1. Kids today have more power than ever to
help save the Earth from human waste and
pollution. Thanks to the Internet, you've
got more resources at your fingertips than
your parents could have found in an entire
library when they were young. Read these
steps to learn about just a few of the fun
and helpful things you can do to make the
Earth a little bit greener for all of us.

2. On Your Own At Home
Help with recycling.
Recycling programs are
available practically
everywhere. They clean
and process certain kinds
of waste so that the
materials can be
reused, which reduces the
need for manufacturers to
extract more resources
from the planet.
Help the adults in your home by organizing and
regularly delivering their recycling for the
recycling truck to pick up from the curb.

3. On Your Own At Home
Usually, you can at least
recycle paper, thin plastic (like
milk jugs and shopping
bags), thin metal (like pop
cans) and glass. Depending on
where you live, you might also
be able to recycle thicker
plastic, Styrofoam, and other
materials.
Organize the recycling. Check bottles, jars, and cans to be sure they're
reasonably clean. They don't have to be spotless, but they shouldn't be half-
full, either. Once everything is in order, sort the recycling by type. If you use
separate bins for each type, this will make it easier to fill the right bins. Even if
you don't, it's a great way to get an idea of how much of each type of material
your family uses every day.

4. On Your Own At Home
Reduce your energy consumption. Turn off lights and electronics (such as TVs
and game systems) when you're done using them. Ask your parents before you
turn off the family computer, though: sometimes, computers need to stay on
for various reasons. During the day, open curtains and blinds, and rely on
natural light instead of electric light.

5. On Your Own At Home
Keep the temperature at a
moderate level. If you live in a
home with air conditioning, ask
your parents to set it no lower
than 72 degrees Fahrenheit
during the summer months. In
the winter, don't turn the
thermostat up any higher than
68 degrees. (Use blankets and
robes to stay warm when it's
cool in the house.) At night, turn
the thermostat as low as 55
degrees in rooms that nobody
sleeps in.

6. On Your Own At Home
Use less water. Take short showers instead of baths, and turn the faucet
off when you aren't actually using it. This includes when you're brushing
your teeth, but before you spit. Every little bit helps!

7. On Your Own At Home
Start reusing items. Ask your
parents to invest in 3 or 4
reusable shopping bags. They'll
drastically reduce the amount
of paper or plastic shopping
bags coming home from the
grocery store.
As for your own items, start using a reusable lunch box for school, if you
don't already. They look cooler than paper bags, anyway, and you can even
pack home your paper towels and plastic baggies for recycling. Ask for a
reusable water bottle for drinks, too. Either metal or rugged plastic will do
fine.

8. Be sure to rinse and clean
reusable shopping bags about
once a week, to keep them from
getting grimy. Scrub them out
briskly in the kitchen sink with a
dishcloth or sponge and let them
dry on the dish rack for a couple
of hours.
Use what plastic shopping bags
you have left as trash bags in the
bathroom or your bedroom. They
fit small trash cans perfectly, and
will reduce your consumption of
specially-made plastic trash bags.
On Your Own At Home

9. Be sure when you pick out a water bottle that it's made with “BPA free” plastic.
This makes it safe to drink from even when it gets old. Plastics with BPA in them
don't stay safe to use as bottles over a long period of time.
On Your Own At Home

10. In The Yard
Plant trees. Talk with your parents about the benefits of planting trees. They
help reduce energy costs. And any kind of tree at all makes a great pollution
sponge, sopping up carbon dioxide and processing it into fresh oxygen for you to
breathe

11. Go over a tree guide with your parents and find trees that will grow to an
appropriate height in your climate zone, without causing problems elsewhere in
the yard. There's a tree for almost every height and climate.
Be sure to get care instructions for your tree, and water it regularly after it's
planted. Take care of the sapling, and by the time you're grown up, you'll have
a fine, strong tree that grew up right alongside you.
In The Yard

12. Use environmentally sound chemicals. There are many fertilizers, herbicides
(weed killers) and pesticides (bug killers) on the market to help maintain the
beauty of your yard; however, some of them are dangerous for the environment
when used regularly over time. Try to find out which chemicals your family
uses, and then go online and look up “green” alternatives that don't hurt the
environment as much. Show them to your parents and ask them to switch.
In The Yard

13. Let the lawn go a little. Herbicides are most commonly used on your lawn, to
kill unsightly weeds. Which would you rather have: a lawn with some
dandelions growing in it, or a lawn covered in plant-killing chemicals? Point
this out to your parents and ask them to rely on weeding instead, even if the
lawn ends up a bit less than perfect.
In The Yard

14. Introduce beneficial bugs.
Just as there are bugs that
will ruin your family's
vegetable garden (such as
aphids), there are other
bugs that eat those bugs as a
tasty snack. Many garden
supply stores offer live
supplies of these bugs, such
as lacewings (which love to
eat aphids and look
pretty, too), for order
through the mail. Rely on
nature's own defenses, and
you can use pesticide spray
a lot less.
Leave beneficial bugs where you find them, too. In many cases, your garden
already has some guardian bugs in it. Garden spiders, for example, eat all kinds
of other pests, and are totally harmless to your plants. When you find these
bugs, leave them be and let them help out.
In The Yard

15. Family, Friend, and School Projects
Clean up a park. Get a group of your friends together, or find a day when your
family can all go out for a morning to a nearby park. Bring a few large trash
bags and some gardening gloves with you. Start at the parking lot, and follow
every path in the park, picking up every piece of trash you find. Within a few
hours, your park will be spotless!

16. If you see trash off the
path, don't hesitate – go and
grab it. If it's hard to
reach, find a stick and try to
knock and drag it closer.
This doesn't sound like that
much fun when you read
it, but actually doing it is a
great experience. In fact, you
might like it so much that you
want to set up a regular event
once or twice a year to go
back and clean it again.
Family, Friend, and School Projects

17. Join a larger cleaning operation. If you ask teachers and look at the local
news, you'll probably find that there are other groups of people doing cleanup
operations similar to your park project. In almost all cases, these people are
happy to have kids and families join up. You might get to clean up a beach, a
campground, or a pretty mountain trail when you go out with a bigger crew.
You'll also get the thrill of being part of a bigger movement.
Family, Friend, and School Projects

18. Join other volunteer groups. Whether you like to plant trees, clean up trails, or
even just spread the word about environmental change in your
hometown, there's probably a local group of people who are interested in doing
the same thing. Reach out to them and ask how you can help. If there isn't such
a group, why not talk to your parents or school about making one yourself?
You're never too young to make a difference, after all. That's just as true out in
public as it is in your own living room.
Family, Friend, and School Projects

19. Tips
Don't forget to reward yourself for your hard work. Enjoy what you've helped
protect: go outside and play or explore in nature whenever you can. As long as
you respect and care for the natural world, it'll be yours to enjoy.
This guide is only a starting point. Ask around and look online to find out more
things you can do to help keep the world a safe and healthy place for us all to
live.