This month’s eco-tip is about growing your own vegetable garden! While it might seem a strange time of year for this, if you would like to pursue this option with your children, winter is the time to start planning! The ecological ramifications are obvious – local food is much better for the planet, due to no carbon emissions being used in transporting produce (most produce in the grocery store has traveled an average 1,500 miles!), and you can grow them without using pesticides, fungicides, and synthetic fertilizers, which leaches toxins into our soil and water supply. You can’t get more local than your own backyard!

This is also such a great project to involve even young children in – and what better way of encouraging healthy eating habits? Children are much more likely to eat fruits and vegetables that they’ve helped plant, maintain, and harvest themselves. You can get children involved in the process early on, by getting their input on what types of fruits and vegetables they would like to grow, and letting them help in choosing a proper site in the garden (which can lead to a discussion on sunlight, soil, shade, etc.) There are several books at the library dedicated to specifically gardening with children.