- PARENT AND INFLUENCER ALERT!! Our tweens and teens are watching us- make an impact!
Earth Day is a chance to show you care, as Tweens & Teens should- about our environment
DO YOU KNOW THAT IN 2015 THE EARTH DAY CELEBRATION TURNS 45? Most of us assume it’s a much more modern concept but conservation efforts are rooted in our history. If you’ve known me for an hour, you probably know that all things earth and environmental-related are dear to me. Hence the tacky yet true story of my getting married on Earth Day to an environmental engineer- it’s totally true! My girls are ”recycling warriors”. I’ve trained them to create ‘recycling centers’ at a party if the host is not collecting the used cans, plates, bottles, etc. (All of my friends who are reading this are now shaking their heads with annoyance!)
As kids age there is no denying that they look to the adults in their lives as true examples of behavior, habits, ideas, beliefs, etc. Demonstrating care for our environment by showing how to make their own small impact is ESSENTIAL at this point. You can’t keep putting it off or assuming that they’ll learn about recycling or other earth-saving habits at school. YOU need to make the difference.
I know it’s not easy, I get that we’re all short on time. But the tween and teen years are your opportunity to impart change and a conservation mindset for the young minds you’re helping develop. Here are just a few ideas:
- Join a coastal clean up of some sort. From beaches to lakes to the pond at your local park that may be polluted join a group or start your own.
- Join a public area clean up like your local parks or recreational areas
- Make it a point to really recycle. Take a pledge as a family to make a difference. If you’re at a restaurant that does not offer recycling- take home your empty cans and bottles. Tell the owners. Start a conversation.
- If you’re attending a family party or function and the hosts are not recycling, get a bag and start collecting recyclables yourself. It will likely annoy the hosts, but you’ll show your kids and tweens that change starts with YOU.
- Reduce those long baths this year- or even your beloved shower. By making a shower just 3-4 minutes shorter you save thousands of water gallons per year. And if you make the shower cooler- you save mucho energy as well!
- Look to local community and local government organizations to see what they’re hosting and how you can join them- here’s an example: http://www.miamidade.gov/economy/ Other examples include: Girls & Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, the Audobon Society chapter, historic homes and preservation leagues. If you are near any state or national parks, check their activity calendars.
- DO SOMETHING!
For our part, Los Tweens & Teens will be joining an environmental engineering firm for a local park clean up and we will support our community Girl Scouts program “Baynanza Clean Up” at Haulover Beach Marina near Sunny Isles Beach in Miami. We will share photos of our day and efforts. Please share photos from your community programs as well. We welcome photos or video of your small or big effort. The idea is not size or scope- just sharing the ‘conserve’ concept in some way.
Please email images to team@lostweens.com.
BE GREEN!
Abrazos-
As a mother of twin tweens in 2011 and an active Girl Scout Troop leader, Cristy realized there was a need to develop bilingual digital content and foster a community facing the challenges of raising kids after first grade. That year she founded and remains co-Publisher of Los Tweens & Teens, to support multicultural parents and mentors with content related to raising Gen Z- tweens & teens ages 7-18. Through the Los Tweens & Teens LIVE events such as Teens & Me – the growing team aims to provide our community with essential resources from chats with therapists to battle anxiety and bullying, to understanding social media and technology.