How to Raise an Environmentally Conscious Child

As parents, we’re raising the next generation who will be responsible for looking after our planet, so it’s important to instil in them a respect for the natural world and awareness of how human activities impact it. The earlier we start talking to our kids about topics like global warming and carbon footprint, the more easily they’ll grasp how vital it is to take measures to preserve our beautiful Earth. Here a prep school in London shares how you can work on raising an environmentally conscious child. 

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Teach through nature

Outdoor activities provide a perfect opportunity for you to discuss things like climate change and greenhouse gases, for example, if it’s a really hot day you can talk about how the Earth is heating up due to harmful emissions. You could also walk near a landfill site and use it as a chance to discuss why it’s so important to recycle so that products and packaging don’t damage the environment and endanger animal life. You could explore the topic of sustainability by creating a vegetable patch in your garden and talking to your child about only producing what you need to minimise waste. 

Lead by example

Make sure your child sees you respecting the environment, so never throw trash and always recycle as much as you can. Encourage them to follow your lead and put empty packaging in the correct area for recycling, while explaining what happens to glass, cardboard and plastic and why reusing them is so important. When you’re shopping together, make a habit of asking them to help you examine packaging to ensure it’s eco friendly, and use that as another opportunity to discuss the damage disused packaging can cause to the natural world if it’s not recycled properly. 

Minimize wastage

Talk to your child about preserving electricity rather than using it excessively; remind them to switch off lights when they’re not in a room and turn their computer off at the end of the day. At mealtimes discuss only cooking what you need to prevent waste, and how to compost unused food. You could also discuss best before dates on fruit and vegetables and how it’s important to consume them before the use-by date or compost them to prevent wastage. 

The more we talk to our kids about how human actions impact the natural world and what we can do to minimize the damage, the more likely they are to be mindful of their own activities and even take up the cause of preserving the environment for future generations. 

This is a collaborative post.