5 Eco-Friendly Habits to Teach Your Little Ones
Do you wish your family lived more environmentally conscious, but don’t know where to begin? We think WWF’s Earth Hour is a great time to start!
Earth Hour is a worldwide movement hosted by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) to take a stand against climate change. Their message is simple but powerful: to join the movement, just turn off all lights and electronics for an hour, from 8.30pm on Saturday, 30 March 2019.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to educate our little ones and instil eco-friendly habits in our children. We recommend turning Earth Hour into an event for the whole family, by planning activities and games, and even having a countdown! Together, we can teach our kids to respect and protect our environment during Earth Hour, but let’s make sure our efforts don’t stop when the lights come back on.
From turning off taps to planting your own veggies, there are plenty of ways to not only not only save money and support the environment; but also foster positive habits into our next generation of eco-warriors.
Start incorporating these 5 simple and eco-friendly ideas into your family’s routine:
1. Save more water
Water is a precious resource and shouldn’t be wasted. It’s a good idea to teach your little ones about where water comes from, and why it’s important to make an active effort to reduce water waste and avoid it drying up altogether.
Next, show your family you’re serious about saving water by not turning off the tap while brushing their teeth, run short showers and shallow baths, and only start the dishwasher and washing machine once they’re completely filled. Turn saving water into a fun activity by asking the kids to help turn off the taps or help stack the dishwasher to the brim!
2. Turn your thumbs green
Planting a veggie garden is a great way to educate kids on where food comes from, while helping them develop an understanding of food production. Kids are also more likely to eat the vibrant fruits and veggies they grow themselves, which is a win for parents trying to fuel growing bodies and reduce their household waste. And just think of all the supermarket packaging you’ll save too!
Some of the best childhood memories are made outdoors in the garden, so take a trip down to your local garden nursery and ask them how you can start growing your veggie patch today!
3. Turn scraps into soil
Our rubbish doesn’t just pollute the land and water, but also releases harmful toxins into the air we breathe! When we compost, we can take steps to reduce the impact of our garden and kitchen waste. Admittedly, starting and running a compost pit or worm farm at home takes research, time and effort but the benefits for the environment, your family and even your garden make it worthwhile!
Get your gang involved in composting by having them help fill the compost bins with scraps and once decomposed, have them scatter the nutrient-dense compost soil in your garden.
4. Reusable, not disposable
Quite simply, to reuse means to use the products you have again and again, instead of disposing of them and buying new things. When you reuse and value your possessions, it shows your family you’re committed to producing less rubbish for landfill, which helps preserve and protect the environment.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Mend your clothing or upcycle adult clothes into mini ones!
- Purchase reusable kitchenware instead of plastic cups, plates, utensils and food pouches
- Bring along refillable cups and bottles with you, rather than purchasing single-use vessels
- Make kids’ craft projects from empty boxes and packaging
5. Plug off and power down
To save energy and reduce your family’s electricity bill, get into the habit of turning off lights and the TV when they’re not in use, power down computers, use the clothesline over the tumble dryer, and resist standing in front of the fridge with the door open.
There are plenty of creative ways you can make conserving energy fun! How about a candlelit dinner once in a while? Go outside instead of playing computer games and watching TV or get your youngsters to help hang out the clothes – even if that means they mill around your feet while you do the work!
Leading by example and teaching your little ones eco-friendly habits now will encourage them to think about how their individual actions make a positive difference to the world we live in. Living green will also result in spending more time outdoors, talking more, creating purpose and living in the moment. It’s a win all round!
What activities have you planned for Earth Hour?