A few years ago my husband, our kids and I created a series of family statements. The children drew pictures and we pasted the nine statements together to form a large poster that is framed and hung in a busy area of our home.
“Winegars love the whole earth”
It’s one of my favorites. It says to me, we don’t just love part of the earth, the pretty parts or the countries that we think are cool. We don’t just love certain peoples or cultures. We have committed to love the whole thing.
So what does that mean in our daily lives? For instance, does turning the tap off when we clean our teeth really make a difference other than driving my children crazy with my nagging? YES! Because it’s a chance to remind them that I know what a drought feels like. I’ve experienced the fear of dried, cracked earth, dead gardens and record-breaking dry spells.
It’s a chance to remind them that a huge portion of the earth doesn’t have clean, running water, and that respect for water is part of our family commitment to love the whole earth. It’s a chance to teach them about kids in other parts of the world who spend their whole day, days they don’t get to go to school, hauling water.
When I think about a smarter planet, I think about every child getting an education, every child getting a shot at a healthy life, I think about clean drinking water and access to good medical care. I think about safe road systems so a pregnant woman can get to the health clinic.
For those things to happen, we need innovators. We need smart people to come up with low cost ideas that literally transform communities. We need our kids to care about the whole earth – especially the big problems – because they are the ones who will be solving them.
What works in your home? How do you create the desire for a smarter life and better planet, with your kids? Comment below to be entered to win a Haier Energy Star Dehumidifier! Official Contest Rules.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Haier. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.
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