• About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Media
  • #outfam
  • NEWSLETTER

Outdoor Families Magazine

Where Families and Nature Unite

  • HOME
  • REWILDING
  • OUTDOOR EDUCATION
  • OUTDOOR GEAR
  • OUTDOOR FAMILY TRAVEL
  • GETTING OUTDOORS

Going Green All Year: St. Patrick’s Day suggestions for sustainable living

March 9, 2015 by Erin Kirkland Leave a Comment

  • Share47
  • Tweet1
  • Reddit
  • Pocket
  • Flipboard
going green all year
Going “green” can take many forms. Cooking at home instead of eating out, recycling, upcycling, the list is endless! [Mae Kiggins image]

by Mae Kiggins

Even simple holidays can teach kids the value of giving back. Take St. Patrick?s Day, for example. This year, my children and I are learning how to be ?green? in an effort to live a more sustainable life, and we started with the basics: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Reduce.?In our consumer-driven world, parents often feel the need to give their children more ?stuff.? Instead of taking kids to a movie, try reading a book together or, better yet, head outdoors for family fun time at a fee-free location. Local parks, trails, nature centers and libraries are excellent options. Get together with friends and share toys during an outdoor playdate. Be creative, the possibilities are endless.

Reuse.?Kids accumulate clothing and gear, especially those who frequent the outdoors. How about starting a ?Take It or Leave It? event to exchange items no longer needed? Meet other parents at a designated location, take what you need, and leave your outgrown or unwanted gear behind. Bonus: This is a great way to clear out closets and toy boxes at home!

Additionally, many options exist for purchasing second-hand items online. Great choices include thredUp?for used women?s and kids clothing, GearTrade?and standbys like Craigslist and eBay.

Recycle.?Even if your community doesn?t have a formal recycling program, there are still ways to kick cans, bottles, and paper to the curb. Visit your city?s waste-management website to locate the nearest recycling center. Make an activity out of decorating labeled boxes for recycling at home. Ask the neighbors to join in, and set aside one weekend a month to take everything at once.

Instilling the value of reduce, reuse, and recycle is easy if you involve the whole family. [image Jennifer Fontaine]
Instilling the value of reduce, reuse, and recycle is easy if you involve the whole family. [Image Jennifer Fontaine]
Beyond the Basics

Upcycle. ?Upcycling? is taking something old and creating something new and beautiful. This can be as simple as making a swing out of an old tire and some rope, to making furniture out of used wooden pallets. Do some searching online; you?ll be amazed at what people have created. There are even companies that specialize in selling upcycled products.

Nature-inspired crafting. Spring is the perfect time to make bird feeders. We made these using sticks, pipe cleaners or string and Cheerios. So simple and refillable.

Buy locally-grown produce. Get your kids involved in gardening or shop your local farmers market. Research grocery outlets in your area and patronize those that support local agriculture efforts.

Make a green treat. Ok, this isn’t very sustainable, but my kids and I always enjoy making goodies together, and homemade beats pre-made, any day. Try St. Patrick’s Day indoor s’mores; crispy rice treats with a few drops of green food coloring, then topped with dark chocolate and crushed graham crackers.

going green all year
Homemade crafting saves money and creates an atmosphere of caring for nature’s creatures. [Image Mae Kiggins]
Other tips for ?going green?

Unplug appliances when not in use. Plugged in, appliances use energy even when turned off. The phenomenon has many names: Phantom energy, vampire energy, or idle current. Whatever the name, energy is wasted. Unplug your appliances when you’re not using them, especially while traveling.

Use the dishwasher. Surprisingly, dishwashers use less water than filling the sink or keeping the faucet running to rinse. Shift the light. If you have blinds covering your windows, angle light toward the ceiling during warmer summer months. This will keep the house cooler while still allowing natural light to filter into the room.

Mae-hikingMae Kiggins is an outdoor urban mom with a background in forestry and outdoor education. She is publisher of the blog Mommy Loves Trees and lives with her family in Oklahoma.?

Related

Filed Under: STEWARDSHIP Tagged With: going green, Green living, kids, March 2015, St. Patrick's Day, stewardship, sustainable living

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Trending Outdoor Families Articles

  • Hiking in Asheville – 15 Must-Hike Trails For Kids
  • The 12 Best Family-Friendly Whitewater River Rafting Trips in the U.S.
  • 26 Outdoor STEM Activities For Kids
  • 35 Nature Books for Kids
  • 130+ FREE Outdoor Learning Activities For Kids Unexpectedly Stuck at Home
  • What is Wildschooling?
  • 8 Reasons Why Glamping at Capitol Reef Resort Should Be on Your Family Travel Bucket List

NATURE NEWS

A Little Nature a Day Keeps Negative Self-Feelings At Bay, Science Says

Human-Induced Climate Change Takes its Toll On Our Tallest Peaks?

Love of Nature Is In Your Genes, Research Shows

OUTDOOR FAMILIES MAGAZINE

  • HOME
  • REWILDING
  • OUTDOOR EDUCATION
  • OUTDOOR GEAR
  • OUTDOOR FAMILY TRAVEL
  • GETTING OUTDOORS

Search Outdoor Families Magazine

Outdoor Families Magazine Mission

Outdoor Families Magazine and Community strives to enrich the lives of multi-generational families internationally by providing unparalleled, award-winning outdoor and adventure related content meant to inspire a connection to, participation in and stewardship of the natural world.

Outdoor Family Community

  • View OutdoorFamiliesOnline’s profile on Facebook
  • View @outdoorfammag’s profile on Twitter
  • View outdoorfammag’s profile on Instagram
  • View outdoorfammag’s profile on Pinterest
  • View OutFam’s profile on YouTube

Privacy Policy

Outdoor Families Magazine Tree Logo - Cheryl Robertson Rosa

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • 47
  • 1
 

Loading Comments...