A New Generation Of Eco-Warriors

CBS Evening News: They're Nagging Their Parents To Save The Planet

(CBS)  When the Behre family comes in from the Pennsylvania cold, their coats often stay on.

Their mom keeps the temperature at 66 degrees - not just to save money, but because her middle-school-aged daughters, Jane and Annie, insist, CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy reports.

"We are inheriting all the problems that we are facing so we need to start dealing with those problems now," Jane said.

The girls are part of a new generation of eco-warriors, teaching their parents about conservation and recycling.

"God forbid one of them walks in and see me getting ready to throw it in the trash they will scream at me," said the girls' mother, Leah Ingram.

The green gospel is now being preached in kids movies and even on their Girl Scout patches. Three years ago, one environmental education group was working with 150 teachers nationwide - now they are training 1,000 and their curriculum is in clost to 10,000 schools.

"They're learning in school they hear their friends talk about it. I think there is a real buzz especially with young people," said Michael Oko of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Frances Kretschmer painted her room green and joined her school's eco club in California. She's a stickler for turning off the lights, makes her mom wash her clothes in cold water and even dressed up as a recycling bin for Halloween.

"You can recycle that costume next year."

This past Christmas, Frances convinced her parents to get a very un-traditional tree that they planted after the holidays. She didn't, however, hook her younger brother, Miles.

"I don't really like it very much," Miles said. "It's cool though."

Some of Frances' eco-sensibilities came from her grandmother, who often picks her up from school on a fuel-efficient tandem bike. Yet bringing her parents along for the ride isn't always smooth.

"I want my dad to take less showers and I want him to ride his bike to work," she said.

"She is our environmental consciences. She keeps us honest," said her mother, Charlotte Bregante.

And they are saving green - trimming $50 off the electrical bill and spending less onf the clothes Frances will only buy second-hand.

"My mom likes to do anything good for the environment that saves money too," Frances said.

That's a green lesson both parents are still teaching their kids.

[schoolmarm22]

Even if you don''t but into global warming, there is absolutely no reason not to conserve our very limited resources. Our planet is overpopulated and we need to live more sustainable lifestyles. This means that if everyone recycles, reduces, or reuses we will have our resources for much longer.

[eggy1620]

The story dateline says California. The first line of the article says Pennsylvania. Come on CBS.

[ibzjem]

I keep my house at 67 degrees or less. It''s not that cold.

[newview08]

People will believe anything the TV tells them.

[mrjoshcan]

Expect green to make a comeback again by June. Predict a blue, red, and yellow glow by August and September! Hey pepperdone, German shown did win the war! - unanimously Qur''an, Holy Bible, and blonde-blue. Better our respectful reasoning! Volunteer G-town to force green while staying clean! [e-mail]

[legacyabq]

Posted by wtcmedic911 at 09:58 AM

Wow, a veritable study in specious reasoning..

So let''s see medic..

1. Its cold where I live today.. Therefore, I can conclude reliably that it is cold everywhere, and I can do this without examining 1000s''s of volumes of carefully measured global temperature means, collected by thousands of scientists, and therefore global warming isnt true, again, because its cold in New England..
2. Everybody elose is doing it, so I have no moral obligation to do the right thing.. It''s no use because no one cares.. Hog it all for myself until it''s all gone! Who cares if we all will suffer in the long run.


Wow, nice attitudes there.. Sociopath..

[trumpetstuff]

Kind of scary.

[wtcmedic911]

1. brain washed little kids reflecting their teachers "global warming" idios. If you believe in global warming come to new england where its friggin cold!
2. conserving is great and wonderful. leaves a lot more for the chinese, russians, india to enjoy! you think the people with money in these countries are conserving fuel? ya right. in russia Hummers are the biggest status symbol.

[louiville2]

This story reminds me of Nazi youth movement.

Just insert Environmentalism for National Socialism and American for German. You''ll see as a species we have come full circle when it comes to religion.

"National Socialism is a religion. All we lack is a religious genius capable of uprooting outmoded religious practices and putting new ones in their place. We lack traditions and ritual. One day soon National Socialism will be the religion of all Germans. My Party is my church, and I believe I serve the Lord best if I do his will, and liberate my oppressed people from the fetters of slavery. That is my gospel." Joseph Goebbels * Diary entry for October 16, 1928.

[rushlimpdrug]

Yeah, she looks real happy.

[govwatch-2009]

Try buying less funk.