The other day, Edison came running to me and asked, “Mama, what does conservation means?” In the simplest term, I answered him, “Conservation is the protection of things found in nature. It requires the sensible use of all Earth’s natural resources such as water, soil, wildlife and forests.”
Conservation can be a very difficult concept for young children to grasp. To explain this more effectively, I prefer to use simple terms that relate to our everyday life. I began with defining natural resources as things that we need such as forest, and further explained that resources are hard to replace once we’ve used them.
“Why are forests so important?” His curiosity kicked-in as this subject seemed to interest him deeply. I shared with him FIVE reasons why they’re important:
- They help us breathe by pumping out oxygen and absorb the carbon dioxide that we exhale.
- They keep us cool by regulating regional temperatures.
- They are home to many species and even human too!
- They help us make a lot of things – from papers and furniture to homes and clothing.
- They fight flooding by slowing the flow of heavy rains.
I’m sure they are more, but these five reasons are enough to convince him that protecting the world’s forest is important and everyone has to do their part.
And his next question is – how can I help? At that moment, I suddenly thought of our favourite fresh milk, F&N MAGNOLIA, which I purchased from Cold Storage.
For more than 75 years, F&N MAGNOLIA Fresh Milk has been a trusted choice, nurturing generations with that delicious, smooth and creamy taste we all love. I usually buy three types of MAGNOLIA milk: 1) regular fresh milk for my growing-up son, 2) Lo-Fat-Hi-Cal milk for my husband and I who need the calcium but not the extra fats, and 3) UHT Smoo Milk (in smaller packs) for Edison to drink on the go.
Edison has grown to love milk because of MAGNOLIA too. He starts off his morning with a glass of MAGNOLIA Fresh Milk. During recess at school, he drinks a pack of MAGNOLIA UHT Smoo Milk. In the evening, he wraps up the day with another glass of MAGNOLIA Fresh Milk.
I feel good that he’s drinking lots of milk. Milk provides him with calcium, vitamin D and energy to keep him focused, alert, energetic and healthy throughout the day.
Now, in the efforts to save the forest, MAGNOLIA has switched its packaging to Forest Stewardship CouncilTM (FSCTM) certified cartons, and encourages everyone to Grow Greatness by cultivating the habit of being ecologically responsible.
This is a very good example of conservation, I told Edison. His favourite fresh milk, MAGNOLIA, is now using FSCTM certified cartons that come from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources where new trees replace the ones that are harvested, either planted or naturally regenerated.
This means by choosing FSCTM certified cartons, we support the conservation of forests and wildlife, and help people lead better lives. It’s pretty much like how MAGNOLIA has cared for many families across generations; this is MAGNOLIA’s way to express how it also cares for Mother Nature as well as our future generations.
Being an environmental conscious person, I’m very impressed with the brand’s commitment towards protecting the environment. F&N MAGNOLIA is one of the first few in the industry in Singapore to use FSCTM certified cartons for their 1-litre milk packs.
Let’s Join MAGNOLIA’s Grow Greatness Campaign and Instagram Contest!
I’m very excited about the F&N MAGNOLIA’s Grow Greatness campaign, so I picked up two starter kits to participate. Besides beautifying our home with greeneries, I can also impart valuable habits and a sense of responsibility towards the environment to my entire family.
Contents in my Starter Kit
Today, I like to invite you to join this fun and interactive MAGNOLIA Grow Greatness campaign. Together, we can do our part to care for the environment. Let’s have fun recycling milk cartons as planter pots and start our urban garden at home.
You’ll be amazed by how these greeneries can perk up your indoor space. They are beautiful additions to our desks, dining tables, balconies, and other well-lit spots.
The milk cartons can be cut into various sizes and shapes, and decorated with colour papers or paints. It’s a fun learning experience for the children and a perfect family-bonding activity too!
Edison is amazed at how easy it is to grow petunias from seeds. First, he put the jiffy pellet into the MAGNOLIA Fresh Milk carton that has been cut into halves. Then, he put approximately 50mls of water onto the pellet. About 15 mins later, the pellet expanded to about 5cm high.
Next, he sowed some seeds onto the top surface of the pellet. We put the plant on our bay window so it has access to direct sunlight, but not excessively hot. He’s so excited to watch his plant grow! The first thing he does after he wakes up in the morning is to check on the growth of his plant.
He waters the plant every alternate day. Just a little bit of water to wet the pellet, but not over-wet until it’s soaking in water. The pellet looks whitish when dry and turns dark brown when watered. Generally, petunias are tolerant of heat and are very easy to grow.
And 14 days later, we get to see this:
As you can see, the roots start to appear on the side of the pellet. It’s time for transplanting – meaning to transfer them into their permanent position. We’ll transfer them to our garden soon.
One important announcement!
There is an Instagram contest going on from now till 31 March 2015. Simply snap a series of photographs to document the progress of your Grow Greatness plant grown in F&N MAGNOLIA Fresh Milk cartons and upload them on Instagram with hashtags #fnnmagnolia, #magnoliafsc and #growgreatnessSG.
Three lucky winners will each win a 3D2N stay at eco-friendly Siloso Beach Resort for the family. Winners will be picked based on overall visual impact and creativity by a judging panel.
For more information, head on to F&N MAGNOLIA Facebook Page.
Together, let’s choose the cartons that care, and do our part to protect the environment. I’ll also be posting my MAGNOLIA Grow Greatness plant on my Instagram @ourlittlesmarties. Check me out!
