How to Raise an Eco-Conscious Kid

As parents, it’s your responsibility to teach your kids values. Parents teach children how to respect others, be grateful, and appreciate what they have. But, one thing that is often forgotten is teaching kids how to live sustainably and protect the environment.

Why is this important? Kids will inherit the Earth from their parents one day, so how they treat it now will greatly impact it’s future condition. If you can teach kids how to live sustainably at a young age, they will carry these green habits into their adulthoods and lessen the damage they do to the fragile environment. How can it be done? Follow these tips to make your kids more eco-conscious:

Explain its importance.

Kids won’t jump into a green lifestyle without some sort of explanation about why its so important, so take the time to explain it to them. When you see something on the news about global warming, talk to your kids about the dangers of this phenomenon and what it means for their future. Make sure you end every conversation on a positive note—after all, they’re only kids—by explaining how they can help right now by becoming more eco-conscious.

Recycling.

One of the easiest ways for kids to practice greener habits is to begin recycling. Teach your kids how to separate recyclables and non-recyclables and then put a bin in each of their rooms. Check their bins at the end of each week or month to make sure all the items are recyclable and reward them for recycling with a night off from chores or a trip to the zoo.

Remember to reuse.

After you get kids involved in recycling, show them that this is not the only way to reuse things you no longer need. Parents should teach their children that reusing items can limit the amount of waste produced, which will benefit the environment. Show kids the old clothes they no longer fit into can be donated to local charities instead of thrown in the garbage. Buy reusable water bottles so kids can see there’s no need to use countless plastic bottles throughout the day. When you go grocery shopping, fill up reusable bags instead of disposable paper or plastic ones. The more kids understand the importance of reusable materials, the better off the Earth will be.

Teach kids how to choose green products.

One day, your kids will be shopping for products on their own, so make sure you have taught them how to look for the greenest option available. Kids should learn to always look for products made from recycled materials instead of harmful ones. For example, parents should show kids how choosing the WooBamboo Kid’s Toothbrush, which is made from biodegradable bamboo, is much greener than buying a standard plastic toothbrush. Small decisions like these make a big difference when it comes to saving our environment.

Replace light bulbs.

Teaching your children to be more eco-conscious is all about emphasizing how easy it can be to live a green life. Show your children how the simple act of replacing burnt out light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs can save a ton of money and help the environment, too. If your kids are old enough to handle bulbs on their own, put them in charge of changing out bulbs to energy efficient styles as the old ones burn out. Kids love having this type of responsibility, and it will get them in the habit of paying attention to how much energy they use.

Going green may seem like a tough topic to talk about with your kids, but it doesn’t have to be. These kid-friendly tips will make it much easier for parents to instill eco-conscious habits in their little ones!

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