The Great Book Swap!

There are thousands of books out there, just waiting for you to pick them up and and leaf through their pages. But you'd never fit all those books in your house, so why not share books with other kids? The easiest way to share and borrow books is to go to the library. Click here to find your local library. 

You can also swap books with other by having a swap day, or by visiting these book swap websites:

PaperBack Swap

BookMooch

Bookins

Children's Bookstore

Happy browsing!

Pennies for the Planet

What do colorful seabirds on a rocky island off the coast of Maine, an ancient swamp in South Carolina and a vast sagebrush habitat in Wyoming have in common? They all need your help! Pennies for the Planet is making it not only possible, but easy for you and your friends to to make a real contribution to help conserve these threatened creatures and habitats.

Pennies for the Planet is a nationwide campaign that taps into the amazing power of kids to help critical conservation projects. Working in their classrooms, clubs, scout troops and other groups, kids have been collecting pocket change to help save wild species and wild spaces.

Visit their website makes it easy to get involved with a downloadable educational kit, containing a poster, an educator’s guide, four reproducible activities, a newsletter for kids, and a participation form.

The Obama Girls Go Green

On Tuesday, January 20th, their father will be inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States. But the Obama girls have already begun their new life in Washington, D.C., at the very green Sidwell Friends School.  In fact, the Sidwell Friends School is rated the greenest school in the world after a new environmentally friend middle school was constructed in 2006.  The sustainable design includes water-efficient landscaping, use of local and recycled materials like cedar barrels, a green roof, solar panels, natural ventilation, and solar trash compactors. They even constructed a wetlands to help clean waste water and reduce water use. Watch the video to learn more about Sidwell friends and maybe even discover a few ideas for turning your school into a green school.

Eco-Jeopardy!

A New Year, A New Lunch Box

Yay! You're officially half way through the school year. And now it's back to the grind for another 5 1/2 months. If you are looking for a good way to freshen things up to starve off the winter doldrums, you can revamp you school lunch and do your part to prevent unnecessary waste. One company that has stepped up to create a completely green reusable lunch kit is Kids Konserve. Their kit comes with a recycled cotton sack, stainless steel food and beverage containers, a cloth napkin, a food cozy and a recycled name tag.

To learn about more ways to make your school lunch planet-friendly, read my article "How to Pack an Eco-Friendly Lunch."

The Ultimate Non-Material Green Gift Guide: Part 5

Let's face it, some people just don't want or need any more stuff. For those who have everything, you can make a donation of time or money in their name to a cause that could really use it. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Gifts that keep on giving:

-U.S. Savings Bond
-Plants
-Plant a tree in someone's name
-Make a donation to Heifer International or their favorite charity
-Volunteer for their favorite organization or community group like Habitat for Humanity

The Ultimate Non-Material Green Gift Guide: Part 4

Hiring someone local to provide a service is a great way to green your gift. Not only are you avoiding buying more stuff, but you are also supporting people in your community. There are many services that you can provide yourself, like a foot massage for mom or washing your dad's car. When I was a kid, I would make a booklet of gift certificates for my mom, that she could redeem for things such as "a back massage" or a "mowing the lawn". These types of gifts are always greatly appreciated!

List 7: Services that you can buy:

-landscaping service
-snow removal service
-cleaning service
-window washing service
-car wash
-pet sitting

List 8: Services that you provide:

-organize mom's spice rack or dad's tool box
-polish grandma's silver or jewelry or grandpa's shoes
-take someone's well loved shoes to be resoled to give them a new life
-wash their car
-e-cycle your families old electronics and they will be very grateful to get rid of them
-tune up their bike
-give them a manicure, pedicure, or massage
-clean and organize mom's makeup bag

Check out the Non-Material Gift Guide Part 5