It Is Easy Being Green

In my life I have made a commitment to changing my home and my business to be more sustainable (in fact soon my children will live and play in a place that is Southern California's first LEED platinum remodeled home in california).

While saying “no” to plastic bags is an easy way to start I think the best way to foster green awareness in a child is to help them be present and respectful of the world around them. We are all so connected today with the Internet, cell phones and video games that we are disconnected from each other. Whether it is a short hike, a stroll on a beach, or planting a small garden, taking the time to give your child the opportunity to enjoy playing in a natural setting helps them form the desire to appreciate the world around them.

It was important to me that my second book “Mo Smells Green” be focused on the natural beauty and enjoyment that can be found in the world around you and I hope that children can be inspired by Mo to go outside and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of our beautiful earth.

Here are a few tips for teaching children of all ages the importance of being green.

Young Children:

1. Take your children through the entire process of the growth of a plant from seed to plant- for example buy a tomato seed and help them monitor and watch it grow. Follow up the project with a trip to a local farmers market or nearby working farm.
   
   
2. Weekly trips to the farmer’s market with your children is a great way for them to learn about the benefits of fresh produce (even children as young as two can visit the market and enjoy all the beautiful colors) after your visit incorporate the items from the shopping trip into the meal for that day.
   
   
3. To teach Recycling & Sustainability make musical instruments with your child using recycled materials. This can be a fun art project as well as a fun toy. Turn a plastic bottle and a hand full of uncooked beans into a noisemaker or an empty cereal box into a harp by cutting a whole in center and stretching rubber bands across.
   

School Age:

1. Participate in a beach clean up if you live near the water or volunteer for a clean up day around your local park.
   
   
2. Take a trip to a local recycling plant so children can see how the recycling process works, then put your child in charge of collecting all of the recyclables in your home.
   
   
3. Set an example for your child by utilizing only recyclable containers and bags for their school lunches.
   

High School Age

1. Work with your kids to calculate the carbon footprint of a normal week in your household. Then work together to research the best ways to counter that impact.
   
   
2. Have a household wide power outage-spend a whole day without using electricity or cars. During the day have the children write in a journal about the experience and encourage them to enjoy nature.
   

Margaret Hyde is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, publisher, writer, and photographer living in Southern California with her three amazing kids. Inspiration for the Mo’s Nose Scentsational book series struck Margaret in the middle of the night as her best friend’s dog, Mo, leapt into her imagination. Margaret Hyde and illustrator, Amanda Giacomini just released the third book in the brand’s series of collectable books, Mo Smells the Holidays. This Scentsational adventure takes readers through vibrant holiday scents and hues, from the first leaves of fall to the fireworks of New Year’s Eve!