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Even the youngest child can
become environmentally aware.

TRUDYE CONNOLLY

Special to The Jewish News

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Expires 9/15/91

6895 Orchard Lake Road • In the Boardwalk Plaz.
Hours: Mon.-Weds. and Sat. 10-7
Thurs. and Fri. 10 - 9 • Sun. 12-5 • 626-3362

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6889 Orchard Lake Rd. • West Bloomfield • 855-5580

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oday, there is still time
to do something about
our environment. Chil-
dren must be encouraged and
shown how they can help save
our planet. We need to give
them the feeling that they
can make a difference. And,
it's never too early to start.
There are literally hun-
dreds of ways that we can
begin to teach our children
how to clean up the environ-
ment. But we need to
remember that environmen-
tal concerns per se can be too
abstract for youngsters to
grasp and may seem to be
beyond their control. It is
through developing an ap-
preciation for nature while, at
the same time, showing them
how to practice easy conserva-
tion steps everyday that our
children will develop a desire
and a confidence in their
ability to control their own
ecology.
Education is important for
laying the groundwork. Ex-
plore the courses and ac-
tivities being conducted by
the public and private schools
to make sure your children
are taking part in them. Ask
your children to talk about
what they've learned. Help
them practice at home what
they've learned in school.
Complement the education
they are receiving about
pollution with family visits to
the zoo, the aquarium, and
other natural habitats to in-
still in them a respect and ap-
preciation of nature and the
environment. Your en-
couragement is an important
part of their progress.
Next, take - advantage of
community and state-
sponsored activities, many of
which are free. With only a
phone call to the Detroit
Science Center, materials and
information are available to
you to build awareness of the
environment including pro-
grams and projects that will
involve the whole family.
In addition to taking advan-
tage of state run and private
organization activities, you
can practice ecological
awareness in your home. Set-
ting a good example is
paramount.

For Younger Children:

Teach the basics of recycling.
Now that many communities
have begun recycling, you can
make it a project for the
whole family. Set aside boxes
for collecting and sorting
glass, aluminum and paper.
Conserve energy. Teach the
youngest members of the
family to turn off lights, TV
and stereos when leaving a
room.
Clean up the streets. Take a
walk and show how we all
need to keep our streets free
of litter; turn it into a game.
If you see any bottles or cans
on the street, bring them
home for recycling.
Teach the earth's recycling
method by making a compost
heap. Garbage made up of
organic materials can be
turned back into rich fertile
soil — and be used to grow
things. Show the toddlers how
to take the leftovers from
their plates — banana skins,
orange rinds, uneaten
vegetables — and put them in
a bin made by you. Turned
over every once and a while,
the mix eventually turns in-
to soil.
Go to the library. Read up on
environmental issues in
books written for children.
Pick up a copy of 50 Simple
Things Kids Can Do To Save
The Earth which contains a
myriad of projects kids can do.

For Children With Adult
Supervision And Teens:
Practice water conservation.
Fill a plastic container with
rocks and place in toilet tank.
Every time you flush you'll
save one to two gallons of
water. Encourage short
showers. Turn off the water

while washing dishes or
brushing teeth.
Recycle clothes and other
possessions children and teens
have grown tired of Show
them how to put them in
boxes and give them to a
charitable organization like
the Goodwill.
Take a shopping trip. While
on it point out articles that
have put a strain on our
already endangered species.
Don't buy jewelry or other ob-
jects made from wild animals.
Save paper — show teens
that crumpled-up newspapers
are great for washing win-
dows on the family car.
For Teens With Adult
Supervision and Adults:
Join a national environmen-
tal organization. As a rule of
thumb it's good to belong to
at least one. You will gain an
overview of what's happening
on the national and the
global level. And, if you join
the local chapter you'll
become more involved in your
own community.
Become a volunteer. Parents
and teens who work together
as volunteers build a rapport
and strengthen the family's
commitment to protecting the
environment. For a list of
organizations, send a self-
addressed envelope to Bon-
jour International, 1411
Broadway, New York, N.Y.
10018.
Get involved. Let elected of-
ficials know which en-
vironmental issues are of con-
cern to you.
Take toxics out of the home.
Become informed about
substitutes that are natural-
ly effective. Learn how to
dispose of toxic household
wastes in an efficient and safe
manner. ❑

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