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Living Green works from the insideout. It's not just about carpooling or recycling. "Living Green" means embracing a more environmentally sustainable way of living that incorporates your love for nature into creative ways to save on waste, fuel or other harmful chemicals that you put into your body or leave behind.

"Green" is a generic, earth-friendly term that means we need to work together to replace everything in your life that is not living with life. This means eating natural foods and buying organic clothing, re-using old computers and turning that 1970s eight track player into a stereo for your iPod. There are so many easy ways for your family to truly embrace life, and to develop a sense of well-being and harmony within your environment, starting with where you buy your groceries.

Forget grocery storesshop in your own backyard! Community Supported Agriculture or Garden Cooperatives are a great way to involve the whole family in learning about conservation. Teach your children to plant and grow their own food and prepare a home-cooked meal from your share of the garden's produce. If there is no community garden in your town, organize a few friendly farmers and start your own! There is no substitute for the nutrition of locally grown fruits and vegetables that you get from a community garden, without the waste and fuel consumption associated with most commercial grocery stores.

Green-ify your neighborhood! Numerous studies have shown the therapeutic benefits of nature, not to mention the necessity of undeveloped spaces to sustain the earth's growing population. One very crucial understanding of Living Green' is to connect with the living flora and fauna of the outdoors, and to incorporate these living, or Green space, into our homes and communities. This means converting "dead space" such as abandoned buildings or parking lots into living, breathing, parks for both children and adults to enjoy. Living Green' means not only making these spaces, but preserving the very few wild spaces that are left on the planet. Help protect nature for future generations by getting your kids to participate in asking for donations to protect the wild spaces in your area.

Spread the Word! Finally, teaching your children to respect and conserve nature starts at home, this is why it's so easy to make a difference. Speaking out about ways you and your family have learned about Living Green' in your community can lead to a sustainable future, which is what the planet depends on. Participate in local conservation meetings with local or school governments to discuss awareness campaigns on recycling, conservation or energy consumption. Or, write a letter to your Congressman or Congresswoman letting them know you want a better recycling program, more reliable public transportation, biodiesel-fueled school buses, or just more parks. There are so many easy ways to Go Green, it's almost as if you have to not pay attention to forget how.

Learn more about this author, Rachel Worthy.
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