You know how a picture can be worth a thousand words?
Now imagine a beautiful, pristine wilderness park trail with a tossed soda can under a tree, gum wrappers on the hiking path, and a radio blaring.
Not a pretty picture, no?
PEAK – Promoting Environmental Awareness In Kids
Our young Girl Scouts got the message when Ted Beblowski, New York State Advocate for PEAK (Promoting Environmental Awareness In Kids) shared the seven principles of Leave No Trace before setting them to guess how long it takes for various items to break down – anywhere from 3 weeks for a banana peel to forever for a glass bottle.
The seven principles of Leave No Trace:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare: Know the regulations and concerns for the area you’ll visit.
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces: Stick to trails and remember, good campsites are found, not made.
- Dispose of Waste Properly: Pack it in, pack it out.
- Leave What You Find: Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them.
- Minimize Campfire Impacts: Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings.
- Respect Wildlife: Observe wildlife from a distance and never feed them.
- Be Considerate of Other Visitors: Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
The PEAK program is available to Youth Groups:
- Through clinics and workshops sponsored by REI.
- By purchasing a PEAK Day Pack of activities through the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.
- By checking out a PEAK Day Pack from the Center for $14.50 (for up to 21 days). (Check availability by contacting the Center six weeks prior to your event.)
- By contacting your state advocate.
Recycling Curriculum -
If your kids would like to learn how to protect the environment by recycling, consider using one of these lesson plans:
- Caring For The Earth: One World, One Chance – Integrated learning experiences about recycling, organized by grade, covering Kindergarten through 5th Grade, from the Montgomery County Public Schools.
- A Middle School Curriculum on Recycling from the City of Tucson Recycling Education Program.
- Trash and Recycling Lesson Plans – Crafty ideas gathered on Education World.
Ending with yet another cliche – actions speak louder than words. Show them by your example what it means to care about the environment!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the Leave No Trace principles and think it’s important to teach our children enviromental responsibility at a young age.
Great tips. Thanks for the share. I like to help my children become more aware and have found that they like to teach me too!
I think getting kids to appreciate nature and wildlife would do wonders. That way we could impress upon them what we could lose if we don’t change our ways on this planet.
~ Kristi
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