Today, there is a need for people to be passionate about the environment. Understanding the basics of a green environment and being environmental friendly is a great way to take care of your surroundings. And childhood is the best time to start this. With the growing population and resources burning at an alarming rate, the earth is suffering the consequences. Schools feel it’s important we pass these concerns on to our children, as they will be the ones inheriting the damage that we are causing. Therefore, teaching environmentally sound habits will make them aware of the good and bad about the environment.
Here are few eco-friendly ideas that schools inculcate in children in early years:
Reduce: have less
Teachers at schools talk to children about simple things like turning off lights while leaving the room, using fewer napkins, less water and electricity.
Reuse: using it more than once
Ask children to share toys, clothes and other products when the family is done with them. These things can be reused and accept “gently loved” products for your family’s use. We outgrow so many things so quickly, but these items are likely still a perfect fit for others. Ask kids to wear the same clothes more than once (if not extremely dirty) to save water and electricity on washing.
Recycle: convert them to something else
Teachers see if the child is able to identify the trash which is suitable to recycle. Picking up other people’s trash motivates children and gives them a sense of responsibility. Then, they are more willing to correct it among their friends and peers.
Teachers explain processes how different wastes can be recycled. Food waste makes great compost; bottles are recycled to make vases and so on. Recycling processes are so amazing that recycled plastic can even be used to create fabric.
How parents can teach children to be green?
Ask children to help you pick up litter during outdoor activities and make sure you give plenty of opportunities to interact with nature. Taking your kids to a park, zoo or playground, close to nature, can have a tremendous impact. Starting such habits at a young age will form inclination towards keeping the earth clean and protect it.
Whenever you buy something, talk to children about them, for example, avoiding excessive packaging or how disposable items create too much trash and how this trash affects the environment. You must make them understand that buying quality products that last longer is better than buying cheap products that need to be replaced quickly.
Teachable Moments
Use everyday moments to talk to your kids about being eco-friendly citizens and creating habits now that will be with them for life. We continuously hear about conservation and environmental protection in the news. And most of us have already done some things to teach our kids about “being eco-friendly”. Caring for our planet and making it a better place are ideas that are close to the hearts here at schools. Parents and teachers are the role models of children. They learn from you and try to do what you do. So
Walk when you don’t have to drive.
Avoid bike to close destinations.
Teach your children about gasoline, where it comes from, how much it costs and how it pollutes our environment.
Buy environmental-friendly dish soap and detergent.
Patronize businesses that demonstrate they care about the environment.
Buy from local markets that don’t ship in food on polluting trucks.
Therefore, it is very important to talk about the environment and the consequences it faces from mankind.