Global warming, polluted bodies of water, and poor air quality have convinced many people to lessen their carbon footprint and to become better stewards of the environment.
If you as a parent want to do your part be more environmentally responsible and would like to get the whole family involved, you have to be creative. Fortunately, it’s not all that hard for parents to get their children interested in, and possibly even excited about, living a green lifestyle. So, consider these creative ways to get your kids involved in the green movement.
Recycle & Reuse
While recycling might not seem like a creative way to get your kids to start thinking green, it can be with the right tweak. Consider getting the entire family to go through their stuff to find things that they either should throw away or give away. After you and your kids have tossed out the junk, head over to your neighborhood thrift shop to drop off the useable stuff that you don’t need or want. And in the interests of reusing, allow your kids to pick up one or two things that they want from the thrift shop. Recycling used stuff and reusing used things will put an interesting spin on recycling and reusing, which will encourage your kids to embrace the green movement.
Develop a Garden
So, you want to get your kids to think green? Consider developing their green thumbs. Kids usually like to roll up their sleeves and play around in the dirt, and those things are very much acceptable as it relates to developing and maintaining a garden. When your kids help with all aspects of the process, reap the bounties of their hard work, and learn about the importance of having fresh produce, they will come to see how critical it is to maintain a healthy environment conducive to growing a bountiful garden.
Conserve Water
When it comes to getting your kids involved in the green movement, one critical area involves water conservation. Cutting down on the amount of water you use to water the lawn, wash the car, or do other things can make a difference when it comes to your water bill at the end of the month. Practical things that your kids can help with to reduce water consumption in your home include, but are not limited to, running full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. While your washing machine and dishwasher will use less water to wash clothes and dishes than you would use if you were to wash the dishes and clothes manually, you'll negate whatever benefits you might otherwise have received if you run your washing machine and dishwasher at less than full loads. So, teach your kids to conserve water by only washing full loads. You can also lessen water consumption by teaching your kids not to linger too long in the shower. Even reducing the amount of time they shower by a minute or two each, can and will have a positive effect over time. Another water-conservation strategy that your kids can use is to water the lawn for longer periods while only doing so once or twice a week rather than daily or every other day. So, while it might seem strange to allow the hose to run for a longer period of time, the benefit will come when you end up doing this much less frequently. How can your kids know when they've watered the lawn enough? They can place an empty cat foot can or a dish that is one inch deep onto the lawn. When the dish is full of water, they’ll know that they’ve watered enough.
These creative ways to get your kids involved in the green movement, along with some encouragement and positive reinforcement on your part, will eventually have your kids committed to living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Be sure to work together as a family and be consistent so that your children eventually come to see green living as the norm.
