Kids and sustainable practices: the power of small steps!

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Sustainability For Kids.

In a busy and complex world, where everything moves so fast, we need people to care about the one, and only, thing we all have in common – Planet Earth.

Twenty years ago, sustainability sounded a bit out of the box. Brands and people working on sustainable options were seen as innovative and for sure disruptive, but maybe not all of us were ready for this concept back then.

Progressively, sustainability became important, and more brands were adopting sustainable practices, until couple of years ago, when a sudden change happened and now, everyone is crazy about sustainability. It moved from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have’ in front of the consumer’s eyes.

Is it that easy to live sustainably?

The ‘black & white’ answer is no!

It is not easy, simply because we are so immersed in a fast-moving world, where we don’t have time, where things need to be simple and where time is extremely valuable.  So, the success to shift towards sustainable living lies on small changes, one at a time.

The importance to invest in future generations.

It is very true that experts and many people are trying hard to overcome the existing damages that the environment has suffered for long time, but young kids will be the generation who will sustain the future on this planet.

Education is essential for kids to be more conscious about our natural resources, water, energy consumption, care about all living forms and incorporate sustainable practices in their lives; otherwise, all the efforts done today, will be lost tomorrow.

The role of parents towards sustainable living.

Kids will follow parent’s behaviours, so habits at home will determine how children will act and react to sustainable practices. This means that we need to be a role model, not only for our kids but also for others. We cannot forget that our kids are watching over us all the time.  Though, to start the transition towards sustainable living, we need to believe that our actions will truly make a difference, even if they are small.

Educating your kids on how to include sustainable practices into their day-to-day activities is something parents should embrace as part of their values, because we’ll be teaching our kids how to take care of our home.

One step at a time!

Changes don’t happen overnight, but simple and small actions are more impactful. So, start by picking one simple thing you know can be done in a consistent manner and when it becomes a habit, progressively incorporate other practices you’ll be committed to.

Simple actions you can start with.

Yes, you can make the change now!

Here some tips that can help you to start the journey. Pick one or two actions from this list and do it in a consistent way:

• Prepare plastic free lunch boxes: use reusable containers and bottles.
• Avoid pre-packaged snacks wrapped in single-use plastic, eat fruit and veggies, have an ice cream from a cone instead of a plastic tub.
• Buy food in bulk and use small reusable containers for single portions.
• Encourage your kids to pick up rubbish whenever they go to parks, beaches, or anywhere outside home.
• Be kind and respect nature and animals.
• Donate pre-loved toys and clothing to kids in need.
• Recycle!!! – it is ok to use plastics but dispose of them properly and learn what can and cannot be recycled. The World Behind Recycling is here to help you with that!

Do you want to learn more about recycling?

Early learning on how to recycle is important to help divert waste from landfill. The World Behind Recycling is the first Australian educational book targeting kids, with the purpose to educate and increase engagement on recycling activities.  It explains all about recyclability, recyclable materials, and the process behind recycling and answers all the hard questions in a simple and non-prefect way. For more information, visit www.sustainabilityforkids.com.au.

What are we committed to?

The answer is yours; we decide what contribution we want to make to our future generations. Start simple, so the change is sustainable. It sounds cliché, but the future of this planet is in our hands and the actions we take now.

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.