Family Fun Mom: Earth Day Activities for The Family

I am not a "Green" momma.

I mean, we recycle and I tell the kids to turn off the water when brushing teeth etc., and we don't litter, but beyond that, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to thinking of things that I can do to help our family live a greener life.

Luckily for me, one of my bestest friends in the whole world, who IS a "Green" mom, just started a blog that has lots of tips for living a green and holistic life. Make sure to check it out because already I am getting some great ideas from it!!!

In addition to that, to celebrate Earth day, which is Sunday April 22nd, (and in the spirit of full disclosure, I wouldn't have even KNOWN it was Earth day unless I read my friend's blog...), I am coming up with ideas of things that families can do together to make a positive impact in the world around us.

Here are a few things I have come up with:

Grocery Shopping Bags: I do my grocery shopping on Sunday's, and I am ashamed to admit it, but even though I have about 400 reusable bags from various places, I never take them with me to the grocery store. I almost always use the plastic ones. (Bad Blogger! Bad Blogger!). BUT, this Sunday I am going to dig out all those bags and take my kids with me to the grocery and explain to them why I am using the new bags instead of the plastic ones. And by telling them, they will definitely help keep me accountable to continue using them in the future!

Plant a Tree: Kids LOVE to plant things! This is an easy and great way to get kids involved in Earth day doing something they love. You can purchase trees from The Arbor Day Foundation Here.

Make a Craft: Using recycled materials, make something the family can enjoy together. Some ideas are: a bird feeder, a flower pot, and bookmarks. Here is a site with some great craft ideas!

Make a List: Sit down together as a family, and brainstorm ideas for how you can make your home a "greener" space. You might be surprised at the great ideas that kids will come up with!

Start a Garden: Spring is the perfect time to start your garden. You can let the kids choose whether you do a flower garden or a vegetable garden!

Pick Up Trash: This idea came from my friend's blog I told you about! When you take the kids for a walk around the neighborhood, be sure to take a trash bag with you and pick up any trash you see along the way. It will keep the kids busy and help the environment at the same time!

Take a Bike Ride: Instead of driving the car, commit to riding your bike on Sunday. Explain to he kids that by riding bikes instead of driving, you can save money on gas, and you also won't be adding pollution to the air.

Eat Your Leftovers: This one sounds simple, but I know that in my family, we have a little bit of each meal left throughout the week. Usually, we throw it out. But lately, I have been saving those little bits and on Thursday or Friday, (or lunch on Sunday), we get it all out and have a "leftover" meal. The kids think that's fun because the don't have to eat everything, only the stuff they choose. Plus, it saves us from wasting food, and using energy to make a whole new one.