| I recently discovered that April has been dubbed, | | | | household trash. Recycle that packaging!o Material |
| Keep America Beautiful month. I am fortunate to live | | | | Goods - Instead of throwing out those clothes and |
| in a well-kept area but even here there is evidence | | | | toys you no longer want, give them away. There are |
| of abuse and neglect of the earth. I imagine God | | | | plenty of wonderful organizations that would |
| must just shake His head in disappointment at the | | | | welcome your used items. Also check out to donate |
| way we're treating this beautiful world He created. 1 | | | | your unwanted things as well as pick up items that |
| Corinthians 6:9 tells us that people who destroy the | | | | others are looking to recycle. |
| earth and everything in it do not qualify as citizens of | | | | 2. CLEAN UP - Of course you want to discourage |
| the kingdom of God. Although I am not a hard-core | | | | your kids from any type of littering. But why not |
| environmentalist, I'm thinking it's probably a good idea | | | | take it a step further? The next time you go to the |
| to be good stewards of everything we have, and do | | | | following places with your kids, take ten or fifteen |
| our part to take care of the beautiful world which | | | | minutes to throw away trash you find on the ground. |
| God entrusted to us. | | | | Point out how much prettier the area looks without |
| I also think it's a wonderful idea to educate our kids | | | | all the junk scattered around as well as a safer place |
| about ways they can help keep the earth in a state | | | | to play. Places that might be in need of a clean-up:o |
| that glorifies the God who created it. And the sooner | | | | Parko School yardo Playgroundo Your neighborhoodo |
| we start teaching them how to do it, the more | | | | Baseball fieldso Nature trail |
| beautiful it will become. So although this holiday is | | | | 3. REUSE - Whenever possible, reuse normal |
| technically, "Keep America Beautiful," the principle is | | | | household items. Here are a few things you may be |
| the same around the world. Here are three things we | | | | able to find another use for:o Jars - decorate and use |
| can do with our kids to keep our earth looking | | | | to hold all sorts of household itemso Bags - use as |
| beautiful. | | | | trash bagso Boxes - for storageo Coffee cans - use |
| 1. RECYCLE - There are several ways you can | | | | as a planter, a bank, or to hold kitchen scrapso |
| recycle. Ask your trash pick up for a recycling | | | | Clothing - make into other items such as purses, |
| container in which you can toss recyclables.o Cans | | | | quilts, cushion covers or doll clothingo Greeting cards - |
| and bottles - Interesting fact: Every three months, | | | | use the cover as a postcard or frame it and hang it |
| the U.S. throws away enough aluminum to rebuild our | | | | on the wall.o And more...put on your creativity cap |
| entire commercial airline fleet.o Paper - Interesting | | | | for other ideas. |
| fact: each day American businesses generate enough | | | | Don't forget, every little bit helps! Get qualified as a |
| paper to circle the globe at least 40 times.o | | | | citizen of God's kingdom and keep our Creator smiling |
| Cardboard - Interesting fact: Out of ever $10 spent | | | | by doing your part to help keep America (and the |
| buying things, $1 (10%) goes for packaging that is | | | | rest of the earth) beautiful. |
| thrown away. Packaging represents about 65% of | | | | |