No, it isn’t the wrinkles from the bathtub water, it is just the result of over a year of doing things that make the whole family more aware of their environmental impact.
As the kids (ages 11 and 13) begin to wind down the last half of the last grading period, they started to reflect back on various ideas and projects they had started.
That gets us parents thinking, too. Whatever happened to . . . (you fill in the blank).
How does the world’s carbon footprint compare year to year?
According to the Energy Information Administration, the rate of increase of carbon dioxide emissions has slowed down over the past few decades, but has yet to level off. Projections show these rates continuing to slow down.
The average worldwide carbon footprint is about 4 tonnes (metric tons). I am happy to report that our changes over the past year have put us below that.
The worldwide target to combat climate change is 2 tonnes. However, ours is not yet that low, but some of those changes require big bucks. Yes, the reality is that going green is still not as economical as we all would like for it to be. Wouldn’t it be great to offset the state and nation’s big numbers by using renewable energy such as a wind generator or solar panels?
Last year’s Sustainability Week events at Kankakee Community College were very memorable for our son and me. He was in fourth grade at the time, and taking the time to go to a few of the free events made a lasting impression on the little guy.
So, when we found out earlier this year that they were doing this important environmental awareness week again, we marked our calendar with hopes of attending most of the events.
As things usually go when you have two kids in junior high, the schedule has not permitted us to fit in all of the events. You can guarantee schedule conflicts.
The events are going on this week.
We missed the “Who Killed the Electric Car” free movie being shown at Kankakee Community College Tuesday night. Fortunately, we saw a copy of the movie on the shelf at the video rental store we frequent.
There was school on the day of the solar power class Friday so we knew in advance that we would miss that.
We also missed the presentations Tuesday on renewable energy, green buildings and permaculture. Well, we had the best intentions of making it to those.
Let’s not dwell on the past.
(more…)
I’m a huge Star Wars fan, and I’ve passed along my passion to my 2 1/2-year-old son. Bubba loves Star Wars too. In fact, it can sometimes become a problem.
My darling little boy has been known to grab a pencil, flute or any other cylindrical object, hold it in one hand while proclaiming, “I’m a Jedi!”
This is cute when we are alone in the basement, but awkward when he aims his complementary toothbrush at the dentist and threatens her as though he were holding a Lightsaber. Or when we are in line at the grocery store and he asks the cashier, “Is Darth Vader a bad guy?”
To reduce the frequency of these uncomfortable exchanges, I’ve greatly reduced the viewing of Star Wars television programs and movies in our home. I’ve also begun to change the topic when any of George Lucas’ creations find their way into our conversations. (This happens a lot!).
However, I don’t think I’d be able to resist purchasing a Tauntaun Sleeping Bag (pictured here). An online advertisement for this fictitious product was forwarded to me from a Facebook buddy.
According to the phony ad posted on ThinkGeek.com, “this high-quality sleeping bag looks just like a Tauntaun, complete with saddle, internal intestines and glowing lightsaber zipper pull”
Of course, this whole thing is a joke, but I certainly would purchase such a product. In fact, I’m a little surprised it doesn’t already exist considering the marketing power of Star Wars.
I’d only have one question before purchasing the sleeping bag, does it smell as bad on the inside as it does on the outside?
My two sons have fantastic grandparents on both sides. However, my parents have a big advantage. They live 30 minutes away from our house by car. The Wife’s parents live in South Texas - 25 HOURS away.
Most holidays, birthdays and special occasions are celebrated with my mom and dad. They live close enough to babysit and even come over for an impromptu barbecue. In fact, we sometimes see them too much, particularly in the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Thankfully, neither side is afraid to admit when we need a break.
My in-laws are are a different story. Because of geography, we spend most holidays apart. They’ve come to visit occasionally for Christmas, but this is hardly the norm. The Wife and I also have a longstanding tradition of visiting South Texas annually for at least one week. Still, the distance doesn’t allow these grandparents to take their grandchildren to a pumpkin patch on a whim or share an ice cream cone on a warm summer night.
I’ve spoken to other grandparents with similar geographic limitations. Most admit that the distance can make the relationships with their grandchildren difficult. Some have even told me that visits can feel awkward, since the kids don’t immediately recognize them.
Worried that Grandma Texas and Papa Dave would end up this way, The Wife and I purchased a webcam for them as a Christmas gift. It sounds very fancy, but the online camera was only about $40.
Our computer came with a built-in webcam, as well as software for live, video chats. (See the shot above) Using this technology, the boys can talk to their grandparents in Texas and actually see them on the computer screen. Phone conversations are great, but the webcam adds a whole new element.
My in-laws can actually see the boys growing up. They wave back and forth, sing songs together and make silly faces at the camera. But the most valuable benefit of the webcam is familiarity. My kids don’t see their South Texas grandparents as strangers when they come to visit. Instead, they run to them.
What better time than spring and Earth Month to find out more about some people who have made a big difference in the environmental movement. The last factoid list I wrote a blog entry on was so popular that I thought the kids might want to try another one.
1. Before her death in 1912, she saw and then brought to the attention of politicians and the general public, the connection between social issues and protecting the environment.
2. He brought the focus on global warming to a new level as only someone in a high position of power can. He also spoke on the subject April 1 in Chicago.
3. A stack of agricultural wonders that could work especially well in urban areas is becoming this guy’s claim to fame.
4. He has risen to the challenge of developing a rice that will grow in abundance in West Africa’s tough, dry climate.
5. At the age of 14, this inventor in Malawi took spare parts and scraps and made a windmill that really produced electricity. Isn’t that every young boy’s dream?
6. She jumped on the green building bandwagon in 2002 and has since made an impact on not only the environment, but many museum visitors in The Windy City.
7. Born in Rome in 1901, this guy won a Nobel Prize in 1938 for something that has to do with neutrons and energy. He has a Chicago connection where tons of creative juices flow.
8. She was defending our natural resources long before that former vice president of the United States brought the subject into the global limelight.
9. She helped Kenya build a more-sustainable environment and won a prize in 2004 named after Alfred Nobel.
10. When he was working for GE during the U.S. energy crisis of the mid-’70s, he came up with something that is just now catching on in households around the world.
(more…)
Do you have a situation that needs imagination? Well, you’re in luck, because Disney’s “Imagination Movers” has been renewed. The Disney Channel program became a fast favorite of my 2 1/2-year-old son in it’s first season.
Bubba is such a fan, I signed up for e-mail updates at the Mover’s Web site. (I’m pretty sure this makes me either a Super Fan or a Super Nerd) Regardless, I received this message on Friday:
“Thanks to you - the ratings are strong. The reviews have been great. And the internet is abuzz! So now, without further ado, the Movers begin shooting 25 new episodes filled with music, comedy and creative inspiration. Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty will be in front of the cameras in their Idea Warehouse until September. Wish us luck!!”
This is great news. We watch the Movers like others watch “24″ or “Dancing With the Stars.” In other words, we never miss an episode.
However, we’ve been watching the show since its debut in October. By now, every episode is a rerun. I’m actually excited to see what the new season will bring. Perhaps the Movers will get asked to actually MOVE something, like a couch or big-screen television.
For those unfamiliar, the Imagination Movers (pictured on the right) aren’t your typical pack-and-haul crew. These guys are all about solving problems using their creativity. Problems in the first season included teaching a once-great athlete how to catch a football and hosting a dull birthday party. Along the way, the Movers mix in their own brand of kid rock that’s more 90s grunge than Barney bland.
If you haven’t tuned into the show, it’s worth a watch. And I should know, I watch it almost everyday.
New readers of The Daily Journal may only know that I write the new consumer advocate column, Fix It!
Others are familiar with this face from my blogging about my super busy life with my 2-year-old daughter Zion and 1-year-old Jayden for “Adventures in Parenting.”
But for four years, until January 2008, many local residents knew me as “The Healthy Guy.” In that column, I addressed the health issues that plague men. With compassion, honesty and humor, I confronted issues head-on — like our refusing to go to the doctor, not eating fruits and vegetables like we should, and how we should work harder to be better spouses.
Why I did I say all that?
Recent news reports have reminded me of one of my most memorable Men’s Health columns — one about “familicide,” a term given to a murder by a man of his wife, all their children and, almost always, himself.
It seems like every morning while watching “ABC’s Good Morning America,” I learn about a man killing his family and then committing suicide because of financial hardship, as recession grips our nation. And it just rips my heart.
While there is no hard data on “familicide,” experts say there is a clear pattern among such killers.
Have any other parents noticed how their kids are talking more about the environment than ever before?
Perhaps it is because they know that there will be many “green” jobs developing and a demand for workers in that area.
Maybe they realize how one person making small changes in habits can make a big difference.
Perhaps it is because they have heard the stories about the animals in the tundra dying because their habitat is melting.
Apparently, the administrators at one of the largest store chains in the nation have noticed this as well and are issuing a challenge to students that could win their school a $20,000 grant.
A recent article in Yahoo! Finance points to some staggering statistics about the economy, and the role the current downturn is having on families. Yahoo columnist Laura Rowley suggests that newly unemployed fathers are more likely than ever to take on the role of primary care giver for their children.
“Since December 2007, more than 80 percent of the 2.5 million jobs lost in the U.S. were held by men, as industries such as manufacturing, construction, and finance bear the brunt of the recession, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Women make up 46 percent of the labor pool, but if current trends continue, they could soon be the majority,” Rowley points out in her article.
She goes on to give examples of families where men have lost their jobs and begun to play a more active role around the house. For some, this means becoming a stay-at-home dad. For other men, it means taking a lesser-paying job that is more flexible. This versatility allows dads to do things like drop off children at school, fold a load of laundry before work and take the kids to the doctor or dentist. Shouldering these sorts of chores often allows their spouse to work full or part time, thus creating a dual income.
“Over the past three decades, men have doubled their contribution to household chores, and since 1965, they have tripled the time spent caring for children. But women still do about two-thirds of those activities,” Rowley writes.
This trend comes as a shock to some. Others are not at all surprised. It’s hard to tell what the reaction is from the 100-plus comments on the message board below Rowley’s story. Here you’ll find rants on seemingly unrelated topics including feminism and illegal immigrants.
It’s unfortunate that so many men are being forced to becoming stay-at-home dads or having to take lesser paying/more flexible jobs. It’s obviously better if a family comes to this decision without being prompted by a pink slip. Nobody likes a bitter dad. However, I’m confident this new crop of stay-at-home dads will put these feelings aside and represent us well. I doubt stay-at-home dads will ever rival the numbers of stay-at-home moms, but balancing the scale a bit would be nice.
We recently came across a study from the Pew Research Center about people not being as concerned about the environment because the recession is such a big issue right now. Global warming actually ranks 20th on the list of priorities. No joke.
The kids and I drew the conclusion that some people might associate helping the environment with spending money.
As kids of all ages will remind us, that doesn’t have to be the case.
There are many things you can do free or cheap to save the earth.
• Use “Blackle” as your main search engine. It is powered by Google, but kills fewer watts.
• Recycle almost all waste paper. We have a stack by the phone. Just put a line through the text on one side so the kids know it is available for art, homework, etc.
• Think before you print. E-mail it to yourself and then file in a subject folder.
• Open the curtains during the day and let the sunlight in instead of turning on a light. Now if the kids could just remember to also follow through on their suggestion.
• Remind family members to turn out the lights when they leave a room. I was amazed when a co-worker said he had managed to get his 13-year-old son into this habit. Way to go.
