TAKING CARE OF OUR CHILDREN
AND OUR EARTH
Today's moms and dads know that good parenting means watching out for the safety and well-being of our children. It also means doing the same for our planet. After all, taking care of our environment means assuring our children of a healthy future.
Although people are more aware than ever for the need to be environmentally responsible, we still have a long way to go.
Here are a few of the problems facing our generation, and our children's.
- Pesticides, chemicals and nuclear waste dumped into our oceans continue to contaminate our fish populations, threatening our lakes and water supply.
- Global warming threatens to reduce precipitation and increase crop failures. In other areas, rainfall is expected to increase, causing flooding and erosion.
- In May, l985, an ozone hole as big as the U.S. was reported over Antarctica. Two and a half years later, the hole had doubled in size.
- We have created more air pollution in the last l0 years than in the previous 5,000 years.
- Four million acres of U.S. cropland are lost each year to soil erosion.On the one hand, these issues may seem global in nature and too big to solve locally. But the truth is, there are lots of things we can do to make things better, and some of the solutions are right in our own backyard.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Practice organic farming (and gardening!) at home. Use natural methods of pest control in your vegetable and flower garden. Read all labels carefully and be aware of the chemicals you may be using to make your grass greener and your pansies healthier. They may not be good for the growth of your childrenor the world your baby will live in.
Try "green" products instead and talk to your local nursery owner about natural alternatives. When you're done with all your jars and bottles, try using them again for other purposes before you recycle them. Daycare centers and preschools use them for arts and crafts projects. Remember: as a society we throw away enough glass to fill the towers of the New York World Trade Center every two weeks.
- Support farmers, grocers, markets and restaurants that grow or serve organically grown foods. The more demand there is for these healthier products, the more we will see them on our grocery shelves and the more Congress will get the message that we care deeply about what we're feeding our families.
- Lastly, try to make better choices in all of your daily activities. Consider borrowing or renting some items, rather than purchasing them and then discarding them. Choose items that have the least amount of packaging, or are returnable or recyclable. When things break or need repair, take a moment and try to fix them before you send them to the trash.
Written by: EcoMall
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