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Hey Kids! Too Young to Vote?

You might have been too young to vote in the recent presidential election, but don’t let that stop you from voting with your light switch for Earth Hour 2009. On Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 PM, as many as 1 billion people around the world will turn off their lights in a universal vote to stop global warming. The World Wildlife Fund will present these votes at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark this year. At this important meeting, governments from all over the world will gather to decide how to fight global warming.

Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007. 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. The following year, Earth Hour went global, with 50 million people world wide sending a powerful message against global warming. Important landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Sydney Opera House, Rome’s Colosseum, and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all went black. 

This year, you can VOTE EARTH just by switching off your lights.

Do you have any ideas you would like to share with our readers? Would you like to inspire us, like Lilly Tougas did, with your own going green stories? Click here to share!

Lilly in China for Hands Across the Ocean

Lilly Tougas, a young girl from Florida, has done extraordinary things to educate her community about going green. She is a great example of how one small person can make a big impact. Last year Lilly was invited to travel to China during the Beijing olympics to paint a mural with the artist Wyland and with children from all around the world. The goal of the mural was to raise awareness about taking care of our oceans. I was lucky enough to get an interview with Lilly to ask her about her quest to go green.

How old were you when you learned about what it means to “go green?”

When I was 3 at my Montessori school, I would sing a song ”the Earth is our Mother, we must take care of her” and I took it very seriously. When I was 6, my Mom and I read a book called “Hold Your Water” by Wyland and Steve Creech. At the end, I took a pledge, like a check off list of things and learned a lot about what to do.

How did it make you feel to find out that people were hurting the planet through our everyday actions?

It hurt me really deep.

What was one of the first ideas you had to go green?

Well, at first, it was just turning off lights and water when brushing my teeth, then I would leave messages on the answering machine telling people about doing that.

What are a few things that you do to save the planet everyday?

Turn off lights,T.V., and water, recycle and take my friends trash home with me to make sure that it gets recycled. I also tell people every day how important it is to do these things. We are Mother Natures eyes and when we see what is wrong we need to help. 

 Is there something you wish you could do to help the earth, but don’t know how?

Yes, I was hoping to get the use of plastic bags banned in my town, I wrote a letter and nothing happened, I feel sad when I see them as trash all around town, and I feel really really sad when I see a picture of a Sea Turtle who tried to eat one.

Which of your going green projects are you most proud of?

Hand’s across the Ocean in China, my idea of having a Lemonade stand to purchase reusable grocery bags to hand out to people who need them, bringing recycling bins to school, writing a note to Congress with pictures of plastic bags stuck in trees and in pastures with cows. I guess I am most proud of all of them and it is a long list.

What was it like to travel to China for “Hands Across The Ocean” at the Olympics?

It was amazing to join hands with other kids around the world and pledge to care for the worlds oceans together. Not to mention painting with Wyland, he is such an inspiration, I hope we do something at the Olympics in Canada. 

Lilly working a booth for Earth Rehab to raise money for the Wyland Foundation

Hey Kids!

The toys at your friend’s house always seem so much cooler, don’t they? That’s probably because they’re new to you. Half the excitement of getting new stuff is simply the thrill of having something different to play with or read. That thrill tends to quickly wear off, and soon your favorite new toy will end up in a pile in the closet or under the bed. One great way to get new toys and books and keep your mom from screaming “CLEAN UP THIS ROOM!” is to have a toy and book swap. This is an easy activity you can organize with your friends, neighbors or classroom. Gather toys, books, and even clothes that you no longer want but that are in good shape and ask your friends to do the same. To make the swaping fair, give everyone a number to determine the picking order. Number one chooses first for the first round of picking. Then the order reverses for the following round. By having a swap, not only do you get to bring home all new stuff, (well, new to you at least!) you’ll also help prevent pollution and save the energy and resources that are used to make toys. 

A wise frog once said “it’s not easy being green”, but here at the Little Green Blog, we’re about to prove him wrong! Being green simply means that your way of life does not harm the planet or the wildlife with which we share it. There are many things that you can do in your small corner of the globe that can contribute to a greener world, from saving energy at home to protecting natural habitats in your community. Here are some important ways you can make a difference, and some tips for getting started today! …Read the rest of this post