SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Raising eco-conscious kids is more than just a trend; it’s a commitment to a sustainable future. As a parent, your influence is key in shaping your household norms and influencing your child’s values. Incorporating sustainability into daily life, from reducing waste to choosing eco-friendly products, can instill values that last a lifetime. By teaching children the importance of conservation, recycling, and responsible consumption, we empower them to become responsible global citizens who care for our environment.
Margo, Naomi, and Abigail Archer are growing up far too fast!
Their mom Lillian prioritizes healthy eating and an eco-conscious lifestyle.
Abigail made a sign for a protest in preschool that stated, “Eat All Your Food.” As for her sister Margo?
“We walk to school; we ride our electric bike and drive in our electric car if we absolutely have to,” she explained.
They call it “car last.” The girls know how fossil fuels are fueling climate change.
“The sun getting hotter, greenhouse gases,” Naomi told Ivanhoe.
“Everything I do in life is like for the future of my children,” explained Lillian.
Statistics show that children who grow up with parents who are environmentally aware are more likely to adopt eco-friendly habits as adults.
“Ideally there’s an opportunity to include any young person in having agency in making decisions for the world around them,” said University of New Haven environmental psychologist Bryce DuBois, PhD.
He says it’s never too early to create household sustainability norms.
“In what way does something that you’re making a decision about is that able to be sustained?” Prof. DuBois asked.
“I like to think like act local, think global,” said Lillian.
Other ways to engage in pro-environmental behaviors at home — choose nontoxic products that are safe for the environment and minimize the amount of waste your household produces. The average American family creates 18 pounds of trash each day.
“I collect like all the cardboard and miscellaneous bottle caps and stuff and donate it to my kids’ school. And they use it for art projects,” explained Lillian.
And communicate with your kids about your choices.
“As a family I like to make sure the children know what kind of intentional decisions, we make as a family,” Lillian said.
Also, sign up for monthly newsletters for your children that are focused on the environment. You can find dozens online, including http://www.greenkidsclub.com/. And check out websites like https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/ and https://www.itsourplanettoo.co.uk/.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Executive Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; Joe Alexander, Videographer; and Bob Walko, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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Sources:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.008
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.09.005
https://www.dumpsters.com/blog/us-trash-production
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at [email protected]