Photo by David Welton. Natalie Knauss, 6, from Seattle and Sally Gibbs, 8, from Edmonds show off tie-dyed shirts made at Green Arts Camp Aug. 9.

I know that when I was a busy mom of three young kids, it was hard enough to get out the door let alone think about ways to help the Earth. Now that my kids are teens, things have eased up a bit and I’m here to help you with these 5-minute Eco Actions. It really does take just a few minutes to make a lasting difference. When you share these with friends (just takes a minute!) you’re deepening the impact even further!

The pandemic has been going on for months now, and with Covid numbers going up, we’re staying closer to home and boredom is setting in. While parents might be afraid of bored kids…that’s actually when kids tap into their creativity. So turn off the screens and let the kids have fun with these creative ideas that will keep them using their imaginations for hours and days! When we exercise our imaginations we build confidence, creativity and problem solving – which are all important skills for healthy development.

This morning, the most heart-warming thing happened – it filled me with pure joy. And it made me realize the significance of the relationships I have with our neighborhood wildlife.

Last night I came across an article about pandemic fatigue. People are tired of the pandemic. They don’t want to stay home. They are craving interaction with others. They want to be entertained. They want to get back to their “usual” life. People are bored.

Two years ago when I needed a new mattress, I made an investment. Sure it would have been easy to go to the strip mall and pick up a cheap mattress, or even an expensive one. But luckily I stopped myself.

Green Art Labs is excited to announce, in conjunction with Expressive Arts SD, the new art show The Last Straw: Making Trash Visible, which features artworks made from plastics with the common theme of ocean to bring awareness to the plastic ocean pollution problem.

Give your gift-giving extra meaning this year with beautiful, repurposed holiday wrapping made with recycled materials. Fancy, fabulous and free, not only do these ideas cut down on waste, but they will give all your gifts that personal touch that will delight the recipients, and all who see them!

Here is a fun and super-easy family project to bring out the mindfulness of your gratitude. It’s a great way to introduce the idea of thankfulness to kids and create a physical form that they can both relate to and have fun adding to all the holiday season.