Kermit D. Frog was right when he said “It’s not easy being green!” Between recycling, buying products with less packaging, and eating at home…it takes time, thought, and effort to be more “green.” As one of the longest running, large preschool - daycares in Ypsilanti, we care for you and your child. Our motto is “Changing the world, one child at a time!” We all need to pitch in to make sure our world will be livable for generations to come. We strongly encourage you and your family to try some of the tips below.
Ditch the Throw-Away Plastics
- When you’re preparing your family’s lunches, place food in re-usable lunch wrappers, or small plastic containers to limit your use of throw-away baggies, foil, and plastic wrap.
- Use a water filter system on your faucet, or use a pitcher with an inner filter, and say “Goodbye!” to those plastic water bottles. Purchase re-fillable water bottles for your family to use while traveling. Each family member could decorate their bottle with paint markers to make their bottle unique and easy to identify.
- Take re-usable grocery bags shopping with you. If you have a stock-pile of plastic bags use them for small garbage can bags or take them back to the store for recycling.
http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1594-amazing-uses-for-plastic-grocery-bags.html
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20310499,00.html
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/new-uses-for-old-things/10-smart-uses-old-plastic-bags-10000001097755/page7.html
Be a Smart Consumer
- Look for items that are sold with minimal packaging. Buying bulk items will save money and use less packaging.
- If you’re in the market for new appliances, look for high efficiency [HE] washers that use less water, or Energy Star rated appliances. These appliances not only decrease your energy use, they’ll save you money too!
- Do you have furniture, equipment, or other like-new items that you no longer need? Participate in a free-cycle program in your community or church. It’s a great way to clean out your garage or storage and help out another family in need. It’s also a way to keep perfectly good objects out of landfills and save money! As your favorite preschool – daycare in Ypsilanti, we even have a Facebook group page that is perfect to advertise items you’re seeking, or trying to give away. We encourage you to use it!
- Sign up for on-line statements and pay your bills through your bank’s on-line service. You’ll not only save a stamp, but cut down on the paper used for printing bills and envelopes.
- Eat out less and try to eliminate meat at least one day a week. Geophysicists estimate that if Americans reduced their consumption of meat by at least 20% it would have the same impact as if all American drivers switched from a standard sedan to a hybrid vehicle!
The suggestions above are just a few, of the many ways that you and your family can be kinder to our planet. It’s not surprising that Little Angels Preschool - Daycare in Ypsilanti focuses on issues that effect children. We lather sunscreen on your child and take extra time cleaning up spills so no one trips. We do everything we can to keep them safe. It’s time we all put more effort into improving our environment before it’s no longer safe to roll in the grass, or go to the beach, or splash in puddles. This wonderful quote says it all. Anne Frank — 'How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.'
