Kids go GREEN!
How can your kids make contributions to go green?
You can involve your kids in reducing energy consumption, making efforts to reuse and recycle in your home and help them to establish habits that will be carried throughout their lives.
- Making it a Game
Kids like to play games especially if there are prizes and incentives. Making recycling easy for kids can be presented as game. Make a chart with your kids names and post it near the recycling bin. Each time kids recycle they get a point and mark it on the chart. At the end of the week the person who gets the most points wins and gets a prize. Kids would look for things to recycle.
- Teaching kids to turn off the water
Kids like to leave the water running while brushing their teeth. To show them how much water is wasted while they are brushing teeth take a bowl and visualize how much water will be trapped in the bowl during the process. This will help kids see how much water is wasted and will help them to reduce water consumption. Same goes for taking shorter showers and not filling the bath fully.
- Care of Shoes and Clothes
Kids cannot keep their clothes clean for long. Teaching kids to change to their play or home clothes after school will keep school clothes in better condition and reduce your need to wash after each wear. As for shoes wear and tear it is normal but check out shoe recycling programs ex Nike where they convert shoes into basketball courts.
- Less Computer More Activities
Kids spend a lot of time on the computers, game systems and TVs which uses a lot of energy. Suggest to your kids playing outside with friends or reading instead of sitting in front of the computer. Do not forget to turn on all electronics completely while your kids are occupied playing with their friends outside to prevent any power drain.
- Walking instead of driving to school
If your kids school is not far, try walking, biking to school or have your kids take a scooter or a skateboard. This will give a great exercise to your kids, help you save money on gas and reduce carbon emissions. Your kids will feel great and be more energetic when they get to school and you save money and help the environment.
The best way for kids to learn to save energy and be environmentally friendly starts with you in your home. Nobody can teach kids better than parents.
