Five simple ways to raise environmentally aware children

By Contributing Author

It is natural for parents to wonder what the future of their children would look like. You probably think of the kind of person they will turn out to be, the colleges they will attend, and the careers they will take up. But, have you ever wondered about the kind of environment they will inherit, given how rampantly the many bounties of Mother Nature are being abused at present? The children are the citizens of tomorrow, and thus, it is important to make them understand the importance of protecting the environment and preserving the natural resources from an early age. And, here are a few ways for you to do that effectively.

Help them in having their own garden

You can give your children a small plot in front of your house or on the balcony where they can plant the seeds that they want. Even if you don’t have enough space in your house for gardening, you can always get them a few pots where they can continue their hobby of gardening, and thus, develop a love and respect for plant life.

Teach them ways to reduce wastes

With the pollution levels rising by the day and the landfills overflowing, recycling and reusing are the needs of the hour. You can encourage your children to come to the aid of Mother Earth by doing their bid in reducing wastes. You can teach them simple things like donating old clothes and books, making composts from vegetable peels, using both sides of papers, and so on.

Let them understand the need for energy conservation

When it comes to teaching children about energy conservation, you will have to lead from the front. Start by reducing the use of Geysers and ACs and children will follow your lead. Switch off the lights and fans before leaving a room and teach children to do the same. You need to tell the implications of wasting energy on Mother Earth, and they will surely understand.

Tell them about the impending water crisis situation

Water is getting contaminated beyond recovery at every single hour, and the changing cycles of rainfall along with that has been leading the planet to a water crisis situation. It is important to conserve freshwater resources. So, teach your children to turn off the taps when not in use, and never to wastewater.

Inform them about the implications of using plastic

A staggering amount of plastics, being non-biodegradable, are already choking the seas and oceans. So, teach children why they should say no to plastics, and show them how you always carry paper bags or cloth bags to bring home grocery. Even the use of plastic cups and plates in the house needs to be stopped.

It is important to keep in mind that children learn the best when you show them by your own example. So, as you make the environmentally sound choices, your children will see and learn, and soon follow them.