Enjoy Summer in an Earth-Friendly Way

It's summer! Here are a few tips to enjoy time outdoors in a ecologically responsible way. 

1. Garden. Show kids where food comes from by establishing your own garden. Even the smallest of spaces can be home to a few containers for growing herbs, lettuce, or even tomatoes. For bigger areas, plant fun things like blueberries and strawberries that kids already enjoy. And try out some others that your kids might not "like"-- sometimes seeing and waching how something grows will spur a child to give it a try when it's on their plate!

2. Seek out water. Instead of sitting inside with the A/C running, head to a nearby lake, beach, or river and enjoy some time splashing there. Make sure to turn your thermostat up while you're out so it isn't running unneccessarily. (Most recommendations are to set your A/C to 75 while you're home, and a few degrees higher if you'll be leaving. On the other hand, setting the heat to 68 in the winter is a common recommendation.) Visiting lakes, beaches, and splash pads instead of running the sprinkler or filling a baby pool will save you and the Earth lots of water! 

3. Explore your yard and neighborhood. Grab a jar and try to find insects in your own yard. See what you can find! When night comes, catch fireflies with a net and place them in a jar and watch them light up. Remember to put some grass and leaves in the jar, a wet paper towel to keep the air humid, and be sure to poke a few holes at the top. Release the bugs when you're done watching them. If bugs aren't your thing, search your neighborhood for native flowers. Bring along pencils and a pad of paper to draw your favorites. Try not to pick any, since wildflowers are a vital part of the ecosystem. 

Have a great summer!