How to Teach Children the Importance of Going Green at Home

When it comes to protecting our planet, the job is going to last far beyond our lifetimes so our children will need to be taught from an early age to carry on the fight. When you consider the overall consumption of energy in terms of utility costs as well as the amount of waste that is generated by each person, a child will need to understand the importance of going green such as recycling, reusing materials as well as energy conservation.

Considering how much waste is produced on an annual basis, recycling and reusing products is of paramount importance when it comes to preserving space in landfills. It will not be long before the designated landfills are full and there will be hard choices as to where the trash will go. So, by educating children today, they can help preserve our planet for tomorrow.

Five Ways to Go Green

Here are five simple lessons you can teach your kids and help protect the environment as well. Each of these tasks are simple to do and will help engrain your children to the environmental dangers that face our nation.

Recycling: This is a simple one where you can teach your children the value of recycling in your home. You can have them recycle water bottles and plastic bags for other uses, create recycling bins for the appropriate materials and even hold contests where all the children who reach a pre-set goal of recycling will receive a reward.

Water Conservation: This may be one of the more difficult lessons as children as well as adults love to play in the water. However, you can start by having all of your children start taking showers when they have reached the appropriate age over baths, set time limits on how long they can run the shower and even to stop running the water while at the sink, such as when they are brushing their teeth.

Reusing Items: Here, you child can learn the value of how resources can be reused by donating their old clothing and toys to non-profit organizations that will give them out to need children. Plus, they can purchase items from second-hand stores so they can benefit from the process as well.

Conserve Energy: One of the best and most fun ways your children will enjoy saving energy in the home is shutting off the computers and video games to engage in a family game night or perhaps a trip to the park if the weather cooperates. Even cooking out in the backyard while they play will save electricity and show them that there are fun things that do not involve an energy-consuming device.

Community Service: When you children are a little older, they can participate in community activities to help clean up parks or streets which will teach them the value of working together. This is also a great way to get outside as well which is more time away from the computer and video games.

Your kids will learn more about the environment and how to take care of our planet thanks to the little things that you can teach them about reusing, recycling and energy conservation.