I love the outdoors, and I know I am not alone among fathers with an interest in preserving the quality of our environment. I am fortunate to live in an area where mountain trails, pristine lakes and an alpine environment are just minutes away from our home. But over the 20 years or so we have lived in this area, I have clearly seen the impact on this beautiful area scarred by people who don't seem to care as much as I do about our natural environment.

The evidence is all around us that there is a need to pay better attention to our environment. Certainly there is controversy over global warming as evidenced by the divergence of opinion over former US Vice President Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" initiative. But there is little disagreement that we need to do better in how we protect and preserve our environmental resources. Reducing our "carbon footprint," using green power, and recycling are all issues that fathers face in our daily lives.

Children can become an important ally in our overall efforts to enhance the environment and our children's awareness of these issues is critical in this cause. Here are some ideas and thoughts about what fathers can do to help their children become more aware of the state of the environment and what they can do to be involved.

Read with them about the issues. There are a number of great books for kids helping them understand the environment and the issues they face. Some books I think are good for helping children gain an appreciation for the environment include:

• The Lorax
• Earth Book for Kids: Activities to Help Heal the Environment
• Common Ground: The Water, Earth, And Air We Share
• The Waterhole
• Hoot
• Where Once There Was a Wood

Set an example. Committing personally to greater environmental consciousness is one of the most important things a father can do. You best encourage recycling by recycling yourself. Using compact fluorescent light bulbs, walking and bicycling instead of driving, and composting where possible helps them see the importance of environmental awareness in your own life. Walk the walk and they will follow.

Participate in environmental projects. Find ways to involve the kids in projects that support the environment. These can run from a neighborhood newspaper drive (where you collect newspapers from neighbors and take them to a recycling facility) to setting up a home composting operation. You could do a litter cleanup at a local park, help build birdhouses for a nearby wildlife area, or do a water conservation project right in your own home.

Plant a tree. Whether at home, at a local park or another site, planting a tree will give you an opportunity to teach about the environment. Trees help clean the air and when well planted, may create a situation where you can reduce energy consumption in a nearby building.

Visit environmental websites. Sometimes sitting together at the computer visiting a website can stimulate conversation and learning. Some of the best of such websites for kids include:

• Earth 911
• Eeko World
• Nature Challenge for Kids
• EPA's Environmental Kids Club
• Recycle City
• The Planet Slayer
• Kids Planet

Grow a garden. There is something about gardening that helps children develop a sense for nature, the cycles of life and the law of the harvest. Planting a garden and then helping the children work, water and later harvest will give them an appreciation for nature, the earth and the environment.

Spend time outdoors. Hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking, boating, skiing and other outdoor activities are good opportunities to teach environmental principles. Make time to be together with your children outside and you will have chances to experience nature first hand.

Taking opportunities to teach your children about the environment and their responsibility for it will pay dividends now and later, both within your family and in the broader community.