Splash photo by Tammy Kimberley These Liberty Lake kids work to keep the lake clean and to learn about how to care for the environment. Pictured from left to right are Savannah Pratt, Kali Natarajan, Trace Chalich, Holland Pratt, Anika Chalich and Kieran Natarajan.

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From the Wave: Picking up and partying for the earth
3/24/2010 10:13:08 AM

By Tammy Kimberley
Wave Editor

On a recent spring day, three sets of siblings - Anika and Trace Chalich; Kieran and Kali Natarajan; and Holland and Savannah Pratt - play among other kids in the sand and run back and forth on the sidewalk that lines the west side of the lake.

From a distance you may notice their different ages and interests. But when you talk with them, you discover that they share at least one thing in common – a desire to take care of the world around them.

Their families' concern for taking care of the environment led them all to take the Watershed Pledge and attend the beaver forum last year. In addition, they've all participated in activities recognizing Earth Day and Arbor Day while choosing to follow steps in their everyday lives to help the earth.

The Wave recently sat down with these kids to discuss how they are making a difference for the environment and steps others can take to help their world.

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Anika Chalich, 8 Trace Chalich, 5 Parents: Bo and Heather Chalich Kieran Natarajan, 11 Kali Natarajan, 9 Parents: Nata Natarajan and Alison Ashlock Holland Pratt, 10 Savannah Pratt, 6 Parents: Gavin and Sarah Pratt

How does your family reduce the trash you use to save natural resources?

Anika: We try to use both sides of paper before recycling it.

Trace: … and we clean up other people's trash.

Holland: We buy plastic water bottles and reuse them instead of getting a new one every time.

In what ways do you try to reuse items so there is less garbage?

Kieran: We take our own bags when we go to the store instead of using plastic bags.

Trace: You can reuse cardboard to build houses to play in.

Savannah: Instead of just throwing away the clothes that don't fit me, we pass them on to our friends or other people who can use them.

Speaking of reusing clothes, what other items do your families recycle?

Savannah: We usually recycle newspaper. We have them picked up from the house.

Kieran: Besides paper, we recycle cans and glass bottles. We have to take some of our recycling to Plantes Ferry Park when I play soccer. I like to use cardboard boxes we have laying around to build forts. Once I made a cardboard house that was taller than me!

I understand that your parents all share a concern for the environment. Tell me how they pass on their knowledge to you.

Kali: Every year, my dad comes to my classroom on Dr. Suess' birthday and reads "The Lorax." The story is about a little orange thing that lives in a puffball and it talks about not cutting down trees. Every year we plant a tree, too.

Trace: My parents talk about cleaning up the lake and not to throw trash in it. Your parents pass it on to you when you're little so that when you grow up you know what to do and what to reuse. You can grow up to tell others how to recycle.

What events have you participated in where you have learned about taking care of the environment?

Anika: Our family always has an Earth Day party. We go out and pick up trash and have dinner together with our family. And in second grade you do the "Save the Plants" play.

Holland: I was in that play! It's about when the characters go on an adventure to discover that it's important to take care of the plants. For Earth Day, our family has gone door to door telling other people about how they can help the environment.

Kieran: In the outdoor learning lab in fifth grade, we learned about the aquifer and beaver dams. The lake is there because water from the mountains drain down into the lake. Things you put in the lake could eventually get to your drinking water because it goes into the aquifer.

I understand that you all went to the beaver forum at Liberty Lake County Park last year. What did you learn from this?

Holland: I remember them talking about how the beaver dams help make fresh water flow. The beavers dam up the river so that it slowly drains into the lake. He showed us these sticks that had beaver teeth marks in them, so I got a souvenir from the day.

Savannah: I remember that they taught us not to throw garbage in the water.

Is your family planning to do anything special this year for Earth Day or Arbor Day?

Anika: We're having another Earth Day party.

Kali: We're planting a tree for Arbor Day.

Holland: We go out to places that have a lot of garbage and pick up stuff.

Share some ways that kids can help take care of the lake and watershed.

Kieran: When the lake was frozen this past winter, people left stuff on the ice. So we went out and cleaned it up so it didn't go into the water.

Anika: Don't spill oil or other nasty stuff on the beach.

Holland: Try not to leave garbage on the beach shore because the waves could come and wash it off the beach. If you look at the lake now, it's all beautiful and pretty. If it gets full of trash, it's not going to be as beautiful.

What are other easy ways that kids can take care of our planet?

Trace: Try to pick up trash whenever you see it.

Anika: Reduce, reuse and recycle.

Kieran: Use metal water bottles, instead of disposable bottles.

Kali: Recycle newspaper. Plant trees.

Do you have any books, movies or web sites on the environment that you would recommend to other kids?

Kali: The movie, "Wall-E"

Kieran: "The Lorax" book by Dr. Suess

Holland: "March of the Penguins" movie

Anika: "The Earth" movie