| As the old saying goes, "one man's trash is another | | | | leftovers with you when you eat out. |
| man's treasure," and now kids nationwide are taking | | | | 2. Buy recycled materials- Encourage kids to be |
| something old and making it new and functional for a | | | | environmentally accountable by being responsible |
| good cause-to protect the environment. | | | | purchasers. Recycled paper towels, plastic waste |
| While recycling has grown in general during the past | | | | bags and inkjet cartridges are just a few of the |
| 20 years, recycling of specific materials has grown | | | | items available. The EPA estimates that one ton of |
| even more drastically. According to the Environmental | | | | recycled paper also saves 2,000 kilowatt hours of |
| Protection Agency, 50 percent of all paper, 34 | | | | electricity, 3,000 gallons of water and keeps 30 |
| percent of all plastic soft-drink bottles, 45 percent of | | | | pounds of air pollution out of the sky. |
| all aluminum beer and soft-drink cans, 63 percent of | | | | 3. Cut out bottled water-Each year more than 4 billion |
| all steel packaging, and 67 percent of all major | | | | pounds of plastic bottles end up in landfills or as |
| appliances are now recycled. | | | | roadside litter. Plastic bottles also require massive |
| To support future generations of recyclers, | | | | amounts of fossil fuels to manufacture and transport. |
| Doubletree Hotels' Teaching Kids to CARE initiative is | | | | Instead, encourage the use of sturdy plastic bottles |
| educating elementary school students about their | | | | which can be repeatedly filled and washed. |
| roles in caring for the environment by challenging | | | | 4. Use the "off" switch-Save electricity and reduce |
| them to create fun solutions that could some day | | | | global warming by turning off lights when you leave a |
| save the Earth. Students will work hand in hand with | | | | room and powering off major appliances. Make a |
| teachers and hotel team members to "imagine" how | | | | game of it and create a family or class chart and |
| they would turn recyclable household products into | | | | recognize efforts by tallying points for turning off |
| "eco-friendly" solutions that help the environment. | | | | lights and the television, etc. Reward kids with a |
| For those parents and teachers wanting to | | | | special treat. |
| encourage their kids and students to increase their | | | | 5. Recharge those batteries-Purchase rechargeable |
| eco-friendly practices, here are a few tips: | | | | batteries and teach your children how to recharge |
| 1. No trash week-Challenge your family or class to | | | | batteries for their toys. This not only helps to reduce |
| lower their trash output. Several easy tips to follow | | | | garbage, but also keeps toxic metals such as |
| include using reusable bags when shopping at the | | | | mercury (found in some batteries) from getting into |
| grocery store and bringing plastic storage containers | | | | the environment. |
| (or even better, reused jars or plastic tubs) for | | | | |