Healthy Kids Healthy Planet

Become a Healthy Kid and help the planet! Discover our helpful tips below on how you can reduce our waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Local Food

Growing your own food is great way to keep you and the planet healthy. Did you know that some of the food we eat comes from all over the world and creates a lot of emissions on its journey to your local grocery store? Try eating more locally grown food to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You can also start a garden. Plants clean the air, and when you grow your own food, it tastes even better!

You can grow food by:

  • Planting seeds and seedlings anywhere, such as an outdoor garden bed, containers on your deck/balcony, or in a sunny window in your house. 
  • Seeds can be found all over your house. Look for seeds in the things you have at home and see what grows. Try dried beans, or seeds from veggies you have in the fridge, like green peppers, cucumbers, or tomatoes. 

Waste Reduction

Have you ever considered what happens to your garbage once the collection crew picks it up from your house? If it’s in a garbage bag it goes straight to the landfill in Brantford but did you realize that some of that garbage will never decompose? It will last there for hundreds or thousands of years. When garbage decomposes it creates a greenhouse gas called methane that's mostly due to biodegradable waste like food and paper products. 

You can reduce waste by:

  • Creating a backyard compost to dispose of your food waste.
  • By purchasing products that don’t have packaging or growing food yourself.
  • Reusing anything you can! Reuse plastic containers (like yogurt or sour cream tubs) for food storage. Try using egg cartons and aluminum cans for crafts or storage.
  • Recycling properly by downloaded Brantford’s Recycle Coach to find out the proper sorting for each item (i.e. container recycling, fibre recycling, or garbage).

Energy Reduction

The energy you use in your home is mostly produced from electricity and natural gas. Electricity powers lights, the refrigerator, microwave, TV, air conditioner, and many other things in your home. Natural gas is used in your furnace or boiler to heat your home and in some cases, your stove or barbecue for cooking.  Both of these sources of energy create greenhouse gas emissions, although in Ontario, natural gas produces more emissions than electricity.

You can reduce energy use by:                                                                                

  • Taking a survey of your house and counting how many things use electricity and figuring out how many of them can be turned off. A great way to lower electricity use is by turning off lights, computers, and TVs when not in use.
  • Turning the heat in your home down by a degree or two to save energy from natural gas usage.
  • Trying a low energy night at home by using as little energy as possible, such as having a cold meal for dinner and playing a board game instead of watching TV.  

Water Reduction

Did you know that the water we drink comes directly from the Grand River? It needs to be treated and pumped before it gets to your house. That process uses energy but if you reduce the amount of water you use, it will reduce your energy use. 

You can save water by:

  • Turning off the water while brushing your teeth or scrubbing your hands.
  • Taking shorter showers or using less water in your bath.
  • Using a bucket and sponge for washing cars, bikes, and other outdoor things instead of the hose.
  • Connecting a rain barrel to your downspouts and using that water for watering your garden or washing your car.