Parenting

Raising Water-Wise Kids

Posted: 9/30/2011

Kids can learn to appreciate water after watching the DVD of “Rango,” about a chameleon who wants to be a hero in a dusty Western town.

(NAPSI)—As temperatures soar, saving water, money and the environment can be child’s play with these easy tips for you and your kids:

Inspire The Desire For Conservation

You can easily show your whole family why saving water is so important!

Visit a lake or the ocean—a key fact to share is that 97 percent of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2 percent is locked in ice caps and glaciers. So that leaves just 1 percent for all living creatures, including plants, animals and people.

Find a role model. He’s appeared as a master of the seven seas and an unlikely sheriff of a parched desert town, so actor Johnny Depp may be able to inspire your kids to think a little more about water conservation. His latest movie, “Rango,” is about a sheltered chameleon who stumbles into a dusty town called Dirt that’s short on water and long on villains. A hilarious take on classic Westerns that’s fun for kids and adults alike, “Rango” is now available on Blu-ray and DVD and will get kids laughing while showing them the importance of water conservation and that anyone can make a positive difference.

You can also take the family on a trip to an aquarium or zoo and ask the keepers about water’s importance to the animals. (And don’t forget to visit the chameleons so you can see a real “Rango.”)

Here are some tips for your kids on saving water:

Save Water Indoors

Take a short shower rather than a bath, which generally uses more water. A cool shower on a hot day feels great.

Think before you flush. Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket. The fewer times you flush, the more water you save.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Plus, try catching all the water that goes down the drain for a day in a bucket—you’ll see it’s a lot!

Tell Mom or Dad about any leaky faucets—one leaky faucet can waste a lot of water.

If you have an aquarium, reuse the water for houseplants.

Save Water Outdoors

Use the hose where it’s needed. If you’re going to play with the hose to cool off, turn it on in a part of the yard that can use some watering.

Help your parents water the lawn or garden at night or early in the morning. This is the best way to prevent evaporation (that’s when water disappears into the air).

Use a bucket and a hose with a nozzle when you wash your bicycle or your parents’ car. Better yet, use the water you saved when you brushed your teeth.

Don’t forget that every drop counts; use a broom to sweep the driveway or sidewalk, not precious water.

Discover more about this movie at www.rangomovie.com.