Kermit has it wrong...it IS easy being green.

I will admit, I haven't always thought about protecting the Earth.  I will say that I have never intentionally littered.  However, a lot of things change after you have kids (at least it did for me.)  For example, I am now very fearful of flying, riding rollacoasters, and being abducted.  Seriously.  I never really gave a second thought to flipping upside down in the air 3 times followed by two cork screws.  And, I never thought about composting or recycling. 

It's IS easy being green and I love the fact that I am making a lasting impression on my children.  Along with making sure that lights (and TVs) are turned off, we do a  number of other things to make our "footprint" a little smaller.  For example we:

1. Recycle all paper and plastics, including grocery bags and boxes. If you don't want to pay for your regular trash provider to take your recycling, there are usually recycling centers throughout your county.  For information on recycling centers near you, visit your county web-site.
2. Use cloth napkins.   I found generic, white ones at Old Time Pottery.  They were very inexpensive and some are sewed crooked, but they sure are softer then paper towels or napkins, and the girls feel fancy when we eat. 
3. Use rags to clean bathrooms, floors, mirrors, etc.  My grandmother gave this advice to my mother years ago when my mom was cleaning windows using paper towels.  Insightful, huh?  Think about what you use paper towels or napkins for.  Now, think about other things to use instead: a plate upside down over that spaghetti in the microwave.
4. Turn OFF the water when we are brushing our teeth.  It's a no-brainer.
5. I bathe both girls at the same time, in my large soaking tub....it not only saves water, but also time scouring two bath tubs!  Eventually, they will grow out of this, but then I'll just have to start timing their showers.
6. Open the windows.   We have yet to turn our AC on and it's June.  There was a day when I dragged our kitchen table into the living room, under the ceiling fan (no joke); but other than that, it's been just fine.  Now, if you have a health condition, allergies, or a new baby in the house, this is probably not going to work for you; but, please consider it.   If you can't open the windows, try bumping the thermostat up a few degrees.  (It's also going to save you some green!!)
7. Use rechargeable batteries.  Most of our electronics have rechargeable lithium batteries.  For others, we have purchased the Energizer Rechargeables.  (Energizer NH15BP-4 Rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride AA Battery 4 Pack)  Just make sure you have some extras, so your child can continue to play with the toy-of-the-hour while the old ones are charging.
8. I buy eco-friendly cleaners when it's cost effective. Did I meantion I quit my job to be a SAHM? I have found some products that are LESS expensive.  For instance, Palmolive Eco+ diswasher detergent. My dishes (which are plain white) are just as clean and are NOT spotted.

These are all small changes that make a huge impact.  We used to fill (and sometimes over-fill) our "herbie kerbie" each week.  Now, we are down to 2...yep, 2, bags of garbage.  And, I am looking into composters, which should reduce our garbage even further.

The disaster in the Gulf brings a much needed awareness to our impact on the environment and it's never too early to make reduction, re-using, and recycling a way of life.  (Our 2 1/2 year old knows the difference between our paper/plastic/other bins.)  There are so many wonderful sites for kids.   A list of some great sites can be found at Eartheasy.  The site that I like is Eekoworld.  It's developed and maintained by PBS, so it is geared toward younger children.  There is a lot of animation and interaction, which I find keep my children engaged.  I would encourage you to first visit Eartheasy and find the site that best fits your family.

For more information about your local recycling programs and additional ways to help the Earth, go to Earth911.com.   

ROCK  RECYCLE ON!