“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

- Dr. Seuss, from The Lorax

Have you read The Lorax lately? When I reread it as an adult, I was stunned by how ahead of its time it was. He published this in 1971 and it’s about the plight of the environment. In 1971!!! No one was talking about the environment then – certainly not in a children’s book! Yet here it is for all to see with its lovely colors and Truffala trees!

In order to start making changes, we must start at home. The more we educate ourselves the more likely our children will follow in our footsteps.
Here are a few ways to have fun with our kids and enjoy the beautiful fall weather:
Go apple picking! Both Julian and Oak Glen have excellent harvests this year. Oak Glen was threatened by the fires, but fortunately, the area was saved.

By picking your own apples you not only enjoy the freshest fruit available, but you also support the livelihood of local farmers and orchards. Here are a few simple tips to follow on your apple picking adventure:

Ask the orchard owner/manager which trees flowered first in the spring. They will also be able to give you more information on the different apple varieties found in their orchards.

Select firm, bruise-free apples. Apples ripen from the outside of the tree to the center, so pick the ones located on the outer branches.

Don’t jerk apples off the branches. The proper way is to roll the apple towards the tree branch and then twist it until the stem breaks free.

Apples are free of fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and contain small amounts of potassium, which may promote heart health, help maintain healthy blood pressure and a healthy weight.

Grow a garden It’s a fun and easy eco-activity that kids always enjoy. For those with a yard, plot out a small portion for the garden. If you don’t have that much space simply get a pot to grow in a windowsill. We live in Southern California where we can grow our food all year long! Try lettuce, carrots, radishes, onion and garlic – look! You’ve got a salad right there!

Get kids involved by looking for programs like California Youth Energy Services (CYES). Their goal is to educate kids and the community on how to lower energy usage throughout the home. Youth and young adults are trained as energy specialists who offer “green house calls” and a free energy audit for your home!!!

So pull out your old copy of The Lorax or The Giving Tree or go to the library. You’ll be surprised – and delighted!

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” – Native American Proverb.

By Jennifer Jesperson