The kids of today are different. So many of them have grown-up learning about ways to save the earth as part of their school's curriculum. Their morning cartoons present ways for kids to make a difference environmentally. Even the kid's menus at certain chain restaurants have an earth theme. Showing respect for the earth is simply how kids of today are growing up.
Litter rates could be proof that kids are making a difference. The Hartford Courant recently ran an article about America's dwindling litter rates. Two percent a year since 1970. Does anyone else remember the segment on Sesame Street back in the late 1970's/early1980's where a little cartoon boy talked about what would happen if everyone littered? For me, as a child, that short segment was powerful. Today's kids see those type of images and messages constantly.
One example of a kid who automatically thinks about his impact is my Little Guy with his Halloween candy. After he ate a box of Dots, he broke down the tiny box and placed it in our paper recycling bag. Little Guy thought that everyone automatically recycled their tiny boxes.
My Girlie once went diving into the trash during a play date to recover a diaper that another mummy was throwing out. She had never seen a disposable diaper and thought that a cloth diaper was being mistakenly trashed.
Another example is my son's friend, Laura. The two met back when Little Guy was two and Laura was eight. Laura was so sweet with Little Guy and would play endless games of cars and piggyback while waiting for their sisters in dance class.
This year Laura entered a new elementary school. This school has a ton of great after school activities like ropes course, violin and basketball. The school also offers a club called The Green Team.
Laura signed-up for the Green Team and luckily snagged a spot in the popular club. Now Laura and her friends are busy meeting once a week to devise ways to become little environmental activists! Their first goal is the school and then they want to move on to the community. Lofty goals for a group of ten and eleven year-olds.
What would our plant look like if say, my mummy had a Green Team at her school? What about if I had a Green team.
Best of luck to all of the little Gruppies out there! The rest of us are counting on you.
6 comments:
I love this post. It always amazes me when my little ones just assume everyone recycles or uses cloth bags or knows that plastic bottles of water are bad for the environment. When Michael was in school (he's homeschooled now) he was absolutely appalled that they threw away little plastic dishes every day as part of the fruit and veggie program, and worked to start a recycling program at his school.
This was inspiring and gave me back a little hope for our future and the future of this planet.
ps. I like your new layout! Great color palette. did you design it yourself or did you get it from a site? please share blogging secrets :)
Thanks for noticing my new header! Just the change of header makes the entire blog look different.
Bascially I was chatting with Hubby on the phone yesterday. I mentioned that I hated my header and asked if he could possibly deign something different. Thirty minutes later he emailed what you see.
I wish that I could tell you how he did it, but he is the artistic one of the couple.
I had a Green Team in high school. They installed boxes in each class and in the hallways to collect paper for recycling (you know how much paper gets discarded in school). They also put in cans in the quads for collecting cans for recycle. Of course, they also picked emptied all those boxes and cans and brought them to recycling centers. Money earned went to the class' fund.
Who was it in the '70s I liked? Woody the Owl? That one did it for me. I swear I can't drop a shred of paper on the ground because ringing in my head is "Give a hoot - don't pollute!" Haha!
Hey, LOVE the new look here, by the way. Be looking for mine soon.... can't wait!
Post a Comment