7 steps to teach sustainability to your kids

Children are smarter than we think. Similarly, they are sharper than we deem them to be. To teach the future generation what is good and what is bad, we must incorporate practical experience in their lives. By doing a particular task or activity, children tend to retain and understand more than just telling them about it.

Climate change and global warming are threatening issue to our humanity. And we are doing our bit by trying to reverse the damage done or change the mindset of our previous generations. However, it is never too early to teach your kids the value and power of nature, sustainability, and co-existence.

Here are 7 easy yet effective tips that will teach kids how to incorporate sustainability into their daily lives.

1. Recycle- The easiest and basic step towards teaching recycling to kids is how to differentiate between things that can be recycled and which cannot. There are numerous activities and games related to recycling designed to teach children about the process and its value.
2. Reduce- Use a cloth, reduce paper towels. The kids should be slowly but surely taught household chores or at least a part of it. Teaching kids to avoid bottled water or Styrofoam is a good way to conserve energy and electricity like switching off fans and lights when not in use.
3. Reuse- Wastes are lying around your house, which can end up being used in a Do-it-yourself project! The DIY projects are a hit now, especially in such tiring times. While the waste gets reused, the kids have a fun time creating something new. Some of the popular DIY projects are — Mason jar snow globes, Milk Carton bird box, and Paper Roll Dragon.
4. Say no to plastic bags, and yes to totes- The majority of people primarily use plastic bags for vegetable and grocery purposes. All these bags are one-time-use bags, so it is better to carry tote bags from home itself. The plus points are that tote bags are trendy in nature and are not only limited to grocery shopping; it can be used for various other purposes too.
5. Mini garden for and by kids- Miniature gardens are a perfect way to engage kids with nature and be outdoors. Such gardens give kids a sense of responsibility and ownership. This activity can also lead to making your own veggie or kitchen gardens at a later stage — a way of self-reliance and organic way of life.
6. Impact of lifestyle- It is good to teach our kids to prefer eco-friendly clothes over conventional clothing. Why choose eco-friendly apparel? The biggest reason is the reduction of toxic waste in the environment.
7. Lead by example-Just telling them that we should live a sustainable lifestyle is not good enough. The trick to success is to do what you preach and want them to follow. Seeing their parents be aware and do their part of making the world a better place is always an encouragement kid would want.

Interning with Green Canvas