Design & Lifestyle...

Its the time of year all the kids have been waiting for (but maybe not the parents)… Summer time!

Here are some eco-friendly ideas to spend this summer - and possibly have your kids going back to school in the fall a little “greener”: I have focused on the New York area, but these ideas will work anywhere.

1. Take public transportation to local beaches.

Living in NYC, we’re lucky to be surrounded by some beautiful beaches! With gas prices higher than ever, you may want to reconsider that road trip and stay local. Not only are these beaches beautiful, but they are easily accessible, just a few blocks from the railroad station. The Long Island Railroad, leaving from Penn Station in Manhattan or Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, has some Getaway beach packages that you may be interested in. The LIRR MTA website lists trips to beaches less than an hour train ride from the hot city to cool beaches: Long Beach, Jones Beach, Robert Moses, etc.

2. Is your teen looking for something to do? What about an eco-friendly job ?

This link ” Eco-Friendly Jobs for Students” could give your son or daughter an idea for some fun summer work, helping the environment. Whether it a volunteer a few hours a week, or a full time summer gig, it could be a great way for teens to learn about what they can do to make a difference.

3. Start an Eco-Friendly Family gardening project.

Whether it an experimental garden, or tending to an existing one, let your kids chip in on the gardening duties. This task will give them something to look forward to, with real results, and they’ll love being able to pitch in. Whether they pick a new plant to add to the garden, take on watering duty (from the rain barrel ), are in charge of making sure no weeds are growing, or (the fun part) picking the veggies, your kids will get dirty and love it! Gardening should not be an expensive hobby. Here are some frugal gardening ideas.

4. What to do in the rain!

Turn a rainy summer day into an exciting one. Use the time to have your kids help separate the recycling. They may even be able to build something with those empty cereal boxes - maybe a fort? You may even want to let the kids help you gather things you no longer need to use for a garage sale.

5. Spend a weekend outdoors: hiking, climbing, biking.

New York State is home to great hiking and camping. Here are some of our favorites:

Malouf’s Mountain, NY photo

The Gunks

Just north of New York City (and may be argumentative as to when to begin to call it “upstate”, depending on where in NY you’re from), there are some great outdoor sites. Whether you want to go to hike, climb, bike, you can do it all. Like the beaches, MTA also has trains that can bring the whole family there. Check out MTA’s link for Metro North for some ideas for local hiking weekend getaways.

6. Scuba Diving in the city?

For any scuba divers out there, good news! You don’t have to go all the way to the Caribbean to dive. Okay, I won’t lie - the visibility won’t be anywhere near as good to 75+ foot clear as it may be down south. However these local underwater spots house some beautiful marine life you wouldn’t expect to see in New York. Long Island has some excellent dive sites such as the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays, the jetties out in Montauk, and Beach Eight near Atlantic Beach. On a good day, there could be up to 30′ visibility, which is pretty good. Check out this site for some general information on the dive sites or go to Hampton Dive Center for more detailed information. Activities like diving may bring a new appreciation to our local waters, and many times these places are involved with many local organizations to help keep our waters clean.

Happy Summer!

(Jen contributed to this post.)