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Everywhere I look these days I see talk about “Going Green.” My preschooler made this topic come alive at our home last month when she learned about community helpers and recycling. She asked the simple question “what is recycling?” to which my 7-year-old answered: “It is when you don’t throw away anything, but you find a way to use it…like MawMaw!” True, my mom is the Queen Recycler, always finding a reason to hang onto things and shocking us all when she actually puts them to good use.

In Baton Rouge recycling has become so easy with the great new size recycling bins and the extensive list of goods that can be recycled. It always excites me at the end of the week to see our recycle bin as full as our trash can (little things make me happy!) However, once I started talking to my children and reading a bit more about the green movement, I realized two things: (1) there is so much more that we could be doing and (2) the benefits are greater than I imagined. Our city has some wonderful organizations and programs that assist with going green. Here are a few ideas that I plan to keep in mind:

--Shopping at the local farmer’s market and buying from local farmers and dairies results in decreased carbon emissions (pollution from travel) and fresher produce, not to mention helping out our local economy!

--Plant a tree (or garden) – if you need help with this one, check out Baton Rouge Green, an organization that stresses the important role trees play in our health and ecology. You will enjoy the shade and fresh air for years to come.

--Consider a compost bin or mulching. There are many sites that give detailed information on this matter such as this one.

--Don’t forget to recycle used electronics. Baton Rouge’s Capital Corporate Recycling Council is a local nonprofit group that recycles old computers and electronics and uses them at school/nonprofits in our area.

--Reevaluate the small things – “glowing” electronics continuously draw power even after you turn them off (DVD player, coffee maker) so consider pulling the plug when not in use; any chance you can cut down on the time spent in the car, any leaky faucets or poorly insulated areas of the home?

I hope you and your family have fun discussing what little or big things you want to do and the goodness that comes from taking care of our home.