As a parent, we always want what’s best for our children. From schools to toys, from clothes to even friends, we tend to get picky when it comes to our offspring. And now, in a time like this, when the air quality is deteriorating, water resources are depleting and the environment is taking a hit, we need to get pickier. Guide your children on the path of living a sustainable lifestyle by being a true inspiration.
Sustainable living is the need of the hour. It simply translates to living a simpler life. Conserving water, reducing and recycling plastic, conscious and healthy eating are some ways to achieve this. Children are the future, they need to not just learn, but also practice a sustainable lifestyle. And where better to begin than at home? Here are a few simple ways to lead a more eco-friendly parenting approach:
- Children can be careless. They tend to lose, forget or even break bottles or containers. Instead of buying a plastic container, next time pick up steel. It’s the most efficient material in terms of durability, hygiene and even sustainability. Go a step further and carry your cutlery. Spoons, forks and even straws made out of steel are a better choice than going for disposable ones.
- Be a minimalist when it comes to sartorial choices. You are your child’s first role model. Recycling old clothes, reusing expensive ones, repeating your favourites, they are all a medium of living a more sustainable lifestyle. Especially when it comes to children’s clothing, you need to be more efficient. Buying just what’s required, donating old clothes, using seconds, these are things you can do once every six months.
- Organic eating is another habit that one must adopt. Eating healthy, nutritious and fresh food is a must for every child. Directly from farm to table is the approach one must try and follow. Anything that comes out a packet, frozen foods, ready-to-eat meals, chips and the like, are harmful to health and also, the packaging is harmful for the earth. Zero waste cooking is a trend that is on the rise. Using all parts of the fruit or vegetable is a great way to reduce wastage.
- The level of contamination in the air that we breathe has reached a hazardous level. In such a case, indoor and outdoor plants come to the rescue. Teach your kids the importance of conserving and planting trees. Air purifying plants like spider plant, peace lily, money plant, ferns and such, are easy to maintain too. You are improving the air quality inside your home and teaching your kids a lesson on the importance of plants.
- Conservation and judicious use of water has become a necessity today. You cannot afford to waste even a drop of water. What you can do is recycle water too. The water you use to clean fruits and vegetables can be reused to water the plants. Getting a pipe connected from your wash basin to the flush tank will ensure that all the water used to wash hands is then reused during a flush. Simple ideas like these will help make the future a better place to live.
- Educate your kids on waste segregation. Assign separate bins for plastic, glass, paper and kitchen waste. Make them understand what goes where and also why it is important to be kept separate. How plastic and paper can be recycled, and how kitchen waste can be used to make compost are very essential life lessons.
6 simple things for your kids to do:
- Sunlight instead of light bulbs or tube lights in the morning.
- Spending time outdoors at a park or a ground, playing sports.
- Growing vegetables at home.
- Upcycling old clothes to make dish cloth or dusters, bottles to make lanterns, etc.
- Collecting and harvesting rain water.
- Activities like taking a walk or cycling together.
