Recycle at home or at school
Are you sure you recycle everything that you possibly can? Did you know you can get money for taking in your recyclables to a recycling center? Get answers to all your recycling questions at www.bottlesandcans.com.
If your school doesn’t have a recycling program yet, you can start one. This guide provides an easy 8-step guide for starting a recycling program at school. Learn more.
Buy things that are made out of recycled materials. When you buy your school supplies, try to buy paper, notebooks and pencils made out of recycled materials. You can buy backpacks made from recycled plastic soda bottles or old tires! Check out these cool products.
Tip: Make your own notebook out of recycled material. Buy plain recycled notebook paper from any store like Target, Office Depot, or Staples. Then, find your own cover for it. You can use the front of a cereal box, a piece of cardboard covered with your favorite stickers, or anything you can think of. Take your notebook to a photocopying store and they will put a spiral binding on it. Now you have your own environmentally friendly notebook!
Green Earth Office Supply sells pencils made from old jeans and lunch trays. Learn more.
These pens look and feel like plastic, but they are actually made from corn. They are completely biodegradable.
Learn more.
These backpacks are made from recycled soda bottles.
Learn more.
These binders are made from recycled tires. They will last forever and you can decorate with stickers or puffy paint.
Learn more.
This site has cute purses made from recycled candy wrappers.
Learn more.
Take public transportation
The American Public Transportation Association has links to all the public transportation authorities in California. Find your city on the list to get more information about how to begin riding public transportation. Learn more.
Does your city have adequate public transportation? Could public transportation in California be improved? CALPRIG is an organization dedicated to improving mass transit in California. Visit their website to learn how you can help. Learn more.
Ride your bike or walk more often
Riding your bike to school is fun and helps you use less gasoline, but is important to be safe when riding your bike. Check out this website to learn how to be safe on your bike. Learn more.
Write a letter to an important politician
There are many politicians in the United States, in California, and in your city who would like to know what you think about helping to clean the environment. Here are just some suggestions.
George W. Bush, President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Or email:
comments@whitehouse.gov
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor or California
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senators of California
Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Legislators of California
Enter your zip code on this site to find your legislators.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html
Plant Trees
Planting trees and plants helps remove carbon dioxide from the air, which is partially responsible for global warming. Trees and plants give us fresh oxygen to breathe and they look nice too. It is important to know what kinds of trees and plants work well in your environment. If you live in the desert and you plant a tree meant for the forest, it will die! And if you live in the forest and you plant a tree meant for the desert, it will also die! What kind of climate do you live in?
Las Pilitas Nursery in San Diego County has a fantastic website that lets you research plants native to your region of California. You can search for plants based on city, zip code, or climate type. Follow this link.
Conserve Electricity
The California Energy Commission’s Consumer Energy Center provides many tips for saving electricity. www.consumerenergycenter.org
Flex Your Power is a campaign dedicated to energy efficiency and conservation. Learn about rebates and incentives on their website. www.fypower.org
Buying more efficient household appliances and properly sealing doors and windows can save you hundreds of dollars a year on your energy bill. Learn more from Energy Star at www.energystar.gov
Play games, watch videos and learn more about cutting your own energy usage on this fun site designed for kids. www.energyquest.ca.gov
Conserve Water
Investing in a few inexpensive devices can help you save dozens of gallons a day (and hundreds of dollars a year!) A low-flow showerhead that puts out less than 2 gallons per minute is one great investment. You can also buy aerators for you kitchen and bathroom sinks to reduce water flow there. Finally, a simple toilet kit can help you reduce the amount of water that goes down with each flush. Here are two websites that sell all or some of these useful items.
greenfeet.com.
niagaraconservation.com
Tip: Collect grey water to use in your garden. Grey water is water that you already used in your shower or sinks. Toilet water is not grey water. You can buy some plastic bins to place in your sinks and shower. When they fill up, use them to water your plants. Grey water is actually better for plants than regular water because soapsuds and small food particles contain nitrates, which are like plant food. This tip will help make your plants healthier, and help your family save water!
The California Urban Water Conservation Council provides more information on conserving water at home. Take a tour of the Water Saver House to see how your house compares. Learn more.