Get Your Kids Interested In Going Green
Nearly everyone these days is interested in reducing their carbon footprint. As Americans we tend to overindulge and use and waste more than is ever necessary. While the concept of “going green” has definitely started to set in with older generations, younger kiddos still struggle with understanding wind and solar energy and what it truly means to live sustainably. To help them get more interested in going green, parents should consider doing some of the following with their kids:
Show Them How to Recycle
One of the predominate reasons why kids don’t recycle on a regular basis is simply because they don’t fully understand how. Most only see soda cans or bottles as being recyclable. So that they can better grasp how much of their daily waste can actually be recycled, take the time to show your kids what to recycle and how to recycle if your area requires that your recyclables be sorted out. Not only will they learn a valuable lesson, but they will quickly feel like they are doing something important which is always a great way to create lasting habits.
Demonstrate What Reduce Actually Means
Kids are notorious for using more than they need – your toilet paper roll can probably attest to that. Kiddos simply have a hard time gauging how much of something they are usually generally until it is too late. However, if you can show them ways to avoid overusing items, such as plastic wrap for that lunchbox sandwich, it will create life long using habits that will help them be more green adults.
A great way to spark a child’s interest in reducing is by turning it into a game. Lay out items and ask your child to complete a task, such as packing their lunch, with as few disposables as possible. You can also ask them to create fun little art projects with minimal supplies, proving to them that they can create something beautiful without using an entire tub of glitter or bottle of glue. The important thing is to actually show them how little they can get by on.
Create At-Home Projects to Inspire Reusing
One of the best ways to get your kiddos interested in reusing is by creating at-home projects. By showing your kids that everyday garbage items and other recyclables can be turned in to works of art or other useful items, they will not only be more inclined to reuse but they will also be more inclined to think outside the box. So go ahead and try a few at-home projects including:
- A quilt made out of old t-shirts
- Decorating reusable grocery bags
- Water tornadoes out of 2-liter soda bottles
Going green isn’t something that just parents need to do for the environment, it is something that we all need to do if we want to successfully create more sustainable and lasting generations. By teaching your kiddos the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling at a young age, they will create lasting green habits that they can build upon to become responsible and eco-friendly adults in the future.
We will be using composting toilets once we are on our rural land. Can’t get too much greener than that.
It’s funny that recycling is a part of my son’s vocab. If it’s paper or plastic or cardboard, he doesn’t talk about throwing it in the trash, but putting it in “the recycle.” When we were kids, we didn’t hear the term until late elementary school. And even then it took awhile to become part of our vocab.