Exploring sustainability and environmentalism can be a great way for the whole family to connect over the common goal of caring for our planet. While it may seem overwhelming to make big changes, taking small steps and building momentum can make an incredible difference over time.
Approaching eco-friendly practices with curiosity and an open-minded attitude will benefit you and your family and help make loving our planet more interesting and fun.
An integral part of a family’s sustainability journey—that feels natural and sticks—involves open-ended questions and mindful discussion about the world around us, as well as learning and trying new things.
Get Out
Maybe you or your children are already avid walkers, hikers or outdoor swimmers—whether you spend a lot of time outside with your family or not, having intentional nature visits with conversation about how we connect with our world can begin to grow your child’s desire to protect and respect our environment.
Try walking through a green space and chatting about the beauty that surrounds us, the importance of nature in our lives and the ecosystems that support our food systems and our wellbeing.
When we introduce these conversations and practices, not only do we feel more inclined to protect our environment, but we also enjoy the added benefits of physical activity and family time in fresh air.
Ask Questions
At the grocery store or shopping mall, begin to consider what chain of events took place to get the item to the store shelf. When your children are with you, ask questions out loud about the items you are browsing.
Talk about where the product came from, who and what was involved in making it, how far it had to travel and how much packaging surrounds it. By starting to ponder these factors, you are priming yourself and your family to make more mindful and environmentally friendly purchases.
Beginning this dialogue helps us to make positive product swaps, build lasting change and train our minds to shop in a more sustainable way over time.
Be Thrifty
Visit a thrift store, or consignment store, and see what sort of treasures you can find. While it may not be realistic to do all your shopping at the thrift store, a trip there easily allows for the discussion of consumption—how much “stuff” we all buy, how much we use it and where it can end up.
These conversations can develop into a deeper understanding of consumerism and encourage us to think before we buy, which over time, can help us and our children make better decisions. When you’re at the second-hand store, try picking some items out for an upcycling craft. There’s often a treasure trove of unused yarns, magazines for collages and paintable wooden items. You and your child will feel a sense of pride for turning something old into something new!
Make It Fun
Take some time to learn and try new things! A fun and easy way to make a positive impact on the world around us is to enjoy a trip to the library for environmentally focused reading material or spend an hour or two every week streaming age-appropriate documentaries. Eat at a restaurant that uses locally sourced produce, enjoy a local plant-based bakery or café or visit an artisan market—it can be an engaging and multi-sensory learning experience about reducing our footprint, while supporting great businesses close to home. You’ll be surprised at the ideas and conversations these activities can spark.
Sustainability at Home
Lessons about sustainability don’t necessarily require leaving the house. Exploring the home together using the lens of environmental sustainability can get everyone involved in the chores and improve family habits. For example, try analyzing the current compost, recycling and waste setup you have. This exercise teaches our children about what items go in the trash, and what can get recycled or composted, and they may feel empowered to reduce waste. A simple family goal of turning lights off when leaving a room, always bringing along reusable mugs and water bottles or cooking food from scratch, can be a great way to build momentum.
Striving for sustainability comes with some effort and a learning curve, but by implementing these simple practices, and enjoying the process step-by-step, we can create lasting and meaningful change. Children who learn to appreciate nature and take care with their habits grow into adults who are environmental stewards.
Taking simple steps at a comfortable pace allows us to enjoy the beginning of a sustainability journey while connecting and learning with our loved ones.
