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You've got the whole world in your hands

This Earth Day, resolve to stay green every day

Date published: 4/17/2007

By KIM BAER

Trash is a big deal to Bernadine Shimon and her sons.

One day, they saw someone toss an aluminum can at a rest stop.

Her oldest son instinctively grabbed the can and put it in their car to recycle.

"They looked at us like we were crazy," Shimon said.

Things like that happen when you're an Earth-friendly family.

Shimon and her two sons, Madison Jonas, 14, and Cooper Jonas, 8, are one of many Fredericksburg-area families who live Earth Day every day.

The Spotsylvania County family is undeniably busy.

Shimon is an English teacher at Courtland High School and has another part-time job. Her sons are involved in several after-school activities.

But despite their hectic schedules, they take time to compost, separate their recyclables and re-use everything from egg cartons to toilet paper rolls--which her youngest son uses in his art projects.

"It's important to find the time for it," Shimon said. "It's worth it."

Kate Logan's three children are grown now, but they grew up recycling and helping Logan in the family's vegetable garden.

Her oldest son recently brought his girlfriend to visit, and she was fascinated by Logan's passion for recycling. She even brought a video camera and recorded Logan taking her recyclables to the landfill.

"It was so cute," Logan said.

Families will have a chance to learn more about Earth-saving practices at the Fredericksburg area's Earth Day celebration Saturday.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Alum Spring Park in Fredericksburg. There will be live music and exhibits by more than a dozen local environmental groups.

Children can plant seeds in pots made with recycled paper and take a guided tree-identification walk through the woods.

This is the fourth year of the event. Sponsors include the Rappahannock chapter of the Sierra Club, the Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation Department and the University of Mary Washington's Ecology Club.

There's no parking at the park for the event. Attendees may park at the Fredericksburg Armory and board a shuttle bus.

Since the first Earth Day in 1970, millions have started recycling and conserving water and energy, said Aviv Goldsmith, a volunteer for the Rappahannock Sierra Club.

But more work remains, Goldsmith said.

Involving our children in environmental education and green living is one of the keys to preserving a healthy environment for them and those who follow, he said.

There are other benefits, too.

"It just feels good," Logan said. "Like you're doing something right."

Here are some suggestions from Aviv Goldsmith: Practice the three Rs: Reduce waste, re-use products, recycle. Save gasoline by carpooling, biking and using mass transit. Compost vegetable scraps, lawn clippings and leaves to make a valuable organic soil conditioner. Use Earth-friendly landscaping including native plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife. Conserve water and power and use resources efficiently by such measures as using compact fluorescent light bulbs and installing water-saving showerheads. Eat healthy foods like organic vegetables, which use less energy and chemicals to grow. Buy local and recycled-content products, which save energy normally used in transportation and raw material production. Get involved. Explore and learn about your environment. Families with an appreciation of the delicate web of life are more likely to take steps to preserve it.

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Date published: 4/17/2007