(NAPSA)—Now more thanever, families are hearing the phrase “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” Not only are the “three Rs” critical to the planet, they are also a great way to save money and spend time with your family. However, many people may not understand how simple— and fun—it is to incorporate these activities into their home and daily lives. Every year, people focus on recycling on Earth Day, but protecting the environment is some- thing that can be done every day and by every memberof the family, including thelittlest members. It’s important to teach children about the “three Rs” by encouraging Earth-friendly actions in the home and at school. Elmer’s is helping to educate children about environmental stewardship in the classroom through the Elmer’s Glue Crew Recycling Program. The Elmer’s Glue Crew program promotes recycling by encouraging teachers and students to collect and recycle empty glue bottles and glue sticks. In 2009, more than 1.2 mil- lion elementary school-aged children participated in the program and more than 2 million glue bottles and glue sticks were recycled. Here are some simple ways to be more Earth friendly every day and get the entire family involved: Reduce Reduce your family’s consumption, garbage and even budget with some simpleacts: Buy items in bulk to reduce packaging waste. Skip paper and plastic bags by bringing your own cloth shopping bag. Trade bottled water for fil- tered water in a reusable water bottle and use washable rags instead of paper towels when you're cleaning your home. e Decrease energy usage by turning off lights when you leave the room and unplugging noncritical electronics. Reuse Find fun waysto reuse items: e A swap party is a fun way to share gently used goodies such as books and clothing, while spending time with family andfriends. Create new meals using leftovers. Last night’s chicken breast can become tonight’s chicken noodle soup. e Find new uses for items instead of throwing them out, such as cutting old T-shirts into rags. Recycling is a great—and simple—way to be more Earth friendly. Manycities offer recycling programs with curbside pickup to makerecycling easy. e Recyclable materials include plastic, paper, aluminum and glass. Items that are recyclable have a recycling symbol and a number on them. Get your family involved by setting up color-coded bins for recyclables and use a chart to track your family’s recycling. e Support recycling in the classroom through programs such as Elmer’s Glue Crew. To learn how yourchild’s classroom can get involved in the program and begin recycling today, visit www.elmers gluecrew.com.
