(image via ci.wixom.mi.us)

Mapping out your errands with your kids can turn into a fun activity to plan and execute. Make a game of running errands by mapping out the shortest route. Grab an old map of your city or use an online map service to draw your own. Involving your children will help deepen their respect for reducing the pollutant they put in the air to run their errands now and as they grow older. You can also point out that since you took the time to bunch all your errands together you have more time to do things you really enjoy.

To live green means to live a sustainable lifestyle that won’t deplete or pollute the earth’s natural resources–and to find ways to replenish or recycle these resources and materials. To be green means to preserve and to protect our environments and our planet. Even small things like mapping out your errands teaches your children this important concept.

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This past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting Dennis Paige, founder of Swiftdeer-Paige, at Inn Serendipity to share a program on storytelling with our community of friends and family. Awarded the 2008 Grassroots Conservation Leadership Award from the Audubon-Chicago Region and the Chicago Wilderness Habitat Project, Paige has been entertaining and teaching thousands of people about the most pressing ecological issues of our times while inspiring a more balanced relationship with the web of life through the craft of storytelling. He’s been at it since 1989.

Paige’s hour-long program was a reminder of how far we still need to go on our journey of creating a “Story of Sustainability” that most American’s can embrace, not just a few. Obviously, the present American story of never-ending growth, executive bonuses, consumer-based economy, and more jobs is not compatible with the long term sustainability of a finite planet – especially if you recognize that despite our technological know-how, two thirds of the planet’s human inhabitants still cannot drink a glass of safe water, for example.

Elements of a Great Story

According to Paige, the elements of a great story are imagination, believability and content. Our group of local friends, bed & breakfast guests and family members circled around Paige as he orchestrated various activities to help our group, who ranged in ages from 4 to 80, become better storytellers and understand this ancient art and craft of storytelling. In terms of the content, it’s all about the problem, resolution and moral of the story.

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License?

We don’t need no stinking license!

One of the most liberating experiences of homeschooling is the realization that you have the freedom to teach your children according to their own interests, needs, and maturity. It’s way different than a modern cookie-cutter educational style that assumes that physical, emotional, and psychological development are exactly the same for every kid of the same age. As homeschoolers, we can also tailor their education to be in tune with our values and morals, not society’s. That reason is a huge part of why we homeschool.

One of the things I hear from dads that don’t homeschool is while they have an interest in teaching their kids, they feel that because they work outside the home, they don’t have the time for it.

Fathers that work outside the home can still be active participants in their children’s education, even if their time for “homeschool” is limited.

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When we first began our oldest daughter’s homeschool education, we thought that we needed to have a full curriculum and study guides and other “teaching” materials before we could really “teach” her at home.

We borrowed a friend’s homeschool curriculum and started exploring what that meant. The materials consisted of teaching guides for different subjects (math, english, science, history), instructions for games that inspired cooperation, materials lists, workbooks, and so on. School stuff, right? You need school stuff to teach, right?

To a non-teacher like myself, it was daunting to look at this pile of material and think that we would need to read ahead, prepare every lesson, and to have to actually know all of this stuff. And only then we could we teach it to our kids.

I was way off base.

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• Fair Trade fundraising. With many different options and rewards, it’s easy to make the switch to selling a sweeter chocolate.
• Raise awareness and funds with a Fair Trade bake sale. Check out the many delicious recipes at Equal Exchange, Divine Chocolate, Transfair or the Fair Trade Cookbook.
• Form a Fair Trade group with other students, teachers and parents.
• Present the Fair Trade movement to others, either peers or younger classes. Check out the this Fair Trade powerpoint for an introduction.
• Teach Fair Trade. Global Dimension has 56 different resources for helping students understand Fair Trade, with age groups ranging from 5-7 years, 7-11 years, 11-14 years and 16 and up. Most resources are free or cost a small amount, and the topics are varied and interesting. Traidcraft also has lesson plans for various age levels and subjects.
• For primary schools check out the free ‘Make your School Fair Trade Friendly‘ pack, which includes seven different activity sections.
• Have a Fair Trade stall at your next school event. Here are some tips to help in your success. Spark some tastebuds with samples of coffee, tea or chocolate and feed, them information while they enjoy.
• Play Sweet Injustice: the chocolate game. With 6 volunteers, you can visually drive home the reality of the tiny portion of chocolate profits that actually ends up in the farmer’s hands through traditional trade.
• Play fair! Get your school to switch their footballs, soccer balls and volleyballs to those sold by Fair Trade Sports. Play an intramural game with information for spectators and players.
• Host a Fair Trade fashion show to demonstrate how "beautiful" and "trendy" can still be ethical.
• Check to see if your school has a United Students for Fair Trade (USFT) group. If not, start one!
• Have your school group become one of the Co-op America’s Fair Trade Alliance members, with a pledge to
  • Serve Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, tea, cocoa/chocolate, and other certified products as available for meetings and gatherings.
  • When possible, purchase commodities or crafts from members of the Fair Trade Federation.
  • Educate co-workers, community members, classmates, and others about Fair Trade.
  • Promote Fair Trade through events or other activities whenever possible.
• Help others each time you get dressed with an alternative Fair Trade school uniform.
• Host a discussion. Check with local Fair Trade businesses and teachers to bring in a speaker, or hold an open discussion with your teachers, peers and parents.
• Host a screening of a Fair Trade movie, such as Black Gold, and hold a discussion afterwards.
• Make some Big Noise with a Fair Trade campaign and OxFam’s toolkit.
• Give the students and teachers a chance to give twice this holiday season by hosting a Fair Trade holiday sale with the help of Ten Thousand Villages or A Greater Gift.