Raise your own tree-hugger
By Andrea P

Global warming, extinction, water pollution, smog .... Environmental issues can at times be threatening or overwhelming, especially to children. So how should an enterprising guardian teach kids about the Earth without scaring the bejeezus out of them?
Simply put: get outside. Create a garden in your backyard. Or plant a butterfly garden and check out an insect identification book from the library.
Some hardy plants that will do well in the heat of the Iowa summer: Marigolds, tomatoes, daisies, tiger lillys, pumpkins, green beans, sweet corn, four o'clocks and raspberries.
Sometimes, the simple mantra Reduce Reuse Recycle is enough to engross kids in the cause. Recycling bins can be obtained at City Hall free of charge for curbside recycling. Or take a trip to a recycling center. Those around Iowa City include: Iowa City Landfill & Recycling Center, 3900 Hebl Ave.; Hy-Vee, 1201 North Dodge St.; Drug Town, 301 N. First Ave.; Eastdale Plaza, First Avenue and Lower Muscatine; City Carton Co., 3 East Benton St.
For those who wish to venture farther from home, there are many parks and recreational areas in and around Iowa City. Guardians with a busy summer schedule might want to consider enrolling children in outdoor day camps, such as those sponsored by the Raptor Project.