Living Green with your Child

Heather Joseph-Dublin, Year 3 Teacher and Sustainability Co-ordinator at Alleyn's Junior School, suggests ways we can teach our children to live sustainably.

The bigger picture

Anyone who saw scenes of clean air and water in London, Venice, and Delhi when the world came to a pandemic-induced standstill can appreciate just how much of an impact humanity has on air quality, wildlife, and our natural resources. We are all increasingly aware of the need to make changes in our everyday actions to protect our environment and so it is vital that we teach children about the need for sustainability from an early age. As Greta Thunberg reminded us, "no one is too small to make a difference."

It starts with a seed

Growing plants, fruit and vegetables is an easy way for children to participate in sustainable living. Involve them from the start? what do they want to grow? Cress, herbs, sunflowers, beans, lettuce, and wildflowers are easy to grow and have the added benefit of not needing much space. By including your child at every stage, you will foster a sense of responsibility and ownership. Importantly, they will begin to understand where their food comes from - but they are also likely to love eating what they have watched grow and will therefore eat more vegetables!

Repurposing

You may well be recycling at home with your children involved already, but have you considered repurposing some of your old items? Make an eco-bag from an old-t shirt, seedling pots from toilet rolls or empty tins, or even a milk jug bird feeder. Anything that can be repurposed is a great opportunity for a craft session but also allows you to open conversations about materials such as plastic and what we can do to reduce plastic use and find alternatives.

Be the change

Why not join a community environment event? Litter picking is a great way to start and there are many community initiatives that combat plastic waste. Being part of a group is a great opportunity for children to see how everyone can play a part and working together to be the change they want to see. Some waste centres even open their doors for children to see first-hand where our raw materials come from and what happens to materials once we put them in the recycling bin.

Learning together

Teaching is just as important as learning and with our ever-evolving technology, it is important to stress to children that as adults, we don't always have the answers and we are also open to learning. Consider taking time to watch a documentary about sustainability together, listen to a podcast in the car or pick up a copy of an environmental magazine and read to each other so you can learn more together. Sustainability is based on our willingness to effect change, which we can only do once we are armed with the knowledge we need to make a difference.

Useful links

www.natgeokids.com/uk

kids.niehs.nih.gov

www.wastebuster.co.uk

www.meetthegreens.org