"Our children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." I’ll never forget these lyrics, and the more work I do in the green sector, the more powerful they become to me. Many of us are making changes as adults to have less impact on the earth and live healthier lives. But it is not always easy, especially when it requires making changes in our daily behavior when we are already used to do things a certain way.
What if you grew up being conscious of how your daily actions impact the earth? What if recycling and unplugging your electronics every day was as much a ritual as brushing your teeth? Most of us did not grow up living green because our parents didn’t know the impact our daily lives have on the quality of our air and water and how many resources are consumed to support our lives. We didn’t know that using bleach and other cleaning products were harmful to our health and the environment. We weren’t taught to think about the life cycle of a product – what something is made from, how it is made, how it is used, and how it is disposed.
But things are different today. Living green is not just a trend or luxury. Living green is living smart, for people and the planet. It saves money, keeps us healthy, improves quality of life, and helps preserve resources for current and future generations. The future generations – our children – are learning about living green as early as preschool now. Educators all over the country are embracing eco-education, including Brooksfield. But we can’t put all the responsibility on our teachers.
The Zero Footprint Kids website has some great ideas for eco-educating your children. Many of the footprint calculators are based on practices that your younger children may not by engaged in yet (cell phones and video games for example), but the more you know, the more you can educate your children as their own lifestyles and behaviors change.
Areas they focus on include:
Educating your children about green living will ensure healthier a healthier people and planet for their children, and children’s children.
