Stewards of Earth: Kids will one day Inherit the Earth!

by Christy Aune
(Marin, CA)

April 22, 2010 millions around the world will celebrate Earth Day this year marking its 40th Anniversary.

Forty years after the first Earth Day, there is unprecedented opportunity to renew our future. Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to educate, raise awareness, and make a difference. Earth Day is a great day to get children involved in recycling and clean up activities.

We have heard them many of times; the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, and recycle). Some of our kids point them out more than we do. You do your part. You buy green products, recycle, conserve water, and even save for a hybrid car. Let's face it: our children are going to inherit a less-than-perfect world. We must educate, motivate and, of course, demonstrate.

Earth Day activities take on many shapes and forms such as parades; celebrations at zoos, aquariums and children's museums; go-green expos and fairs; and earth-walk fundraisers. However, activities dedicated to fostering budding environmentalists are perhaps the most important. Some examples are working to restore local habitats; picking up litter; learning to compost; recycling old cell phones, inkjet cartridges, batteries, plastic and electronic equipment; carbon footprint-reduction contest; and wetlands cleanups.

It may be the grownups who make the decisions, but it is the kids who will one day inherit the planet! Teaching kids about sustainability will better prepare them for the choices they will make in the future. Here are five ways that kids can help protect Mother Earth-every day:

Recycle - Take the time to review what can and cannot be recycled. Talk to your children about the hazards of landfills. To learn more, visit the National Recycling Coalition website.

Launch a Waste-Free Challenge - The average school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year and the average sized elementary school generates 18,760 pounds of lunch waste per year, you can make a big difference by packing waste-free lunches and snacks. Learn more on how you can go waste-free and raise money for your school with Kids Konserve.

Enjoy nature - Walk and Roll! Enjoy a nice walk to a local park or bike there! The National Park Service "Find a Park" Web page makes it easy to find a national park near you.

Participate in a clean-up effort - Hook up with a local environmental organization and, together with your child, volunteer for a river, ocean or land clean-up effort. Discover a project that needs your help at the Environmental Volunteers website.

Plant a tree - They consume carbon dioxide, release oxygen and allow us all to breathe a little more deeply. The Arbor Day Foundation is the perfect place to buy a tree because the money they earn goes to promote tree education and conservation.

So why wait - Start planning your Earth Day 2010 Kids Konserve Waste-Free Challenge, and make a difference! www.kidskonserve.com