family

FAMILY: Introduction

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Author
Do It Green Minnesota
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Welcome to The Twin Cities Green Guide's Family Introduction. Throughout this section, you'll find articles about childrens' toys, childbirth, activities, pets and population - all things to help "green" families survive and thrive in the Twin Cities. Enjoy!

Strengthen Our Communities to Strengthen Sustainability

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Author
SEAN GOSIEWSKI
Alliance for Sustainability
Minnesota has some of the highest levels of social capital and volunteerism in the US However, community ties in the US have been declining for decades. With most households needing two incomes and many people working longer hours, time for neighborly pursuits can seem scarce. Perception of danger on the streets keeps many indoors. Television and other indoor pursuits are replacing face-to-face time with family and friends.

Here are some of my favorite ways to nurture community in my life:

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Author
SEAN GOSIEWSKI
Alliance for Sustainability
Enjoy time with your family outside. Fresh air, sunlight, and the elements help quiet the mind and bring joy with loved ones.

Stay in touch with friends. Bless your house (or your local spot) with the sound of laughter.

Host a gathering. Block club parties bring surprising conversations. Try a local food potluck, eatlocalamerica.coop.

Join a Committee. Volunteer with your congregation, school, political campaign, or environmental club and meet new friends.

Treading Lightly as a Family

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Author
SARA GROCHOWSKI
Do It Green! Minnesota
Most of my memories growing up revolved around being outside-running, playing, and exploring from dusk until dawn. We spent our weekends at my grandparents' lake cabin. I have vivid memories of my grandfather crushing hundreds of aluminum cans and loading them in his car each Sunday to bring them into the aluminum recycling plant for what was probably pennies in return. Recycling was not the buzz word it is today. However, in our family we knew not to throw cans or bottles in the trash. Now with curbside recycling

Read “Green” to Your Kids

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Author
COLLETTE MORGAN
Wild Rumpus Books
The key to getting young people fired up about environmentalism is to present them with a balance of information and plausible solutions. This fresh crop of books is intended to give kids clear and achievable ways to contribute to saving the world.

 

Eco Babies Wear Green by Michelle Sinclair Colman, illustrated by Nathalie Dion, shows savvy newborns composting their cheerios, running on solar energy, and carpooling on the back of mama's bike. A witty primer for the very youngest eco-warriors.

Footnotes/Endnotes

Act Locally!

Wild Rumpus Books
Minneapolis, MN, 612-920-5005
wildrumpusbooks.com

Raising Green Kids

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Author
ELIZABETH K. ANDRE
Education Consultant, Will Steger Foundation
Any parent whose child has surprised them by echoing their speech knows that kids emulate the adults around them. Simply by modeling responsible behavior, adults can inspire children to take green action. In addition, we can engage children in active participation by encouraging them to help with tasks that adults may find routine or tiresome. Sorting cans and bottles or collapsing cardboard boxes becomes fun for both adult and child when done as a team.

Parents can also give children responsibility for household leadership over certain green tasks. A child who is put in

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Eco Education,
ecoeducation.org

International Wolf Center,
wolf.org

act locally!

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Chaska, MN
952-443-1400
arboretum.umn.edu

Bell Museum of Natural History
Minneapolis, MN
612-624-7083
bellmuseum.org

How to Talk to your Kids about Climate Change

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Author
NICOLE ROM
Executive Director, Will Steger Foundation
Many researchers and educators argue that young children are not mature enough to handle the reality of climate change, and parents are often understandably overwhelmed by the task of translating the technicalities of climate change to so young an audience. Yet young people are asking about climate change because they hear about it every day. It is an issue that not only scientists are talking about, but mainstream media is covering as well. Because climate change is a problem with clearly alarming consequences for our
Footnotes/Endnotes
ON THE WEB!

National Wildlife Federation's Climate Classroom, nwf.org/site
/PageNavigator/ClimateClassroom
/cc_parents_guidelines

Will Steger Foundation Global Warming 101 Curriculum for grades 4-5. Focuses on language arts and communicating climate change to young audiences. Available free for download at: globalwarming101.com

Read Up!

The Down to Earth Guide to Global Warming, by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon. Orchid Books/Scholastic, 2007.

How We Know What We Know about Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming, by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch, Dawn Publications, 2008.

Act Locally!

The Will Steger Foundation,
612-278-7147
willstegerfoundation.org
globalwarming101.com

Minnesota Energy Challenge
mnenergychallenge.org

Photo by Will Steger Foundation

Greening My Child’s School: A Local Story

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Author
JULIE JONES
EcoMoms Edina
Cafeteria waste contributes immensely to our ever-growing landfills. Considering this, it was easy for me to implement no-waste lunches in packing for my three school-age children, but I thought we could take it one major step further and reduce the waste for their entire school: Edina Highlands Elementary. After reading an article about Hennepin County initiating an organics recycling program in their schools, I called John Jaimez at Hennepin County for more information, and Highlands began an organics recycling program too.

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Cloth napkins for kids,
fabkins.com

Waste-free lunch facts,
reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=22

Laptop lunches, laptoplunches.com

Swiss-engineered water bottles,
mysigg.com

Reduce waste, reduce.org

act locally!

John Jaimez, Hennepin County Environmental Services, Organics Recycling Program, 612-348-5893

Giving as a Family

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Author
JENNY FRIEDMAN
Executive Director, Doing Good Together
Do you wish to cultivate compassion, kindness, and community responsibility in your children? How can you teach them firsthand that their efforts can improve other's lives and our world? What are some fun ways to spend time together and strengthen your family? Here are five tips to help you explore the benefits and delights of family volunteering!

Encourage all family members to help select volunteer opportunities. The more engaged everyone is in the selection process, the more committed all will be to the chosen projects. Think about

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

Hands On Twin Cities, handsontwincities.org

Volunteer Match,
volunteermatch.org

Do It Green! Minnesota, to find a local environmental organization,
doitgreen.org

Read Up!

The Busy Family's Guide to Volunteering, by Jenny Friedman, Robins Lane Press, 2003.

The Giving Box: Create a Tradition of Giving with Your Children, by Fred Rogers, Running Press, 2000.

Act Locally!

Doing Good Together
Minneapolis, MN
612-822-6502
doinggoodtogether.org

Free and Green Activities for Families

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Author
JEN ZOTALIS
Writer
When it comes to family time, green activities allow you to go casual instead of commercial, and feed your children's need for nature while you're at it. Here's one cliché well worth believing and embracing: the best things in life-and childhood-truly are free.

Create seasonal traditions. Make a commitment to celebrating the seasons by choosing at least one tradition, per season, to enjoy as a family. With ideas like snowshoeing on New Year's Eve, camping on Labor Day, and leaf-raking with a s'mores party in the fall, the options are endless.

Footnotes/Endnotes

ON THE WEB!

National Wildlife Federation,
greenhour.org

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum,
www.arboretum.umn.edu

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