Family
Family Excursions That Don't Include Planes, Trains and Automobiles
By
May 29, 2008, 21:48

(NC)-Summertime fun doesn't have to mean big carbon emissions.

Instead of planning a road trip or a vacation far away, think about fun things you can do with your family close to home.

Here are a few eco-friendly ways to keep your children active and busy this year:

1. Park it and Play

Skip the long drives to the beach or the gridlock getting to a popular attraction and explore with your feet what your own neighbourhood has to offer.

Pack an eco-friendly picnic with reusable dishes and cutlery, washable napkins, and a minimum of plastic bags or wrap, find a table near a playground and spend the afternoon outdoors.

2. Sail Away

If your family loves to spend summer days on the water, think about parking your motorboat this season and try sailing or canoeing.

Not only will your family get more exercise, but you'll reduce pollution into our country's lakes.

3. Break out the Bikes

Teach your kids about bike safety while sharing an eco-friendly and active family outing. Have everyone wear a backpack and take a bike trip to a local farmer's market to bring back fruit, veggies, cheese and other items.

Explain to your kids the benefits of buying locally and that the average food item travels 2,000 km to reach your kitchen, which affects freshness, taste, nutrition, greenhouse gas emissions, high energy costs and local economic health. By serving locally grown food, you help these effects.

4. Encourage Environmental Efforts


If you've got a teenager who would rather spend time with friends than with the whole family, encourage involvement in a nearby environmental club or effort such as the Otesha Project (www.otesha.ca), a youth movement towards sustainable consumption or the Canon Envirothon (www.envirothon.org), North America's largest high school environmental education competition where teens solve real environmental issues through in-class projects and hands-on field experiences.

5. Take Transit

If you're leaving your neighbourhood, keep the car parked and hop on local transit. It's an easy way to make a difference.

Web links:

Otesha Project www.otesha.ca

Canon Envirothon www.envirothon.org

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