You drive your kid to school every morning, pack his lunch in a nice little plastic bag and let him play in the shower for hours on end. But have you ever stopped to think that these seemingly harmless acts are making the world a little less habitable for your child in the long run?
Just a few tweaks in our lifestyle can make a huge difference in saving our planet. Here's how you can teach your child to be earth-friendly.
Ride the bus
As much as you enjoy that early morning drive to school with your son, it's not a very eco-friendly option. Why not try the school bus or get the parents in your neighbourhood together and organise a car pool? You save time and money and you'll be doing your part to save the earth!
Say no to plastics!
Sure plastic bags come free but the after effects cost more than we'll ever know. Spend that extra Rs25 and get your child a cloth lunch bag. They're reusable and good for the environment. P.S. Carry your cloth bag when you go grocery shopping too.
Be paper savvy
Did you now that about four million trees are cut down every year for paper? Reduce your contribution to that by encouraging your child to use both sides of the paper in his notepads or sketchbooks. Don't buy a book unless you absolutely need it!
Save power
Ever noticed that while watching her favourite cartoon, your child quickly gets distracted and starts to do something else (say play with her doll house)? Instead of switching of the TV for her, ask her to do it. It will make her aware that she needs to save electricity too.
Don't discard. Reuse!
Recycling at home can be fun. You could set aside time every week to make interesting objects with your child from waste material. A piggy bank from a plastic bottle, a paper-mache storage tub or a cloth wall hanging will show him how he can reuse things instead of discarding them.
Conserve water
Don't allow your child to run the shower for too long or leaving the tap open while brushing his teeth. Instead, pre-fill up a bucket of water for his bath and give him a mug of water he can use to brush his teeth. It's a great way to teach him that water is precious.
Love nature
Think your little one isn't eco-conscious enough? Spending a day outdoors can help change that. Plant a seedling and watch it grow. While you are at it, you can also throw in a little lesson in composting ie put vegetable peels and fruit skins etc into a compost bin in your compound and watch it turn into manure after a few days!
Recycle junk
Don't chuck your newspapers in the trash. Sell them to the junk dealer (raddiwalla) and ensure that they get recycled. If you give the money to your child as extra allowance, he'll love this eco-friendly habit :)
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