If our world keeps going the way that it is, the children who are growing up in this rising generation are going to have some big messes to clean up. And while it might not seem like there is a lot that most people can do on an individual level, if young kids are taught from their formative years about how to care for the world around them and be aware of the impact that their actions and the actions of others are having on the environment, there just might be hope yet.
To help this to become the reality, here are three habits to start with your children to teach them environmental awareness.
Avoid Single-Use Items
While there are some single-use items available that are compostable and biodegradable, most single-use items are now. For this reason, it can be incredibly helpful to help your kids learn that the convenience of single-use items usually isn’t worth it and that they should be investing more of their time and your family’s money into avoiding single-use items as much as you can.
To do this, start now by refusing to buy anything that’s a single-use item or using single-use items when you’re outside of your home. Teach your child to use kitchen towels rather than paper towels, cloth napkins rather than paper napkins, metal straws rather than plastic drinking straws, and glass food containers rather than plastic zippered bags. As you get them used to reusable items like this at a young age, it will become second nature.
Think Before Pouring Water Down The Sink
Something else that you can teach your children to help them be more environmentally friendly is to think about how they’re using water in and around the home.
One thing you can try is, before your kids pour water down the sink or let water from the tap just run down the drain, have them stop and think about how that water could be put to use first. This might include doing things like watering the plants, wiping down a surface, and more. But the more they’re able to stop and think before taking action, the better their actions will become.
Be Careful With How You Use Your Car
Because many people do have their own vehicles, it’s important to teach your kids about how to use a vehicle in the most environmentally friendly way.
A few ways that you can do this is by not using your vehicle when you don’t have to. If something is within walking distance, walk or ride bikes to get your family there. And when you do need to drive somewhere, make it a point not to idle and share with your kids why you don’t want to needlessly idle your vehicle.
If you want your kids to be more aware of their impact on the environment from a young age, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how this can be done.
