We all know that some kinds of energy are a lot more eco-friendly than others - and when it comes to generating electricity, that often has us thinking about power generation from low, or even no, carbon renewable options instead of getting it from high-carbon fossil fuels. As far as [...]
Modern food packaging carries an enormous amount of information about what you’re planning to eat – everything from the number of calories and its nutritional value, to how you need to store it and the ways in which it can be cooked. It’s all useful stuff of course, but while [...]
“We really wanted to make a greenhouse,” explains Mike Fuller, “but we just couldn’t seem to drink the lemonade quickly enough!” Mike’s sons, John and David, it seems, had seen a programme on the TV about building a solar greenhouse from old plastic bottles, and set their hearts on making [...]
In many parts of the world, obtaining drinking water is a real problem. According to estimates around 900 million people around the globe – that’s one in every six of the planet’s population – have no regular supply of clean drinking water, and there are 300 million of them in [...]
For children who care about the plight of the natural world, there’s never been an easier – or more important – time to get involved with conservation. Whatever they’re passionate about, there’s bound to be a way for them to do their bit to help preserve some of the unique [...]
There’s not much to compare with camping when it comes to the ultimate “back to nature” experience. A week or two away from electricity, the TV and your broadband connection, coupled with the very real need to conserve water and cook your own food on fairly rudimentary facilities outdoors certainly [...]
Bringing home presents and souvenirs from your holiday is all part of the fun, but not all of the things on offer in the world’s tourist shops are what you could describe as truly “ethical” – and sometimes, they’re not legal either. It’s a potential minefield even for knowledgeable and [...]
When it comes to getting any story across, there’s not much doubting that video is the dominant way of doing it, but never-the-less, there are still times when a collection of striking still photographs can say more than a few minutes-worth of moving ones. If you’ve ever idly flicked through [...]
Despite the vast amount of green-themed information, websites, blogs and books widely available, finding really useful eco-teaching resources can, surprisingly, sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Like so many things, however, it’s really just a question of knowing where to look – and the good news is, there’s no [...]
Between driving the weather, making plants grow and helping generate an ever-increasing amount of the electricity we use via photovoltaic cells, the sun does a pretty important job. There are plenty of kits available that can help bring solar power into the classroom, but if the equipment budget is a [...]
The world-wide demand for pesticide is predicted to grow to a staggering £35 billion by 2014, and with so much money being spent on killing off pests, there are times when it’s hard to remember that not all insects want to bite or sting you, or compete for your food! [...]
With so much readily available and relatively cheap technology to be had, there’s never been an easier time to launch your own career as a budding eco reporter or movie maker. Most of what you need comes built-in to most modern laptops – and an awful lot of mobile phones [...]
Kids – the most enquiring minds in the universe; add soil, a few everyday objects and a little science and you’ve got to be onto a winner! Here’s a pair of very simple experiments to get youngsters thinking about soil and start investigating it in a practical way; they're very [...]
A well set up wildlife area can be a fantastic resource for any school, from it’s obvious ability to make a useful contribution to so much of the curriculum through to its simple – and often overlooked – value as a quiet place to just be. It’s a wonderfully adaptable [...]
The gap year represents an important time for many young people – a rite of passage marking the transition between school days and the adult world of university or the workplace. Traditionally an excuse to go back-packing around some of the world’s most interesting and unusual places, often working at [...]
Almost all of us like to travel and take the opportunity to visit somewhere different; even when today’s multi-channel digital TV beams the remotest corners of the world into our living rooms, there’s still nothing quite like seeing it for yourself. As every eco-aware person on the planet knows, however, [...]
Listen to any discussion about supermarkets, food and the benefits of locally sourced produce and it won’t be long before you hear the words “food miles.” Although the expression was first coined back in the 1990s, over recent years those two words have really passed into the public consciousness and [...]
Christmas is a time for giving, but for the eco-friendly family, trying to do the right thing for the world doesn’t really sit easily with the conspicuous consumption – not to mention the tonnes of paper and packaging – that seem bound up in “traditional” presents. Fortunately as an increasing [...]
Unless you’ve been living in a cave – or on the dark side of the Moon – for the last few years, you know what you ought to be doing when it comes to saving energy, helping wildlife and supporting ethical projects. So, do you do all you can, all [...]
All sorts of native wildlife can be found living in and around our gardens – and even more kinds are fairly regular visitors. From birds, bees and bugs to occasional bigger beasts such as badgers and deer, the Great British back yard is alive with all manner of creatures – [...]
Wildflower meadows have an appeal all of their own and if you’re a bit of a wildlife fan, there’s not much to beat a few hours spent watching the steady stream of bees and other pollinating insects busying themselves amongst the blooms on a warm summer’s afternoon. Unfortunately, changes to [...]
From politicians and pop stars to the people next door, it seems just about everyone’s blogging and for eco-friendly kids, there’s probably no better way of making their thoughts and ideas on the future of the planet known to the wider world. Like all things internet, blogging comes with the [...]
Here’s a great practical project for the whole family – turn used plastic bottles into a greenhouse, and then enjoy the chance to grow some of your own food once you’ve finished. Some of the heavier construction work is probably going to be adults-only – or older kids at least [...]
Wherever you live in Britain, there are very few places where you’re more than a short distance from a good woodland walk and whatever kind of trees make up your local forest – conifers, broad-leafed trees or a mixture of the two – there’s likely to be plenty to see [...]
Whenever we plan a trip to the seaside, it’s almost always a sunny day that we see in our mind’s eye. If it’s the British coast, however, as we all know only too well, it doesn’t necessarily work out that way – but grey skies or blue, rock pooling is [...]
Ponds are fascinating places for most kids, but for any wildlife-mad youngsters they’re an unbeatable Aladdin’s cave just waiting to be discovered. There’s not much to beat sweeping a net gently through the water and then tipping the contents carefully into a jar to see what you’ve caught – but [...]
Gardening is a huge hobby in Britain and most of us enjoy the opportunity to potter about tending our own little piece of ground. Back gardens represent an important space in all the family’s lives and whether yours is principally for outdoor entertaining, growing flowers, watching wildlife or the kids [...]
Food production is at the heart of how we look after our planet and growing enough to feed us all makes significant demands on global resources, particularly in terms of land, water and energy. More than a third of the world’s available surface is given over to agriculture in one [...]
If your kids love gadgets, there are plenty to choose from that are as green as they are great fun to use. Whether you’re looking for something entertaining, educational or simply practical, there’s bound to be one that will suit – and searching through all the wonderfully ingenious options available [...]
Water is shaping up to be one of the most important issues for the future. While much of the developing world has to manage with 20 litres per person a day – a mere 4 buckets-worth – on average in the UK each one of us uses 155 litres. That’s [...]
With energy being one of the biggest issues of the day, doing your own energy survey can be a great way to involve all the family in doing something that’s both positive for the planet, and helpful to the household budget. Professional audits will, of course, be more comprehensive than [...]
If you’re blessed with wildlife-mad youngsters but you just can’t quite manage to conjure up that flight to Africa before bed time, then don’t despair. Admittedly, while there’s nothing quite like watching animals grazing on the Serengeti, you actually don’t have to go very far to encounter some pretty bizarre [...]
Starting bird watching with your kids couldn’t be easier. Even in the depths of the city, in parks and back gardens, on lamp-posts and roadside trees, you’ll find something to watch and some of the best opportunities exist outside your own kitchen window, particularly if you have a bird bath [...]
There’s nothing quite like the joy of giving – or getting – a present, and if you can do some wider good into the bargain, then everybody wins. With so many horror stories in the media surrounding slave-labour manufacturing of this newest must-have toy, or that latest fashion range, it [...]
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years or you’ve just returned from Mars, you can’t have failed to notice just how much the news has been full of talk about climate change, global warming, floods, droughts, heat-waves and the weather in general. So, how much [...]
Water really is the stuff of life. From washing to drinking and from the rain lashing against winter windows to the waves crashing against summer-holiday shores, it affects everything we do, and that’s before we even begin to consider how important it is to the rest of the planet. In [...]
Watching wildlife comes high on the list of favourite activities for most eco-friendly kids – and it’s often a hit with their parents too. There’s no better way to encourage a few native species to come into your own backyard than by rolling out a bit of a red carpet [...]
Between cutting back on fuel bills, using electricity more efficiently and reducing our carbon footprint it seems that everyone’s taking energy very seriously these days. So, how about you? Are you a bit of an energy champion, doing your bit wherever you can – or does the whole thing leave [...]
Everything we do has an impact of one sort or another on the environment – and the choice of food we buy is no exception. Everything we eat will have required valuable water and nutrients to produce in the first place and – unless we grew it ourselves – will [...]
When did you last see a Pied Woodpecker in your garden, turn the compost heap or visit your favourite stall at the Farmers’ Market? Unless you’re really, really organised and your weekly routine is as regular as clockwork, the chances are you can’t remember – and if you’re trying to [...]
For eco-friendly kids there’s not much to beat watching wildlife outside your own back door and with habitat loss and changes in the countryside meaning that an increasing number of native British animals are visiting domestic gardens, the opportunities have never been better. Creating a wildlife area is a great [...]
Birds are a big favourite in the garden, but despite their near universal popularity, life can be tough for them and the numbers of many once common British species are in decline. Amongst those on the danger list are house sparrows, starlings, song thrushes and robins – but fortunately there [...]
When it comes to eco-friendly films, it seems to be the adult viewers who are really spoilt for choice. Grown-up movies like An Inconvenient Truth and The 11th Hour offer penetrating insights into global issues like climate change and overpopulation. The only problem is that they're far too complex for [...]
With the summer holidays stretching ahead, parents across the UK will be wracking their brains trying to avoid the inevitable cries of “I’m bored!” from grumpy offspring. But while theme park trips and visits to the swimming pool are all very well, wouldn’t it be brilliant if your kids could [...]
If your family gets most of its groceries from a supermarket then it might be time to turn 'management speak' on its head and start thinking inside the box! Vegetable (and meat) boxes are a modern take on an old fashioned idea. By giving you access to local food providers [...]
As any modern parent knows, children's birthday parties aren't what they used to be. While once upon a time kids were happy with a slice of cake wrapped in a serviette, today's parties are often expensive affairs featuring computer games, entertainers and elaborate gifts for each child. The competition between [...]
While playing in the sun can be fun, modern parents now know that it's sensible for children to limit their exposure to strong rays. Judging by the variety of sunhats (and the odd parasol) on display in kid's playgrounds during summertime, it seems the expert view that too much sun [...]
While it's fun to kit your kids out in cute eco-friendly clothes and teach them how to protect planet Earth, there's one fundamental question that may cause eco aware parents a few sleepless nights. Our kids may be clever, well brought up and destined to do something wonderful with their [...]
Soft and supple skin is a common goal of many women and some men. Modern society, with its chemicals, toxins and dehydrated air, takes a terrible toll on our skin. Certain seasons of the year dry it out even more. The great demand for moisture is well-documented by the large [...]
If you are concerned about patting your baby down with baby powder and want to know if there are alternatives, then you have found what you're looking for. The following article takes a look at the latest on using baby powder and provides a natural, talc-free alternative. Surprisingly, doctors actually [...]
If you are trying to get rid of your baby's cradle cap, here's how to do it using ingredients from nature. Plus, you can save money at the same time. First of all you should realise that cradle cap is not really a serious or painful condition. However, it should [...]
When it come to treating nappy rash, here's what every concerned parent should know. First of all, nappy rash is quite common, the symptoms your baby will have depend on the severity of the nappy rash. Nearly all cases of nappy rash can be successfully treated at home and you [...]
The chances are that when you were a child, if your Dad yelled at you to turn your TV off, he was more worried about the cost of electricity rather than its draining effect on the planet’s resources. These days, we all know that conserving our energy is essential to [...]
Whatever way you want to look at it, children really are the future of the planet. With our natural resources running out, the way they choose to take charge could save the environment from natural disaster. So how eco-aware are your brood? Are they out and about recycling in your [...]
When you’re an adult it’s all too easy to remember the first, often faltering steps out of the family nest and into a flat, or shared student accommodation. No doubt the laundry took some figuring out – and you may have taken a while to cook up dishes that were [...]
Along with the lengthening days one of the surest signs that summer’s coming to an end are the ‘Back to School’ signs in shop windows. While they might put a spring into the step of holiday-fatigued parents, they also signal the raft of new school supplies that their children are [...]
Whether it's a much-loved local park about to be bulldozed, or a species of whale about to be wiped out it's always inspiring to hear your child ask "What can we do about it, Mum?" Caring about these issues means that your child is starting to discover the world around [...]
If you ask most young children where their food comes from, the chances are that they’ll answer ‘the supermarket’, or even ‘mummy’ rather than give you a rundown of the latest advances in crop farming. This is a pretty common response. After all, if you don’t have an allotment, or [...]
With the daily scramble to locate lost P.E. kits, find exercise books and pocket locker keys (and all against the ticking of the clock) it's no wonder that the school run isn't exactly the highlight of many parents' day. In fact, it can be so stressful that it's easy to [...]
Oh dear, poor old Marly the Dolphin has swum too far and can't get back to his home at the bottom of the sea. Can you help Marly swim to safe waters? Watch out for the toxic waste and the fishing net! Why not Download the Marly the Dolphin Maze [...]
Recycling is very important for the future of our planet. We can help our environment by reducing the amount of rubbish we throw away everyday. By separating our waste into different types, we can start to recognise which types of rubbish can be used again. Can you sort the items [...]
Grrrr.... Who's that scary tiger? Why, it's you! Why not make your very own tiger mask and see what a scary animal you can be? Just cut around the dotted line, then thread some string through the holes on either side. Colour in and wear - you're ready to roar! [...]
There are lots of ways in which we can get energy. Some are renewable and some are non-renewable, also called fossil fuels. Eventually we will run out of non-renewable energy, so it is important that we use other sources that won't run out. Can you circle all the ones that [...]
Beavers are clever animals, they can build their own houses using nothing but their teeth. They chew through tree branches, to build a den, also called a lodge. Can you colour in Benny the Beaver? He's just chewed a branch ready to be made into his house. Why not Download [...]
Here is a lovely snowy picture for you to make into your very own jigsaw. All you have to do is print of the picture and stick it onto some cardboard. Then cut out the jigsaw shapes - or ask a grown-up to help you to cut them out. Now [...]
Baby food is for babies, right? Yes, but many children and even adults enjoy natural baby food as a delicious and healthy snack. Making homemade baby food is a great kitchen activity for parents and kids, and it also helps everyone keep track of what is being put into the [...]
Everyday you go to school and participate in a variety of different classroom activities. You paint in art class, read books aloud as a group and run around on the playground. But what if you could find a way to work in an activity that would help your class come [...]
Celebrating Earth Day is a great way for kids to think about the environment and conservation – and a fab excuse for a green style party! If you want the chance to promote peace, love, and all things green and eco, then Earth Day is one event you should definitely [...]
If you feel like you’ve got enough plastic stuff then it’s time to get creative and come up with some entertaining ways of using recyclable materials. Making sock puppets is a great way to use up old socks and extra craft materials, and once you have a whole cast you [...]
The humble jam jar might not be the most obvious choice of raw material for a crafting session, but with a bit of imagination, a box of scraps, glue and odd-and-ends, it makes the perfect base for some eco-friendly craft making for the whole family! Easy and low cost, make [...]
Bikes are a fantastic way to get around. Not only do they help keep riders fit, but they do little damage to the environment either. Bikes are powered by the riders own energy so there are no chemicals involved or waste resulting from their use. Bikes are also incredibly sturdy [...]
"Slow food" is a phrase used to describe the Slow Food Movement, a movement that began to fight against fast food. This movement began in Italy in the mid-1980s and put an emphasis on local, fresh food from the harvests available in any given region. Today over 120 countries have [...]
Trains are a type of public transportation. That is, trains are able to move a large number of people at one time. Sometimes public transportation is called "mass transportation" because things like buses, trains and planes can move masses of people all at once. Trains are also a relatively environmentally [...]
Everyday the rubbish that we throw away pollutes the earth. If it’s incinerated (burned up) it can release harmful toxins that pollute the air but if it’s dumped into a landfill or even the ocean then it pollutes our land and water. Thankfully, a lot of our rubbish tends to [...]
“Eating in season” is a popular phrase which literally means eating whatever fruits and vegetables are fresh and well, in season in your part of the world. Unfortunately simply buying organic fruit and veg will not help you decide what is from your area and therefore in season because in [...]
Why Set Up a Garden? The benefits of setting up an organic garden at school are numerous! As an educational tool the garden will impact on many subjects – and not just environmental studies! Your garden could provide the inspiration for art classes, English lessons and home economics to name [...]
Children are naturally fascinated by worms – few can resist picking them up and examining them in the garden or squealing with delight when they see them on the pavement after rainfall. But as well as being a source of wonder, worms can play a very important part in our [...]
How much energy do you use at home? It's not easy to calculate but most of us realise that one way and another with all our 'labour saving' devices, we use much more than is good for the environment. The main problem is CO2 – carbon dioxide – this comes [...]
Reducing unnecessary travel is something we should all be aiming for, be it in the form of using public transport more often, relying less on our cars, or taking to pedal power or walking. Setting a good example to our children by examining how we could reduce the amount of [...]
Organic goods are popping up in practically every store on the high street nowadays. From organic shoes to organic pet food there doesn't seem to be a product that hasn't had a greener, healthier, organic makeover. It is well documented that the cost of organic products often puts people off [...]
Apart from the obvious – paper tins and glass – what other materials spring to mind when you think of recycled products? How about car tyres circuit boards and juice cartons for starters?! Amaze your kids with the myriad of recycled products that are available with a bit of searching [...]
All too often our children regard the family car as being the only way to get from A to B and the plane being the only way to travel to a holiday destination. Educating them about environmentally harmful methods of travel is important – as is offering them a viable, [...]
Recycling at home needn't be difficult time consuming or a chore – with the right equipment, attitude and a bit of know how; it will soon become second nature! Children will be impressed by the various gadgetry that's around to make recycling easier – but remember, all you really need [...]
Get your young children immersed in all things eco by providing them with an array of colouring sheets to crayon or paint - and most importantly enjoy! Learning Through Play Pre-schoolers and young children learn through play and fun activities. Most youngsters will happily occupy themselves with crafts and creative [...]
Paper making is a centuries old craft that is both practical and great fun – and used as a way to recycle your waste paper it is also extremely eco friendly! Why Make Paper at Home? Paper making is a fantastic way to reuse old scraps of paper that you [...]
Recycling should be a family-wide effort that comes naturally to everyone – though like most household tasks is much easier said than done where children are concerned! It's no big secret that children soon begin to resent anything they perceive as a chore, so it makes sense to introduce recycling [...]
Organic food has gone from being a little known health shop secret to big business in a short space of time. As consumers learn more and more about the conditions in which their food is grown and produced they are fast rejecting products that are riddled with pesticides additives and [...]
In our quest to be eco-friendly and to raise our children in a world where sustainable environmentally friendly living becomes second nature, reduce, reuse and recycle should be uttered mantra like each time we are tempted to simply fling something in the bin! Reducing, reusing and recycling are life skills [...]
Eco friendly clothing is a real buzz word at the moment with the high street rapidly catching on to the fact that consumers want products that are produced using sustainable resources such as organic cotton, hemp and silk - in other words, funky clothes made from materials whose production and [...]
Planting a tree with your children can mean so much more than just adding an attractive feature to your garden – it's an opportunity to 'put something back’ into the environment and encourage birds, insects and other creatures into your habitat. The garden is a veritable wonderland for young children, [...]
The school run has long been cited as an example of what many see as an unnecessary car journey - and one that adds hugely to pollution and traffic problems in towns and residential areas. Whilst some parents would argue that the car is their only means of getting their [...]
Fortunately for us, when we want water, it is as simple as turning on a tap, and there it is, piped into our homes, clean and fresh and available whenever we need it. But that doesn’t mean that we should waste it; despite its apparent abundance - there is after [...]
We are all encouraged to recycle our rubbish these days with recycling provisions readily available in almost every district and clear information on most packaging as to how it can be safely and ethically disposed of. Also, with many areas now implementing reduced refuse collections, it is in our own [...]
If the thought of teaching your children about ecosystems seems a bit of a challenge - particularly if science wasn’t exactly your favourite subject at school - help is at hand! As with all subjects breaking information down into digestible, age appropriate chunks is the easiest and most child-friendly approach, [...]
Food labels can be an absolute minefield - low this high that, sugar free, low fat, suitable for vegetarians…the list is endless, and, in some cases plain confusing. Educating children about food labelling can be particularly tricky as there are so many nutritional ‘claims’ laid to products, which, when scrutinised, [...]
Get everyone in your family on the eco-straight and narrow by drawing up your own Eco Code! What is an Eco Code? Basically your Eco Code will be the set of ecologically sound ‘rules and regulations’ you and your family chose to live by in the interests of the planet! [...]
Considering that £342 million a year is spent on litter clearing and street cleaning in England it is paramount that we educate our children on the importance of reducing litter and waste from an early age. Making Your Children Aware School-age children will undoubtedly be aware of litter control through [...]
A weather observation chart can be a fantastic motivational and educational project for young children. It can also act as a springboard for the introduction of many other topics for exploration and learning all tied in with the common theme of the environment and the world around them. And, best [...]
Buying locally produced food has many benefits - it helps to protect the environment by lessening the transportation of goods it supports the local economy and local producers, and it enables you and your family to eat fresher food from a known source. And for children and families, it can [...]
The wind the tides, geothermal heat (from the disintegration of the radioactive atoms in the Earth’s core) and the sun are just some of the Earth’s amazing natural resources that we can use to power our lives - but the Earth doesn’t just provide us with fuel for electricity and [...]
Whilst we know that additives and preservatives should be avoided as much as possible in our children's diets knowing just where – and in what guise – these dietary bad guys pop up can be a minefield. Types of Additives Where children's diets are concerned, parents tend to think mainly [...]
As the UK strives to reach its target of deriving 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010 renewable and reusable energy is a hot topic from the classroom to parliament. However, it's all very well trying to get our kids' to be more environmentally aware and to think [...]
Everyone knows that waste should be kept to a minimum with reusing and recycling being the buzz words on everyone's lips, from politicians to parents. With the UK producing more than 454 million tonnes of waste every year, recycling and reusing is in the forefront of everyone's minds. Encouraging children [...]
Buying Fairtrade products for your children not only provides them with excellent quality (and mostly handmade) toys and nursery goods, but also fosters a real sense of ‘shopping with a conscience’ from an early age. Seeking out fairly traded goods doesn’t mean compromising on style,(there are some amazing fair trade [...]
Most of us know that saving energy and recycling whatever we can are important ways of protecting the environment but do we really know why or how? Do you know the finer points of recycling? Are you up to speed on environmentally friendly energy? Can you spot the best ways [...]
If the thought of using cloth nappies on your baby conjures up images of struggling with nappy pins wrestling with sweaty plastic pants and being surgically attached to your washing machine, think again! Far from being ‘out of the ark’ reusable nappies are very much the modern alternative to disposables. [...]
Ecological observations are an excellent way for students to get to know the ecosystems in their areas. Ecosystems are made up of animals and plants interacting with each other and their environments. Human beings are always a part of an ecosystem so understanding those that we live in is very [...]
Many people consider climate change and global warming the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. These issues affect everyone in the world but the good news is that everyone in the world can be a part of the solution if they so desire. Make sure that you do your [...]
When school is out and the kids are home many parents are tempted to book the cheapest, easiest holiday possible. Unfortunately these “relaxing” holidays come with a higher price tag than just what is put on the credit card. Travel harms the environment in a number of ways, but there [...]
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a fun family activity that results in fresh, healthy produce and little harm to the environment. This rewarding chore doesn’t require a lot of equipment, experience or expertise, nor does it even require you to own or have access to any land! As [...]
It has been estimated that UK households recycle less than 20% of their rubbish, a figure that is shockingly low compared with other European nations believed to recycle approximately 50% of their waste. This translates to millions, if not billions of tonnes of UK rubbish that could easily be avoided [...]
Animal rights are exactly what the title says - those rights that belong to animals. Just as humans have rights to healthy, safe lives, so to do animals. But animals have other worries as well. Many humans feel that animals are their property and treat them with little respect or [...]
“Biodiversity” is a term that was coined by joining the words “biological” and “diversity”. This contraction is now routinely used to discuss the high number and wide variety of organisms in the world, including humankind. The UK is lucky enough to have rich biodiversity across its lands, but our modern [...]
The breast v bottle debate has raged since the advent of infant formula, but medical experts don’t advise that “Breast is Best” without good reason. While the decision to breastfeed or bottle feed is intensely personal, and based on a variety of different factors, the fact remains that breast milk [...]
