It is no longer possible to live in blissful ignorance of the impact humans have on the planet. As parents, it is our responsibility to raise environmentally conscious children who will help to solve the problems created by the generations that came before them. If you’ve never introduced your kids to the concepts of conservation and environmental responsibility, Earth Day (Tuesday, April 22) is the perfect time to do so, and here are some ideas to help.

Walk, bike, bus, or carpool

Visit a local farmer’s market

Start planting

Help your child appreciate the wonders of nature and the delicate balance around us by planting. Get some organic soil from your local garden center and plant a vegetable garden that will allow your family to be partially self-sufficient, again reducing carbon emissions while also helping your child to appreciate where our food comes from. Work with your child’s school PTA to sponsor an annual tree planting to beautify the school campus and contribute to reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Green up your own backyard with shrubs and flowers. What better place for a child to spend Earth Day than outside playing in the dirt.

Make your own fertilizer

Now that you have all those plants in your yard, fertilize responsibly. Chemical fertilizers can be harmful to both the environment and your family’s health. Investing in a countertop composter will allow you to convert your everyday kitchen scraps into organic fertilizer, while also reducing the amount of waste in landfills. The decomposition process is a great science lesson for your child.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

These three words have been at the forefront of the green movement for years, but how many households still take them to heart? Help your child create bins for paper, plastic, and aluminum. As a reward for the effort, allow him or her to keep the money when you take everything to the recycling center. Instead of sending your child to soccer practice or going to the gym with a plastic water bottle, invest in reusable polycarbonate bottles. Both the Grip and Gulp for your kids and the N-Gen for you are BPA-free, which makes them healthier for you while your family reduces waste.

Calculate your carbon footprint

A simple Google search will turn up countless websites where you can calculate your family’s carbon footprint—the measure of the CO2 emissions from your energy consumption. Once you’ve calculated your footprint, talk to your kids about ways you can work together to offset your impact. Change incandescent bulbs to CFLs, turn the TV off for all but an hour a day, or use some of the other tips listed in this article. Nothing you can say will go as far as giving your child the opportunity for hands-on learning.

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