by Stefanie Plum, Gather Partner Team
Member since:
February 19, 2008

Green Kids Chat - TONIGHT at 9PM ET – Discuss the best green tips for kids! Win Gather Points™!

April 15, 2009 03:23 PM EDT (Updated: April 22, 2009 02:42 PM EDT)
views: 152 | comments: 129

To continue the celebration for Earth Day 2009, we’ll be having a Green Kids Chat tonight at 9PM ET to discuss the following topics:

  • What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives?
  • If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them?
  • Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them?

Join us tonight for a 30-minute, informal chat at 9PM ET in the comment thread below to discuss the following topics and more! There are no guidelines, just share with us your tips for raising green kids! I’ll pull the top 10 tips into the Green Tips for Kids Guide and post it to the Moms Group. Five members who participate will win 250 Gather Points™ each! Remember to hit “refresh” often so you don’t miss any comments!

If you’re a fan of Earth Day, be sure to check out the following:

April 16th (3:30PM ET) – Join the Live Chat with Jane Bull, author of Make It! and learn directly from her all of the wonderful ways you can turn your trash into treasure!

April 18th, 9AM ET - Be sure to watch as Handy Manny gets handy with the earth in his special Earth Day show on Saturday, April 18th at 9AM/8AM CT. We’ll be looking for reviewers for the show so stay tuned on how to become one!

More Earth Day activities to come in moms.gather.com so stay tuned!

 
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Comments: 129

Ghostly Ghoul Apr 15, 2009, 3:25pm EDT
I am soo there!
phil w. Apr 15, 2009, 3:27pm EDT
Good chat.
Cynthia C. Apr 15, 2009, 3:29pm EDT
Thanks!
Stefanie Plum, Gather Partner Team Apr 15, 2009, 3:31pm EDT
Awesome! So happy you can come. I hope to see everyone in tonight's Green Kids Chat!
timi A. Apr 15, 2009, 4:30pm EDT
i wish my son would be awake to join,he sleeps at 8pm on school nights but i will try to stall him for 30mins.
Stefanie Plum, Gather Partner Team Apr 15, 2009, 4:42pm EDT
Hi Timi - the kids don't have to join but if they are then bring 'em with ya! This is more for Tips for Kids/Parents for being green. =)
Bridget ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 4:47pm EDT
The kids and I are going to be planting our tree tonight, we will tryto make it if we are done in time!
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 5:24pm EDT
Sounds interesting.I might have to join.My son goes to bed at 8 pm ct time too.
Melissa R Apr 15, 2009, 5:28pm EDT
I may have to join in!
Elaine S. Apr 15, 2009, 6:09pm EDT
I'll try to make it.
tammie p. Apr 15, 2009, 6:19pm EDT
sorry, i can't make that one
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 8:14pm EDT
fun!
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 8:59pm EDT
Hello everyone
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:00pm EDT
hi there
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:00pm EDT
Hi everybody
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:01pm EDT
What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? use both sides of a piece of paper!!
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:02pm EDT
I love this web site to help my grandkids become green
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/index.htm

EERE Kids, part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Web pages, links kids to information about solar energy, alternative fuels, energy efficiency tips and more.
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:02pm EDT
If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? recycle!! I admit i dont recycle much and i need to start
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:02pm EDT
Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them? I remind them.. they are always wasting paper.. leaving lights on ect
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:03pm EDT
Yay I am here!
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:03pm EDT
What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives?Im starting to Recycle,When I start my garden,I will Compost,I also try to reuse anything I can for crafts and to hold things in etc.
If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them?Don't trash the planet,recycle anything possible reuse anything you can.
Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them?
Well my kids are still a little young to do know what being green is and how to recycle but when they get old enough I will teach them.
Mary G. Apr 15, 2009, 9:04pm EDT
* What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? Take bags to the store to reduce the landfill
* If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? Recycle bottles, newspaper and cans
* Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them? I remind my daughter to recycle; however, she does crush the bottles regularly that have a deposit.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
Hey April,Jenn,Desiree,and Mary
Susan B. Apr 15, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
Hi folks I'm here :)
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
Mary I like that idea..taking bags to the store.. i need to start doing that!
Stacey *Mamasaid* D. Apr 15, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
Hello everyone!
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
HI alicia
Susan B. Apr 15, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
• What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? You teach with every opportunity. For example: at the grocery store you talk to the kids about choosing items with the least amount of packaging, then when you cook, show how easy it is to cook foods from scratch instead, then when it’s time to take out the trash, we talk about keeping trash/yard waste/recyclables separated and dispose of them responsibly.
• If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? It’s easy to use up the planet’s resources and impossible to get them back.
• Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them? I think we’re about the same :)
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
I'm back and forth..dealing with three boys that don't wanna go to bed!
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
Hi everyone!
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:06pm EDT
* What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? We do a lot of cloth diapers, wipes, rags. We recycle cans, newspapers, and boxes. We will grow some of our own foods. I think you really just get things across with your kids by doing.
* If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? Pay attention to what you waste. Don't pollute the environment where there are so many opportunities to reuse.
* Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them? LOL yes occasionally I don't feel like taking the newspapers to the recycling bin but my oldest son gives me the biggest guilt trip. I love him for it.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:07pm EDT
Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them?

When our girls were at home they were as committed to being green as I was. We were green before it was in. When our oldest worked at a Boy Scout camp she would have the guys on staff climbing into the dumpsters and pulling out aluminum cans!
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:07pm EDT
Hey Susan,Stacy,Trish

Jenn my daughter doesn't want to go to bed either.
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
that is great about your oldest son Desiree
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
I love to hear everyone's tips
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
hehe Alicia.. mommy wants gather time lol
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them?

Cook at home and don't fill the landfills with carry-out containers.
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
but seriously they were supposed to be in bed at 8
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
great tip trish!!!
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
Hi everybody!
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives?

I think you don't tell them rather you show them. They watch you and learn.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
How do you use cloth wipes Desiree?
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
hi J K
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:10pm EDT
Hello Alicia!
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:11pm EDT
To have my grands love the environment and to instill Green in there hearts I make sure to give each of them a subscription to the National Wildlife Federation’s publication designed for children ages 1-4
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:11pm EDT
Thanks Jenn. He sure does boss me around when it comes to recycling lol.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:11pm EDT
That's a good idea to start showing the grandchildren.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:11pm EDT
Hey JK

My kids go to bed at 8 too.
Jenn P. Apr 15, 2009, 9:12pm EDT
great tips all .. i gotta go.. have a great night..
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:12pm EDT
Alicia we have cloth wipes that fit into a wipe container and I make up a bit of soapy water. The wipes are ready to go and you use as you would any other wipe. We just wash along with the diapers. I make a new batch when they are gone. They last 2-3 days normally.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:12pm EDT
Goodnight Jenn.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:13pm EDT
Goodnight Jenn
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:14pm EDT
What kind of soap you use?What kind of cloth you use?
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:14pm EDT
Another great tip is instead of buying store bought wrapping with all of the icky ink dyes, we reuse brown paper bags and colo our own gift paper for the next birthday party; this is aa perfect activity for children 3-7. For Christmas I get the end rolls for free from the newspaper and we then use christmas cookie cutters on potatoes and we make wrapping paper by using holiday colors, when dry we roll the paper back on to the rolls. This has become a tradition were the familys get together with all the kids and make wrapping paper.
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:16pm EDT
Well these wipes were made for me. I have flannel and terry ones. I like the terry cloth ones the best. I use use about 2 cups of water and a spoonful of bath wash, huggies or any kind. I also add a couple drops of tea tree oil.
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:16pm EDT
Mix it up really good and dump over the wipes. They will absorb the liquid.
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
Another way to have my grands become green is to have them plant a tree with there very own hands and share the fun by choosing flowers that are easy to plant at the tree’s base. I follow up our planting by talking about how trees support clean air and beautify too.
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? Teach them the value of conserving what is given to us by nature by reducing, reusing and recycling. Model the behavior and they will follow.
If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? I tell my child that we must use our resources wisely or we may lose them much like we have lost many animals to extinction
Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them?
My child is great at being green. I don't have to remind her at all. In fact she is constantly coming home from school complaining b/c her classmates "are not being responsible". She calls them out if they throw paper in the trash instead of the class recycling bin.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:17pm EDT
Those are good ideas April.The comic section is good for wrapping paper too.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:18pm EDT
I need to try the cloth wipes
♠~Dnbuster~♠ ~. Apr 15, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
hi yall popping in to say hello, cant stay long still trying to get the kiddos down for the night.
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
Are we dying out here?
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
Another way to teach green is to head over to the closest organic fruit farm and pick organic raised strawberries, apples, blueberries or any delicious fruit. Then we discuss why organic is better than what we typically buy in the store. Even teens will appreciate this experience. My grand never stop talking about riding the wagon to pick blueberries/strawberries or corn or peaches or whatever we find.
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
I've found that kids are much easier to get to go green than adults.
Stacey *Mamasaid* D. Apr 15, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? We recycle and freecycle. I grow my own veggies and herbs. We also use energy efficient lightbulbs and appliances. When we go camping, it reminds us how little we need so we respect resources even more when we come back home.
If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? To show respect for the world around them by minimizing their garbage and footprint
Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them? I remind them and now sometimes, they remind me, which is nice :)
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:20pm EDT
JK your daughter sounds like a good kid.
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:20pm EDT
They are a lot easier if you are cloth diapering. Otherwise you have a pile for trash and a pile for wash.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:20pm EDT
We never had store-bought wrapping paper when our girls were young. Finally one year they begged me to buy regular paper. It nearly killed me but they enjoyed it. The next year we went back to home-made paper. Sometimes you have to give in a little.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:20pm EDT
Hey DN
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:21pm EDT
Alicia
Thanks she really is. Most say she has an old soul.
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:21pm EDT
I also encourage my adult children to purchase green toys that are made with FSC certified wood. Unpainted wood toys are typically safer than plastic that contains PVC, and they are treasured from generation to generation. FSC certification ensures that the wood you buy has been forested responsibly to allow for sustainable growth. Great sites to find FSC Certified toys are holgatetoy.com and tumbleweedwoodworks.com
Keri A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:21pm EDT
Recycle Recycle Recycle
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:22pm EDT
That sounds like fun April.I need to do that sometime
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:22pm EDT
You said it Keri!
And it is so easy! I wish more people would recycle.
☃ Aunt Shanny Apr 15, 2009, 9:23pm EDT
* What tips do you have for keeping your family green and teaching your kids how to live greener lives? COMPOST COMPOST COMPOST

* If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them? Never throw plastic away, recycle it!

* Are your kids telling YOU to be greener or do you have to remind them? I'm the green one, always reminding my parents to GO GREENer.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:23pm EDT
We usually make all gifts we give. My husband collects wood that from building sites, trees that come down and other sources. People are always bringing him wood. Then we decide what the gift will be for the year. Last year he made wine stoppers. We had to buy the metal part but the wood was all recycled.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:24pm EDT
Our family is also a fan of Goodwill stores and hand-me-down clothes from others.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:24pm EDT
Thanks for the sites April
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:26pm EDT
I agree Trish Goodwill is a great resource!
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:27pm EDT
Trish, we do that too, I am fortunate enough that my hubby is a HS Wood Teacher, so we give away most of his projects, we even earn a little extra cash with his wood projects as he sells them on consignment in two stores in New Hope PA
B F. Apr 15, 2009, 9:27pm EDT
Hello everyone!
Jennifer O. Apr 15, 2009, 9:27pm EDT
Did anyone save me a seat?
Jennifer O. Apr 15, 2009, 9:28pm EDT
I love goodwill especially with as quickly as my kids grow out of stuff
Desiree T. Apr 15, 2009, 9:28pm EDT
I'm headed out guys, have a good night.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:29pm EDT
One year we bought gifts and Christmas felt hollow and everyone was disappointed. Next year we'll be giving hand-turned pens. Some are out of wood from a church that was torn down. Others are from trees that came down during the ice storm.
Jennifer O. Apr 15, 2009, 9:29pm EDT
Bye Desiree--did you reach your goal?
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:30pm EDT
I also encourage my kids, to make gifts for there friends rather than buying them. Recycling, composting etc. are second- (or maybe first-?) nature to them. We are now working on the first "re" of enviromental consumerism: reduce. I sometimes have a dilemma between buying less eco-friendly products sold within walking distance or driving my car to get things that are more eco-friendly. But as a retired Naturalist I usually go the extra mile but do so only when necessary.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:30pm EDT
Hye BF and Jennifer
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:30pm EDT
Goodnight Desiree
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:31pm EDT
I really like all your tips Trish and April
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:31pm EDT
This year even the three year old made home made gifts for Christmas Her and I had so much fun mixing bath salts together and putting them in pretty recycled jars that she decorated.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:31pm EDT
Im only 50 points away from my goal
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:32pm EDT
Thanks Alicia. I came from a very frugal family and I'm thankful now because I know how to conserve resources which conserves money.
Trish A. Apr 15, 2009, 9:32pm EDT
Way to go Alicia!
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:34pm EDT
I want to make some recycled crafts.I have been thinking about using the newspaper after Im done with it for Paper Mache.Its just really hard to find places to store this stuff.
♥¤ J K¤ ♥ Apr 15, 2009, 9:35pm EDT
You can also use newspaper in your flower beds to help control weeds.
Jennifer O. Apr 15, 2009, 9:35pm EDT
Hi alicia
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:36pm EDT
Im trying to adept to the frugal lifestyle.
Alicia Loudon Apr 15, 2009, 9:36pm EDT
Hey Jennifer
April H. Apr 15, 2009, 9:36pm EDT
If you could only give your kids one piece of advice on how to be kinder to the planet, what would you tell them?
I first teach them to love something; if you love something so much then you will protect what you love!