The concept of “going green” to conserve natural resources is an idea many people support. However, when it comes to taking action, few people go out of their way. Teaching your children to respect the environment and taking simple steps to conserve limited resources will not only help the environment, but can improve your health as well!


Make your own grocery bags. Purchase canvas bags at a local craft store and have your children decorate them. Explain the impact plastic has on the environment and by reusing their portable works of art, they are helping to cut back on the 100 billion plastic bags that are estimated to be used each year, according to the Worldwatch Institute. Help your health as well as the environment by filling those bags with healthy foods each time you go to the store.


Plant a garden. Regardless of the color of your thumb, you can grow your own produce in a family garden. Visit www.kidsgardening.com for ideas on gardening activities, including instructions on growing a salad indoors and creating a themed garden adventure in your backyard! Try planting an alphabet garden with your kindergartener or an out-of-this-world outer space garden with your day-dreaming astronaut! By growing your own produce you can save money by reducing your monthly grocery bill. Additionally, children are more likely to eat the produce they have planted and watched grow, increasing their exposure to and consumption of healthy foods. As an added benefit, gardening allows your children to enjoy the outdoors and be physically active, thus improving their health!


Turn off the TV and computer. According to www.kidshealth.org, children in the United States watch television an average of 4 hours a day and spend an additional 2 hours a day on the computer outside of homework. This equates to more than a full day per week these devices are using electricity and children are inactive. A study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found the amount of time a child spends watching TV increases their risk of becoming overweight. Help reduce this risk by encouraging your children to turn off the television or computer and go outside and play. Riding bikes as a family, training and participating in a local 5K race or walking your family pet are all activities that not only conserve electricity, but also increase your child’s level of physical activity.


Learning to respect the environment and maintain a healthy lifestyle can easily go hand-in-hand.


 Marissa Dean is a Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities AmeriCorps member and part of Children’s Hunger Alliance.





 

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