or you could find a recycling dumpster in their community. I have this problem with compost. I used to compost religiously, but since living on a second floor rental, I've become lax. It's something I'd like to start up again. Again, once it's habit, it is easy!

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 06:59 pm

I really do not think it is available. It wasn't when I lived there. That was 10 years ago and you sure can fall back into the habit of NOT recycling! I would think someone would start a grass roots movement by now or something. They need a Marissa girl to start the movement! :)

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 07:01 pm

Yes Steph, second hand is the best! I take for granted how buying used helps the earth. I just think of the money that is saved.

Kari April 20, 2011 at 07:23 pm

We try and do all we can throughout the year and teach our 3 yr old with every opportunity about respect for the environment. We recycle, use rain barrels to water our flowers and grow our own vegetables as well as belong to a CSA. The last two years we have joined the Park District for their Spring Cleanup day. Our daughter has enjoyed it both years even though she was only 2 and 3 at the time, she helped us pick up litter along the river. The little one also is really good about turning off lights in our house and reminding me of why we do it when I leave them on! We don't use plastic water bottles and used cloth diapers when the kid was in diapers.

Kari April 20, 2011 at 07:32 pm

We will also do something for Earth Day. Not sure what yet.

Amy Perry April 20, 2011 at 07:38 pm

Would love a rain barrel this year. Cloth diapers, very good. We did that with our first for a little bit but did not continue. Another habit to get into. I pretend that all of those landfill diapers do not exist. Ignorance.

Kari April 20, 2011 at 07:58 pm

This last Feb I was visiting a client in Buffalo and during lunch with about 10 people we got on the topic of recycling. I was shocked to hear none of my clients recycled. I blurted out my opinions on recycling and how shocked I was they didn't do it. I was thankful when the conversation changed.
I'm not sure exactly when my family started recycling but I know we did when I was in 7th grade and I have ever since. I guess we were lucky our community offered pickup back then.

Laura M. Healy April 21, 2011 at 12:29 pm

Hi - I'm glad to see that so many are interested in helping the Earth! Over the next few weeks, there are cleanup events for the Fox River (kids allowed with waivers). I try to pick up garbage from the Blackberry Creek forest preserve while I'm walking my dogs. Saving water is a snap - change out your showerheads, don't take baths - baths use much more water than showers (you can use a handheld shower for little ones). Use toilet dams or put a bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to reduce water used per flush (if you don't have a low-flow toilet). Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes (dishwashers use less water than hand-washing; good way to talk hubby into buying a dishwasher!). Sweep debris away outside instead of hosing it away. Don't leave the hose or faucet running. If you have to water your lawn, do so in the very early morning and only for an hour a week (that's all the lawn needs if it hasn't rained in a week). Instead of buying drinking water at the store (or paying a company to deliver it [also pollutes the air]), install a whole-house water filter for less than $200.
Other ways include planting drought-resistant plants and grass. Recycling is only a small piece of what we can do and an important one. Don't forget the local electronic recycling events (Oswego) and the Montgomery police department accepts old batteries (fun way for the kids to meet the police if they are not busy). Please everyone - jump in with more ideas!

Steph Motenko April 21, 2011 at 03:11 pm

Wow Laura! You are full of good ideas! I've never heard the one about the water bottle in the toilet - That's genius! I'm going to do it today!

Marissa Amoni April 21, 2011 at 07:54 pm

Laura - Great ideas! Do you live in Montgomery? Please e-mail me at maj2099@gmail.com. I'd love to interview you!

Marissa Amoni April 21, 2011 at 07:57 pm

Yeah Kari! I used cloth with my first and then got lazy, I guess. I have lots of excuses, but moving from a ranch to a second floor apt. is the main one, I think. ;-)
Earth Day is fun to celebrate -- it's just a bit hard with Easter being the same weekend this year. Too much going on!!! Red Oak had an event this week, but the weather was yucky. I'm looking forward to Aurora's Green Fest in June.