Raising Eco-Friendly Kids

photo credit: Emery_Way

The store shelves are bursting with products that claim to make day to day life convenient for busy parents. Disposable plates, cups, lunch trays and even bibs make it easy to throw things away and never think about it again. If we think about our impact on the earth we know that we can’t have this disposable mindset. We also want to set a good example and encourage our kids to be mindful of their impact on our planet. While the deck may appear to be stacked against us, raising green children in this consumer wonderland is possible, and it starts with decisions we make every day in our homes. Here are some [tag-tec]eco-friendly tips[/tag-tec].
[ad#ad-2] Recycling

One of the easiest ways to teach kids about being good stewards of the earth is to have them play an active role in recycling. Children need to know why recycling is needed and how we can easily overwhelm our planet with garbage if we don’t recycle whenever possible. Provide small tubs or cans for your kids and label accordingly: glass, cardboard, paperboard, aluminum cans, tin cans, etc. Make it part of their regular chores to sort the items to be recycled and take them out to be picked up by the city. If you do not have city pickup you can make special trips to the nearest recycling facility and as a bonus they may get to see the recycling process in action.

Also, be sure to buy post consumer recycled products whenever possible. Even your child’s toothbrush can be bought from a company that used recycled materials. Preserve is a company that makes toothbrushes from recycled yogurt cups for example.

Second Hand Clothing and Toys

Buying used clothing and toys is one of the best ways to buy recycled materials, as second hand items have just been recycled by their previous owners so that someone else can use them and give them a new life. Instead of buying new clothes and toys why not save money and planetary resources by shopping for previously loved items?

Second hand clothing has passed the quality test if it’s lasted through one child. On the other hand, have you ever purchased a clothing item brand new that fell apart in the wash? If your kids ask why you don’t buy new just tell them that you are all doing your part to help reduce stress on the Earth. Freecyle.org is a great program available in many US and Canadian cities that allows members to give away or receive recycled items, all for free. Local thrift and consignment shops are great resources too.

Don’t forget to hand down your child’s used clothing and other gear to friends, family or the places mentioned above. Even used books can be kept out of the landfills with services like Cash4Books.

Conserve

Teach kids from an early age that conserving resources such as energy and water is important. Have them help you build a cistern or a rain water collection system so that you can capture rainfall and to use during droughts or for watering indoor plants. It can be game for them to monitor how fast the water accumulates. Teach them to “never let the water run” while brushing teeth.

Stress the importance of turning off all lights and electrical appliances when not in use. Plug TVs, DVD units, CD players, video game systems, and other electronics into one power strip and have them turn it off after each use. You can make small reminder signs place them near exit ways or on remote controls to help kids remember to do this.

When the weather is permitting have your children help you hang clothes outside on a clothes line to dry. You use sun power and conserve energy in the process. Think about other ways that you can use alternative energy in your home too.

All of these small steps can make a big impact. Of course the biggest impact might be on our children as we teach them that living in harmony with out planet and keeping it beautiful is important.

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