...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM MST
FRIDAY...
* WHAT...An extended period of stagnant air, with light winds
and little vertical mixing.
* WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest and west central
Idaho and northeast and southeast Oregon.
* WHEN...Until 1 PM MST Friday, and this time may be extended.
* IMPACTS...Periods of air stagnation can lead to the buildup of
pollutants near the surface.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds will be strong enough today,
Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons in portions of the Upper
Treasure Valley and Western Magic Valley to limit stagnation.
However, parts of the zones will experience stagnant air and
were therefore included in this advisory.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
An Air Stagnation Advisory concerns itself with meteorological
conditions only. For more information on air pollution in Idaho,
visit website www.deq.idaho.gov. For Oregon, visit website
www.oregon.gov/deq.
If possible, reduce or eliminate activities that contribute to
air pollution, such as outdoor burning, and the use of
residential wood burning devices. Reduce vehicle trips and
vehicle idling as much as possible.
&&
Cooking with your kids is a fun way to spend time together while sharing valuable lessons about the environment.
Grocery shopping, food transport, meal prep, menu choice, and cleanup all increase your household’s carbon footprint. From menu planning and cooking to enjoying your food, you can explain how each step impacts the planet.
To do your part, follow these green cooking and eating tips together.
Make a Meatless Meal
When discussing menu options, steer your child toward healthy choices and explain that plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains are better for the environment than a meat-based meal. In fact, if 200 million people cut meat from their diet for just one day, it would save 260 million tons of water, according to Johns Hopkins.
You can find plant-based recipes on the Meatless Monday campaign website and read about how giving up meat at least once a week helps the planet.
Use What You Have and Buy Organic and Local
Once you agree on a recipe, you’ll need to gather ingredients. Use whatever is in your refrigerator, freezer, or cupboard first to prevent food waste.
If you have a garden, use those veggies, fruits, or herbs. Explain how eating what you grow at home helps decrease air pollution and carbon emissions that occur when planes and trucks ship food from warehouses to stores.
When buying ingredients, get what you can from local farms or roadside stands. Share how buying locally reduces your carbon footprint. Try to buy USDA-Certified Organic food, and explain that the Department of Agriculture certifies food that farmers grow without toxic pesticides and other chemicals.
Go Green at the Grocery Store
For grocery store must-haves, teach your child these green shopping tips:
Take reusable cloth bags to the store to avoid using bags that add to plastic pollution.
Buy items like oats, nuts, and grains from bulk bins to reduce packaging waste from items on the shelf.
Use a shopping list to avoid impulse buys that can lead to food waste. Draw pictures of what you need for young kids and help them locate the items.
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Follow Eco-Friendly Cooking Tips
When you start cooking, follow these eco-friendly tips:
Turn the faucet off while scrubbing fruits and vegetables to save water.
Use cloth towels to pat produce dry instead of throwaway paper towels.
Sort paper, food containers, jars, and bottles into the recycling.
Gather fruit and vegetable peelings and scraps for a home compost pile.
To boil water, use an electric kettle, induction stove, or electric cooktop instead of a microwave to increase energy efficiency, according to Inside Energy.
Use eco-friendly cooking utensils, tools, and cutting boards made from bamboo, wood, or stainless steel.
To prevent waste, don’t make or serve huge portions unless your family is good about eating leftovers.
Enjoy Your Meal and Do a Green Eating Review
Sitting down to enjoy your tasty creation together is the best part. To boost your young chef’s confidence, compliment them for the delicious dinner and thank them for their hard work.
As you eat, ask what they liked best about making dinner. Instill sustainable lessons by asking them to name five things they did for their meal to help protect the planet. You can also share your favorite things about nature and discuss why respecting the Earth is essential.
Store and Eat Leftovers
Every year, about one-third of all food produced—equivalent to 1.3 billion tons—ends up rotting in consumer and retail trash cans, according to the United Nations. To prevent waste, promptly refrigerate or freeze leftovers, and include them in future meal plans to avoid waste.
Do a Sustainable Cleanup
After you eat, do a sustainable cleanup with your kids. For instance, don’t rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher, and only run full loads. Also, use eco-friendly cleansers and reusable cloth towels to clean the countertop, stovetop, and sink.
If you encourage your kids to follow these green cooking and eating tips early, they will likely do so for many years to come.
