Sure, global warming is an alarming and serious concern, but going green and reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t have to be a downer! There are many fun and fabulous ways to go green with your family and friends without being bored. Always try to keep in mind – and communicate - the bigger picture. Explain to your children that the little changes we make today will have a big impact on future generations, including theirs. This way, you can get everyone excited about making the world a better – and cleaner – place to live.

Following are some of our suggestions for going green and having fun in the process.

1. Shower pooling. We've all heard of carpooling to save gas, but what about shower pooling to save water? Daily water usage in a typical family home is around 70 gallons with showers accounting for roughly 17% of that total. Imagine how much you can save on your water bill by showering together! You can also replace your regular shower head with a low-flow model and save up to $145 per year on your electric bill.

2. Reward family members for turning off excess lights. Add some fun to the process by making it a competition. Create a chart and present a small “award” each month for the family member keeps excess lights off most often.

3. Experiment with homemade cleaning products. What kid doesn’t love seeing the reaction caused by mixing baking soda and vinegar? It’s fun to make and can be used as an effective cleanser or drain cleaner. Combine olive oil and lemon juice to make an eco-friendly furniture polish or vinegar and water in a spray bottle for a great all-purpose cleaner.

4. Make crafts from disposables. Don’t waste anything! Get creative…cut pictures out of magazines, grocery store ads, greeting cards and junk mail and turn it into your own masterpiece. Make a blanket from old favorite clothes or a bug from an empty egg carton. Bags, cardboard tubes, greeting cards, styrofoam products…they can all be used to make great crafts with the kids.

5. Play as a family with no power toys. When outdoors, play tag, kickball or a ball game. (Make sure you turn off all the lights, television, computers, etc. before heading outside.) When inside, make one – or more – nights “no electricity” nights. Pitch a tent with sheets and take turns reading by flashlight.

6. Make every meal feel like a special occasion. Invest in some cloth napkins instead of using paper ones and dress up your table with reusable dishes instead of the paper variety. This will make meal time feel like a special occasion, every time.

7. Eat local foods. Make frequent visits to the local farmer’s market together as a family to pick up fresh items such as meat, eggs and produce. Try new recipes with your fresh bounty and involve your kids in the preparation.

8. Plant a food garden. Get your kids involved by making signs to stick in the ground to identify each plant, watering them and watching them as they grow. Even if all you have is a kitchen shelf or apartment balcony, you can grow herbs and other plants that don’t require a lot of space. It’s so much fun to eat foods that you’ve nurtured yourself.

9. Make recycling a competition. Invite everyone to submit ideas for competing to be the “greenest”. Hold a recycling competition to see who can collect the most cans, bottles etc. to recycle, then save and donate the money you get for them to a worthy “green” cause. When family members start to compete, the money can quickly add up!

Think about it…when you involve those around you, you won't be stuck with all of the work (like taking out the recycling) by yourself. Ask your family members for their ideas and incorporate them into the overall plan. Your children are probably studying this in school and will be excited to participate and share what they’ve learned.