Tips for raising the next generation of eco-warriors
JOBURG – Remember that you are your child's first teacher, so let's begin by encouraging them to become an eco-warrior.
As a parent, undoubtedly you often find yourself thinking about your children’s future.
You ask questions such as what schools they will go to, the type of character they will have and will they become a sports star or possibly even a doctor?
Truth be told the questions you ask yourself are endless, but while we are thinking about their future, how many of us actually think about the current state of global warming and effect that this will have on our children’s future, and what we can do today, that will better their tomorrow?
If anything, what this shows us as parents is that we can no longer afford to bury our heads in the sand, and pretend that global warming is someone else’s responsibility because the reality is that it’s not.
But where do you start?
Interwaste has provided a few tips on how you can make recycling fun for your kids:
Think twice before throwing away left over food
If your child, like most, is defiant and refuses to have that last bit of dinner, instead of throwing it all away, show them which food items can be used as a fertilizer in your garden. By doing so, you are reducing the amount of food waste that your family generates, which means that less rubbish piles up at landfills and of course, your children learn not to waste food which can be used in other ways.
Get them involved in using waste to change someone’s life
There are initiatives that you can get your children’s school signed up for that encourage recycling for a good cause. Getting your child’s school signed up is a fun way to teach them about preserving the environment, the value of teamwork and bringing a level of consciousness to community involvement, through aiding those who require assistance.
Set up different waste bins in the house
Contact your municipality to find out what recycling programmes they have in place, and what days the recycling is collected. Once you have this information, set up a recycling station in the house by having different bins for the various types of waste that can be recycled.
Turn your waste into craft
If your children enjoy crafts, get them to identify waste items that they can repurpose and turn into their very own masterpieces. This can be anything from ice cream tubs to coffee bottles or even tins. This will hopefully encourage them to use their imaginations and create works of art that can be displayed on your walls.
Remember that you are your child’s first teacher, so let’s begin by encouraging them to become an eco-warrior, a warrior that can make a positive contribution towards environmental preservation for the future of the planet – their planet.
