How To Teach Children The Importance Of Climate Change
With the coronavirus pandemic taking up a lot of attention at the moment, it's all too easy to forget just how important climate change is as well.
With the coronavirus pandemic taking up a lot of attention at the moment, it's all too easy to forget just how important climate change is as well.
Sea levels are rising, after all. The global temperature is getting warmer. There is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than ever before. And polar ice caps are a fraction of the size they once were.
Without drastic action, the world could soon look like a very different place, which is why it's so important for your children to understand at a young age just how serious the issue of climate change really is.
But, how can you teach them appropriately while avoiding the doom and gloom of it all? And what methods can you use to encourage them to play their part in protecting the planet?
Well, that's what we're here to discuss. Join us as we run through some of the most effective ways to teach your children the importance of sustainable living - from reading books to simply eating less meat.
Read Stories
Reading climate change-appropriate stories to your children before bed is not only a great way of introducing them to the problem, but it also does so without it coming across overly gloomy or depressing.
Whether it be the animal conservation issues addressed in Charlotte's Web, the importance of recycling highlighted in Where The Wild Things Are or a more pointed look at the issue in Elizabeth Beresford's The Wombles, there are a number of great books to choose from.
Change Their Diet
Eating meat and dairy produce is well known for being a huge contributor to global warming, so why not introduce a few changes to your family's diet?
That doesn't mean you have to fully commit to going vegan or anything like that but, even going meatless one day a week or using a milk alternative can make a big difference.
Similarly, growing your own produce can also significantly cut down your home's carbon footprint. But, not only that - it'll also provide you and your children with a fun outdoor activity to do together.
Encourage Recycling At Home
One of the major contributing factors to climate change is the total amount of waste that we collectively produce as a planet.
From overusing water resources to throwing away too many leftovers, each household is estimated to produce one tonne of waste on average, adding up to more than 31 million tonnes in the UK alone each year.
Encouraging recycling at home is, therefore, an important way to teach your children the value of the resources they use. Whether you build a compost heap or make an effort to upcycle your recycled goods, the more you can implement sustainability in your children's lives, the better and more quickly they'll be able to understand it.
To discover more of our useful hints and tips, be sure to check out our Facebook page. Here you will be able to offer your own ideas while also uncovering a whole host of suggestions from other parents and families.
