Getting your baby or young child out into the spring weather is a smart plan; start early with nature adventures to instill a love of the planet in your tot.

Spring is still chilly so plan for double layers that are easy to take off if it gets too warm. Sometimes even a hat is in order. You want your little on to have fun and enjoy being outside. If she’s chilly, she may associate being outside with uncomfortable.

Try feeling the wind. Hold your tot up in the breeze and allow her to feel the wind on her cheeks. Point out how the trees sway and the clouds float. Hold scarves or a small kite up in the wind so your toddler can watch them blow.  Another windy perk that babies adore – wind chimes!

See this piece; Activities to get you and your children outside for more ideas such as, Rainy Days and Shapes and Colors and Textures, Oh My!. OR take a peek at the whole Take A Child Outside website. Another good site for learning about nature fun is No Child Left Inside.

Bird and bug watch – point out tiny animals that may interest your little one. Caterpillars, butterflies, and worms are especially fun.

Try feeling tree bark, smooth rocks, cool water, and new silky flower popping up. For very little ones just make sure your babe doesn’t pop anything into her mouth.

Try out the super keen, really fun, eco-friendly, Nature Bag: Environmental Activity Kit for Kids.

See some more spring activity ideas…

• Introduce your baby to nature
• 60 Eco-Friendly Ways to Celebrate Spring
• Brand New Spring Line of Green Toys!
• Spring Nature Photos
• Spring Ducklings Hatched

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

In case you missed it, I’ve got the new poll up; In 2009 I pledge to go (or stay) green by…

If you’d like to vote, head to the sidebar, and scroll down. I left it open for new answers, so if I missed something crucial, add your tip. Or you can always leave a longer idea here on this post. I’ll be using your answers to plan some of the upcoming 209 content here at Tree Hugging Family, so your vote or comment does count.

My New Year’s resolutions from last year:

Last year my goals were to get rid of more stuff, be present, and cut down on food packaging. I did well on goal number one; I did get rid of more stuff – recycled it, gave it up, donated it, and so on. Me being present was a hard goal to work on because it hasn’t been the best year. There’s been a lot of upheaval and lameness going on in my world this past year. It’s no big, but it did upset that goal. As for packaging – you don’t want to know.

My goals for 2009:

1) Cut down on food packaging and cook more meals from scratch: I’m re-pledging this goal from last year because I failed miserably in 2008. I think I may have actually bought MORE prepackaged food items. Not junk, I mean, health-wise and organic-wise, I’m good. BUT I could have cooked way more meals from scratch, cut down on packaging, and lowered my resource footprint. It was a busy year, but that’s not the best excuse because life is always unpredictable, and green living needs to blend with that.

2) Recycle the damn toilet paper tubes: I think I mentioned before here that I have tube recycling issues. My son makes me look bad because he’s very good about it. I honestly don’t know what my deal is. I recycle everything; but if I have a random tube in the bathroom, I forget to walk it to the bin. I need to get a new recycling bin in my bathroom. When we last moved, I never put bins in our bathrooms.

3) Get out into nature more: Cedar and I go for walks and small hikes all the time; usually daily. However, our major excursions out into varied landscapes was slim this last year. We usually visit the beach, the woods, waterfall parks, public garden, and more each year. This year, due to tons o’ junk going on, we stuck close to home – good for gas footprint, not so great for instilling a love of nature in kids. This year, I’d like to travel to some different nature-minded areas with Cedar.

Tell me something in the comments; such as…

• Which green goals you rocked last year.
• Which green goals didn’t work out for you in 2008.
• Your 2009 green goals.

Let me know…

[image 1 via stock.xchang / image 2 via free pixels]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

I also saw some baby geese crossing the sidewalk.

And here’s another set in the water …

Images by Peggy Rowland.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

“This is my daughter, Savie, and my dog Halley playing the creek here in AZ. We have a campsite up in the Chiricahua Mountains. We go there every year to the same site and they have so much fun there, and as you can see they are enjoying themselves.”

Kids and dogs and creeks – oh my. Too cute. This little one is loving the water.

This next one is my favorite..

The “Hey, you got me by surprise” shot!

As always we love to see families out in nature, having a great time. Pets too. If you’d like to send us pictures of your tree hugging, nature lovin’ family you can contact us here.

[photos via Kisha]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Many of us are welcoming spring today, so I thought it would be nice to go over some nature loving, tree hugging, eco-friendly ideas that will carry the entire family through the better part of spring and into summer.

1. Quit looking at nature through your frosty windows. It’s warming up, so get out there and enjoy nature in real time, in real life, in full blown color.

2. Throw open your windows wide and let in the fresh air. Natural ventilation is actually a really effective green home goal to aim for. Proper cross ventilation naturally helps to remove any indoor pollution caused by molds, mites, varnishes, paints, cleaners, and more.

3. Have a spring reusable bag sewing party.

4. Use the spring lilacs to create something sweet.

5. Celebrate spring like other cultures do:

• In Egypt, you throw open your windows and breathe deep on the first day of spring. Later have a picnic.
• In Poland a large straw doll is dressed up in old clothes, and then thrown in the river – ok, maybe don’t do that one (not great for fish).
• The festival of colors, or Holi, is a Hindu spring festival, observed in North India and Nepal where children squirt colored water on each other to celebrate.
• What other spring traditions do cultures celebrate? Tell me what you know.

6. See the zoo babies.

7. Try left-over heat cooking for your spring recipes. This means turn the stove top or oven off when food is almost done. Pasta, veggies, rolls, and even meats in the oven will be ok (and fully cooked) if you turn off the heat a few minutes early. Just leave the oven door shut, the pot top on, etc. Imagine how many minutes of energy you will have saved by next spring.

8. Enjoy new blossoms and leaves sprouting to life on the trees.

9. Build a rain barrel to collect spring showers.

10. Rent lawn equipment that you know you will only use occasionally.

11. Alternatively, start a neighborhood co-op of lawn equipment. Purchase together and share major item.

12. Visit a waterfall – this is the best time of year for waterfalls, snow is melting, and the water comes crashing down.

13. Spring clean – just don’t spring clean with chemicals and other icky stuff. Make this year’s spring cleaning actually clean and healthy.

14. Learn which fruits and veggies are in season and eat bunches of them. Buying in season and locally grown is better for the earth, your wallet, and your health.

15. Choose a recycled plastic picnic table.

16. Fold a “springing” froggy out of recycled paper.

17. If your coffee shop of choice serves single serve sugars and creamers, choose a new favorite coffee shop or ask them to get large, bulk containers of cream and sugar.

18. Visit a wetland area – there are still enough wetland areas so that it’s safe to assume that there’s one near you, but there may not be for long. Without conservation we could lose some major wetland areas. I’d visit soon because it’s not clear yet that enough people care to save them. Ask your local visitors center where you can find a wetland area near you.

19. Get some cool spring worthy eco-toys. These new toys from Green Toys are created from curbside recycled milk containers. The actual shop should be open in the spring sometime, but until then you can contact the company directly with purchase inquiries. They have a great Sand Play Set or Organic Gardening Set.

20. Is it still too cold for flowers where you live? Make some colorful recycled tissue paper garlands to add spring to your house. (Use that used holiday tissue that I know you saved). Better yet, make a garland and give it to a neighbor, friend, elderly home, or children’s ward at a hospital.

21. Rejoice in spring flowers.

22. Help your kids to join Journey North.

23. Buy a reclaimed wood garden bench so you can sit outside and read.

24. This season, and each season have your car engine tuned up and serviced. Following a decent tune up schedule will reduce the amount of pollution your car emits by 20%. Better yet you’ll save on fuel – good for the earth and wallet.

25. Hunt for birds nests – don’t touch though, just look.

26. Build your own compost bin for recycling spring garden and kitchen scraps.

27. Visit a rural farm. Notice how a farm in spring differs from where you live. Unless of course you do live on a farm – then visit a city park and observe the same differences.

28. Go ahead, green your entire Easter celebration.

29. Or at least make your own recycled magazine Easter baskets.

30. If you go on a green picnic this spring make sure six packs with plastic rings aren’t on the menu. One, the plastic rings when not cut can kill birds, fish, and other wildlife. Two, plastic won’t degrade until well after your great grandchildren are celebrating their springs. And three, there’s no need to have them. Many canned drink products now come in boxes instead of with rings. If you’re buying canned drinks, get those instead.

31. Get some eco-friendly rain gear for the whole family so you can go splash in spring puddles.

32. Get your spring garden seeds organized using recycled milk cartons.

33. Rent a greener car on your spring break vacation.

34. Don’t defrost the Easter Ham in the microwave. Microwave defrosting wastes more energy than planning ahead and defrosting in the fridge.

35. Go searching for the end of a rainbow.

36. You still have time for a spring garden clean up.

37. This year combine your spring cleaning with some green audits: Try green auditing your trash, bathroom, or your pantry.

38. Get in the habit of nighttime watering now. Watering your lawn and garden is much more efficient at night than in the daytime. In the cool of evening plants lose almost 50% less water than in the heat. That adds up to a ton of water saved each year. Of course you can double your water saving efforts by using your saved rainwater.

39. On each of your spring outings pick up one piece of trash. If everyone did this that would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter on our streets, in our parks, and so on, daily.

40. Relax… think about simplifying your life and time.

41. As summer gets closer consider organizing a summer toy lending program with other families – this cuts down on consumption, teaches kids about sharing, and uses fewer resources and energy. Get ideas for your lending program here.

42. Now that it’s warming up, turn your heating down by 5 more degrees. Each 5 degree decrease saves up to 11% energy consumption a year.

43. If you go camping, leave nothing behind in nature. Pack up all your belongings and carry them out of the forest with you.

44. Get up close and personal with some fresh grass – ponder a single blade. Think about all the good reasons why you shouldn’t add chemical poisonous fertilizer to your grass this year

45. Get that recycling under control.

46. Learn to love slow mail – the quicker you send your mail or ask for packages to be delivered to you, the worse it is for the planet. Transportation is hugely connected to pollution and global warming. The more transport we require the worse it is. Quit with the two day mail services. You don’t need stuff right away, and if you know you will, plan accordingly.

47. Try out one of 10 great organic gardening projects for kids this spring.

48. See how many toads you can count at the local river or lake. Can you find tadpoles too?

49. If you take out an off-road vehicle this spring, stick to where you should be. Running over habitats is not cool – you could destroy an animal’s home, kill rare plants, and harm tree roots. Stick to wide trails that are deemed ok for off-road travel.

50. Get away from it all. Imagine what life would be like away from all the hustle and bustle most of the time.

51. Blow bubbles! Make some homemade bubble mix out of a tablespoon of glycerin, a cup of natural liquid soap, and a gallon of water (give or take). Make your own bubble wands out of recycled items like…

• Butter or yogurt tub tops with holes punched in them.
• Green plastic strawberry containers.
• Bent wire hangers.
• That fly swatter you never use.
• Pipe cleaners bent into fun shapes.

52. Hang out with a family of ducks.

53. Dare your family to take at least 5 small steps for the environment by summer.

54. Go on a wildflower hike.

55. Clean out your closets – give good clothing away to the thrift store, make cleaning rags out of the worst, and save the cherished pieces for a memory quilt.

56. Make sure your family participates in eco-friendly boating (if you boat).

57. Slap a fresh coat of paint on the house – non-toxic, VOC-free paint of course.

58. When spring cleaning, don’t forget the car. However, use a bucket of water and an old rag to scrub away dirt, not the power spray on the hose. Every minute you run the hose you’re wasting 10 (or more) gallons of water. There are people in other countries who can’t even find one decent glass of water to drink, and animals and fish who have lost whole water habitats due to water waste. There’s no excuse for excessive water waste.

59. Go bicycling as a family – double your efforts by actually having an errand destination; the grocery store, library, the park for lunch. Every time you don’t take your car, you’re doing the earth some good.

60. Plant a tree – it’s almost always a good time to plant a tree, but spring is really nice because a new tree’s roots won’t be shocked by the cold anytime soon.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

“We cannot win this battle to save the species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well — for we will not fight to save what we do not love.”

 

~ Stephen Jay Gould

Agreed.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family