Planning a summer vacation with your family–or just hanging around the house? Look below for tips to help protect the environment.


Grab the sun block and these eco tips:

Be careful to keep an eye on your pets, like dogs, they can disturb wildlife.

Everything you bring to the beach should leave when you do–never throw trash in the water or bury it.

Ask lots of questions about the water and look for answers online with your family–this is a great way to find things you can do to help protect the environment.

Chow down on seafood that comes only from carefully watched and sustainable fisheries.

Have a great day–but don't bring home wildlife plants and animals. They're very hard to keep alive.

Going to park it in the park for the day? Take along these ways to help the environment:

Pack up at the end of the day whatever you packed in.

Arrive with food in reusable plastic containers.

Reuse plastic water bottles (to cut back on waste) to bring along water for the day.

Keep an eye out for trash even if it's not yours–pick it up and toss it out.

Save fuel–ride bikes or walk to the park instead of taking the family vehicle.

There are lots of ways you can help the environment:

Have a yard sale–a great way to see if someone can use your old stuff before you toss it in the trash.

Open the fridge only when you know what you want–this will cut back on time you stand there with the door open.

Use rechargeable batteries in toys.

Save water–get clean in the shower but don't stay in there longer than you have to!

Encourage your family to run appliances–like dishwashers and washing machines–only when they're full.

Don’t leave the environment behind!

Take bikes or walk instead of using the family vehicle.

Remember to bring snacks for the road in reusable plastic containers.

Investigate new ways to get to your destination using mass transit, like buses or trains.

Praise your family for using plastic bags in the car for recycling and trash.

Save fuel–ask your parents to make sure vehicle tires are correctly filled.

Keep these tips in mind when you hit the trail:

Take care not to go off the trail–you could damage wildlife plants or the homes of animals that live in the ground.

Research community groups who are working to clean trails and see what you can do to help.

Always keep a plastic bag in your pack to pick up small bits of trash you see on your hike.

Investigate plants and animals you see on your hike when you get home.

Limit the amount of trash you create by carrying trail snacks in reusable plastic containers.