Becoming a more environmentally-conscious society starts in our own households.
Yep! It’s true. Although it’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to find ways to inspire the next generation, once you realize the next generation is literally sitting right in your living room, it’s easier to find a place to start!
If you want your family to foster a lifelong compassion for the environment, try promoting these fun and easy lifestyle changes!
Craft Smart
Stimulate your kid’s creativity by challenging them to reuse their supplies during arts and crafts time! Some fun tips to start them off with would be to re-use piled up projects to create a new collage and to always use both sides of a canvas! What else can your kiddos come up with?
Reduce Purchases
It’s good to teach them young the value of the thought – “Do I really need this?” When we teach ourselves, our children and encourage our significant others to think before we buy, as a household, we end up with less clutter and waste!
Shop Mindfully
Another question we can ask ourselves when buying something new is: “How did the production of this product impact the environment and what further impacts will there be with the disposal of it?” The effects a product has on Earth aren’t limited to the time your family uses it. Consider the before and after lifetime of merchandise before adding it to your cart.
Avoid Single-Use Plastics
Avoiding single-use plastic items both in the household and on the go is critical because of their toxic load and exceptionally long life. Encourage your little ones to help you get creative in swapping out single-use for sustainable alternatives! When making the switch, start with food and beverage containers, cups, plates, straws, writing pens, razors, diapers, towels, shopping bags, and of course, toothbrushes!
Sharing Is Caring
It’s time to bring back the good ‘ol cup of sugar method. If you truly only need something temporarily, go with your kids to ask a friend or neighbor to loan it to you. Not only does this stop you from buying that jigsaw you’re only going to use once (even though you tell yourself you may just decide to take up woodworking someday) but it builds a relationship with families in the area and strengthens community!
BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag.
If you only buy a few items, it’s best to skip the bag altogether and have the crew grab an item each on the way to the car.
For the days when you’re stocking up, bring your own eco-friendly bags to limit unnecessary plastic waste. Pro tip: Does your son or daughter love a certain animal, movie character or sport? Getting them their own bag with their favorite Marvel superhero or simply a bag that is their favorite color may just make them feel more excited to be involved in the process!
Lights Out
Encourage family members to get in the habit of turning off lights when they leave a room. Make it a game! If someone forgets to turn the lights out, they have to do whatever their brother or sister tells them to do for the day. In the case that you or your spouse are at fault, your kids are the boss!
Take Shorter Showers!
Taking a shower is already a great alternative to a bath. After all, taking a bath can use as much as 80 liters of water and taking a shower instead can save around ten liters of water. One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after lathering up, then turning it back on to rinse. Another fun way to limit shower time is to challenge your family members to play their favorite songs and limit their showers to two epic karaoke sessions. Who doesn’t look forward to a shower dance party?!
If you have any epic tips of your own for promoting eco habits in the household, let us know in the comments!
