How can we teach today’s youth how to preserve our precious resources? Here are a few ideas that I thought may not only be beneficial to our Earth but fun at the same time.
1. Recycle. Make sure you purchase a recycling bin and separate recyclable items from your garbage. Some cities offer a recycling program where the bins are picked up on the same day as the trash. If you take the items to a recycling center, older kids love to be in charge of sorting the recyclables, especially if they get to keep the redemption fees.
The Monterey Recycle Facility completed an improvement project and re-opened this past February. The MRF processes recyclables collected from the Monterey Peninsula region, construction and demolition debris, and commercial mixed waste. The MRF also receives clean loads of source separated green and wood waste, mattresses, and tires.
Check out the Monterey Recycle Facility online at www.mrwmd.org/recycling to schedule a tour of the new facility.
2. Compost. Composting is fun and easy for people of all ages! You can recycle leaves and other plant materials at home by setting up a compost bin. You will need air, water, brown stuff that contains carbon (dead, dried plant parts like leaves and pine needles) and green stuff that contains nitrogen (fresh living parts like grass clippings, kitchen vegetable scraps, weeds and other plants).
Make sure not to use meat, fat, pet droppings, bones, milk, diseased plants, cheese or oils. For more information and tips on composting check out https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/files/2010/10/compost.pdf
3. The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. Pollinators are responsible for 1 out of 3 bites of food we take each day. More nectar and pollen sources would help improve their health and numbers. Increasing the number of pollinator-friendly gardens and landscapes will help revive the health of bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators across the country.
How can you and your family help? Plant a pollinator garden! You can also support pollinator friendly businesses in the community. Reducing or eliminating the impact of pesticides on pollinators, conserving water and providing an overall healthy habitat is something everyone can help accomplish. Visit http://millionpollinatorgardens.org/ for more information on how to take the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.
4. Beach Clean-up. In the past 25 years, over 144,606,491 pounds of trash has been collected off of beaches worldwide from Alaska to New Zealand. Taking part in beach clean-ups is a great way to keep the oceans healthy for generations to come. Now that my son is older, this is our favorite volunteer activity. Kids of all ages can participate as long as they are accompanied by an adult or guardian.
Check out these awesome organizations that plan beach-clean ups throughout the year:
- Save Our Shores: http://saveourshores.org/volunteer/
- Surfrider Foundation: https://monterey.surfrider.org/
- California Coastal Commission: www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html
- MEarth: http://mearthcarmel.org/
5. Friends’ Community Bookstore in Marina. Not only are used books easier on your budget, but they are also better for the environment. The bookstore located off of Reservation Road has low-cost books of all genres. They also boast a neat collection of used DVDs and CDs.
Volunteers and donations of books, DVDs, CDs, etc. are always needed. www.friendsofthemarinalibrary.org/?q=community-bookstore