Kids are little sponges, taking in everything from the world and learning so much when they’re little. When you’re starting to consume less and live more, getting kids into the habit of being environmentally friendly and living a more sustainable lifestyle will give them habits that will last well into adulthood. So how can you inspire your little ones (or your friends’ little ones) to be environmentally friendly? Here are a few tips.

Be The Change

One of the best ways to get kids into going green is to be the model of behavior for them. If you’re just starting to convert to a greener lifestyle, bringing your kids in on little habits will make it easy to inspire them. Small steps like planting an herb garden or tricks to save water around the house will give them a model to aspire to. Kids love to be as cool as adults, so doing trendy, environmentally friendly things will show them it’s great to get into the habit, too.

Make It Fun

Teaching your children about being environmentally friendly may sound like it would be a boring proposition, but it doesn’t have to be! Take pictures of growing gardens to keep track of them. Grab a book of birds and head to the park to play the naming game. Have them help you put together a compost and show them what kind of food scraps they can add to it themselves. On your next trip to the grocery store, teach them about what kind of packaging can be recycled and what can’t, and when you get home, show them what gets tossed in what recycling bin.

 

Start Early

Getting kids into an environmentally-friendly mindset early will give them the tools to be responsible adults later on in life (and possibly help convert their friends to a more sustainable lifestyle). When they’re young, their fresh perspective on everything gives them a more open mind on the world. Teaching them that they can live with a better awareness of the environment in general and their own environment around them will change their outlook for the rest of their lives.

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