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Make Recycling a Family Affair
by beconrad
Recycling is the right thing to do for the environment, but it can become a great teaching moment for your children as well. Kids are naturally interested in the environment, and they want to make sure that the world they leave to their own children will be a better place than the one they were born into. Making recycling into a family affair is one of the best ways for parents to instill a sense of environmental responsibility in their children.
There are many ways for parents to make their household recycling into a fun project for the entire family. The more of these ideas you can incorporate into your own household the more you, and your kids, can gain from the experience.
Ř Give a recycling bonus – parents can encourage their kids to look for recyclable items by giving a bonus for each item they find. You may be surprised at how enterprising the kids become when you offer a dime or a nickel for each can plastic bottle or other recyclable container they find.
Ř Get your kids’ teachers involved – if the school your child attends does not already have a recycling program in place, talk to the teachers and ask if they could start one. Teachers can incorporate recycling into their lesson plans and teach the kids about which items can, and cannot, be recycled. Middle school and high school teachers can incorporate lessons on composting as well, from how to sort household items to how to build and maintain a compost bin.
Ř Learn about recycling as a family – you do not have to wait for the school to give lessons about recycling. You can do your own research, and encourage the kids to learn on their own as well. Learning about recycling as a family can help your own household become greener and more environmentally responsible, and that is good for everyone.
Ř Change your shopping habits – learning to recycle as a family can lead to some positive changes in your lifestyle and that of your family. When you and your kids learn about recycling, they will also learn about the different types of packaging and how they impact the environment. From there, you and your family can adjust your buying habits to minimize unnecessary packaging and reduce your own environmental footprint.
Incorporating these tips into your everyday family life can help your kids develop good environmental habits that will last a lifetime. Every new generation inherits the environment they live in from the generation that preceded it. That new generation can either improve or degrade that inheritance. It is up to adults everywhere to instill a sense of wonder and environmental responsibility in their children, and making recycling a family affair is one of the best ways to do just that.
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