Grandparent tips to save the world

Zoomer | January 1st, 2006

What kind of world are we leaving our grandchildren? A beautiful world, there’s no denying. A world with flowers, trees, rainbows, mountains and wonderful sunsets. But also a world being degraded year by year, with rivers and oceans poisoned, the land contaminated and the air fouled.

So what in a real sense can we do to improve the world our grandchildren will inherit?

There are all sorts of things you can do with or for your grandchildren to help save the world.

Examples:

  • Take them cottaging or camping for a taste of the wild.
  • Involve them in your recycling, reusing efforts.
  • Take them to garage sales and rummage sales to learn the inexpensive pleasures of buying used.
  • Let them help you in the garden or, if it’s practical, rent an allotment and grow vegetables with them.
  • Use any excuse to talk to them about life’s eternal cycle — a dead bird on the patio or spring’s first flower.
  • Forage with them — whether it’s checking garbage for treasures, picking berries or beach combing.

Then there are the things you can do on your own toake a better world for them. For example:

  • Switch, if you haven’t already, from oil to natural gas for heating.
  • Walk, cycle or take public transport to do your chores.
  • Operate a fuel-efficient car that’s kept well serviced.
  • When affordable, non-polluting fuel cell cars arrive, be the first on your block to get one.
  • Look out for signs industry or others are polluting and call city hall.
  • Avoid using chemicals on your lawn.
  • Start a compost heap.