Accidental flush puts lid on luxury

You return home after running errands to find the faucet running, the refrigerator door wide open, and every light in the house blazing. Your kids are watching television in the basement, oblivious to the energy being wasted. With Earth Day coming up, you feel like your family should apologize to the planet, not celebrate.

If you sometimes feel as though your family's concern for the ecosystem is going down the drain, the animated movie Flushed Away, now available on home video, can help. After the movie, plunge into a family conversation about fun ways to help the planet. Then do our activity, “Toilet Bowl-ing,” to bring the big-screen lesson to life!

The film features Roddy St. James (voice of Hugh Jackman), a pampered pet mouse who lives the life of luxury in an upscale London home. The tides change, however, when he accidentally gets flushed down the toilet.

In the sewer system “down below,” Roddy discovers Ratropolis— an entire city comprised of fellow rats, frogs, and singing slugs creatively living off of others' trash. Disgusted and desperate for his lavish life Roddy meets a renegade rodent named Rita (voice of Kate Winslet) and convinces her to help him return home.

Through many misadventures in Rita's makeshift boat, Rita and Roddy forge a friendship. Together, they try to outwit the evil Toad, who has plans to flood the underworld. When Roddy finally has the chance to escape Ratropolis and return to his luxurious life, he has to “flush out” what is really most important to him.

Talk Together

Take turns sharing your favorite way that characters recycled objects in Ratropolis. Now look around your house. Brainstorm ways the animals down under could use items around your house. How might Rita use your empty oatmeal container?

Now focus on your family. What are some great ways you've gone green? Perhaps you transformed an old ice cream container into a piggy bank, or decorated your kitchen window with a sun catcher made from old CDs.

Talk about ways your family could be more environmentally friendly. Who could you carpool with to school, sports practice, or work? Make a vow to take shorter showers, or turn off the lights every time you leave a room. Every small step can make a big difference in protecting the environment.

Play Together: Toilet Bowl-ing
There won't be any loo-sers in this battle for the throne.

You will need:
• 6 empty toilet paper rolls
• Contact paper
• Scissors
• Marker
• Roll of toilet paper
• Rubber band
• Paper and pen or pencil

Decorate the six empty toilet paper rolls with contact paper. Review some of the best ideas your family came up with in the “Talk Together” section. With the marker, write one idea on each of the rolls. These are your bowling pins.

Put a rubber band around the roll of toilet paper to keep the paper from unrolling. This will serve as your bowling ball.

Set up the pins in a pyramid formation and stand back about five feet feet. Take turns rolling the ball at the pins. Record which pins are toppled each turn. Whichever three pins have been knocked down the most after all players take their turn will be the three things your family will work on for the week.

Your family will be inspired by the citizens of Ratropolis to help spare the earth by going green!