Pick a neighborhood school

Sandy Lennon, a West Seattle mom of three,  is moving her children into an elementary school in her neighborhood next year.  Her incentive?  Sandy wants her kids to be able to walk to school and she knows that our daily transportation choices have a significant effect on global warming.

Transportation is 47% of Washington State emissions

In Washington state, transportation amounts to 47% of our greenhouse gases emissions. (Source: Center for Climate Strategies, State Department of Ecology, State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development, as reported in Feb 2008 Seattle Times).  That percentage is greater than the US average and is because most of the state's electricity is generated by hydropower (not fossil fuels).  Statistics aside, it helps show Washington moms where we can really work to reduce our emissions.  We must.  Our children's future depends on it.  

Eat it local and organic

Sandy's family eats as much local organic food as possible.  Start counting your food miles.  The fewer the miles, the fewer the emissions.  Washington moms are lucky.  We have a mild climate and an abundance of locally grown produce.  Local food is fresher and that tastes better.  Who wants another battle over vegetables?  Choose local food, watch your kids eat healthfully, and fight global warming with each meal.  Find local food at a Farmer's Market, in the store, or sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA).  While you are at it, buy it local and organic.  Organic methods of farming are considered to be more effective at sequestering carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, in the soil than conventional farming.

Buy foods that aren't swaddled in packaging

When Sandy shops, she chooses the least amount of packaging.  Not everything can be recycled.  Although recycling is a good choice, reducing the amount of packaged foods you use reduces your energy and resource consumption.  You can buy in bulk, or pledge to Think Outside the Bottle and choose tap water.  You may note a pleasant side effect of buying with less packaging - money savings!  

The greenest product is the one that already exists - locally!

With all of the hype out there about green products and green companies, it's hard for moms to know where to shop.  Sandy knows that the greenest product is the one that already exists.  Ok, except for toilet paper, but they buy recycled paper for that.  When Sandy's family needs to buy something, they buy it used or recycled as much as possible.  When moms buy locally used items, like clothing or furniture at consignment shops, the transportation emissions are minimal.  Buying it used from another state or country generates emissions.

Teaching kids in our yards and gardens

Sandy has an insightful way of teaching her children the value of conservation.  She makes use of her yard and garden to educate them.  Whether gardening, composting, or using rain barrels to illustrate our most precious resource, water, Sandy shows her children the importance of considering the full cycle of of how we use our resources. 

Zero population growth?  Our carbon footprint and our children's future

How many children do you plan to have?  When you chose, did global warming factor into your decision?  It did for Sandy's family.  Knowing a larger family would mean a larger footprint on an already overburdened earth, she chose to have only two children, an concept called zero population growth.  Her third child is adopted.  Adopting can be a great choice for moms who want to raise more kids.  The number of children we have is an intensely personal choice but it is one worthwhile considering.  As mothers, we take great care to plan the best possible future for our children.  More people requires more resources.