Parent to Parent: Going Green at Home

WSVN -- Protecting the planet is something the O'Neil family wants to make a part of their daily routine.

Christine O'Neil: "My mother especially was a big recycler. She would always do the cans and the bottles, keep everything separated, so I've kind of grown up with that."

But how do you teach your kids to care of the environment and take those extra steps?

Dr. Valerie Goode: "Children don't really understand the whole big concept of this, so we have to start small, at home."

Seven's Parenting Expert Dr. Valerie Goode says don't make going green a chore, but do explain why it's important to turn off the lights when you leave a room, and you be a good role model.

Dr. Valerie Goode: "If you start from the beginning, shutting off the water when you're brushing your teeth, children will also do the same thing."

For a hands-on lesson in going green, the O'Neil's turned to Luis Espinoza from the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management.

Luis Espinoza: "When it comes to recycling at home there are a couple simple things we can do. For example, we can recycle our plastic bottles, we can recycle our glass, cans and newspapers."

So teach kids to remove caps and rinse bottles and cans before they put them in the bin, and parents, to do you part, set your thermostat at 78 degrees and keep your air conditioning unit well-maintained.

Luis Espinoza: "Change your filters or clean your filters at least once a month. That's important because that helps the air conditioning unit perform as it should."

Kids should also learn water conservation: take quick showers and install a high-efficiency shower-head. Same for the sink: a low volume faucet can save up to 280 gallons a year. Also, replace your old appliances with energy-efficient ones, like these at Home Depot in North Miami. Just look for the Energy Star label to make sure it's been certified.

Another project for the whole family, switch to fluorescent light bulbs and explain to your kids why: sisters Brianna and Emily are starting to get it.

Brianna O'Neil: "Just do a little bit to help our earth, and hopefully it will pass around and go a long way."

Emily O'Neil: "By turning the water off, turning the lights off, getting the new lighting, the fluorescent lights, it helps a lot."

Lynn Martinez: "Remember, parents, little changes can add up to big savings, and you'll be teaching your kids lessons that will save them and our planet for a lifetime."

Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resources Management
www.miamidade.gov/derm

The Home Depot
12055 Biscayne Boulevard
North Miami, FL 33181
305-981-2959
www.homedepot.com