The Green Parent

Currently, about 25% of the garbage in the U.S. is recycled, but experts estimate that 65% of our garbage could be recycled. Recycling options vary by city or county, but most areas collect office paper, cardboard, magazines, newspaper, aluminum, plastics, glass (colored or clear), steel, yard trimmings, tires, batteries, and building materials. Use this chart [...]

Oddly enough, one of the most common green parenting questions that I am asked is centered on those pesky toilet paper and paper towel tubes that accumulate so quickly in the family recycle bin. Sure, you could do a craft with them (there are several craft ideas list below) but that idea may lose its [...]

Not that long ago, Halloween decorations consisted of a couple of pumpkins on the front porch and old clothes fashioned into a stuffed scarecrow in the yard. But today, Halloween has begun to rival Christmas with the amount of planning, preparation, and purchasing that goes into the holiday decorations. Don’t be frightened….there are plenty of [...]

With Halloween fast approaching, I am dedicating this week’s blog entries and newsletters to helping you prepare for a Green Halloween. I’ll give you the scoop on the costumes, decorations, pumpkins, and treats that provide scary amounts of fun without frightening the planet. Ready to get started? Check out these ideas for greening your kids’ [...]

Have you ever met a kid who didn’t love jumping into a pile of freshly raked leaves? I certainly haven’t! So with a beautiful fall weekend almost within reach, it’s time to rev up you rakes and get ready for some weekend fun. And after your kids get finished smashing the leaves to smithereens, be [...]

Recycling is a great way to keep stuff out of the landfill and reduce the need for new materials. And if you are lucky enough to live in a community that heavily supports (or even mandates) recycling, the task may be as simple as remembering which stuff to put in the recycle bin. But for [...]