From Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan: How to Instill More Eco-Friendly Habits into Your Kids

Most of us agree it is a good idea to do what we can to make our earth a healthier place to live. Kids are impressionable, and will often mirror the behavior they see, so it is vital to instill eco-friendly habits into them at a young age. Many habits that are good for our earth are easy for kids to do if just trained and encouraged at home.

Turn Off Lights

When not in the room, turn off the lights. If you have kids that are nervous to enter a darkened room or sleep in the dark, invest in some energy efficient night lights. Provide step stools so smaller kids can even reach light switches they can’t reach.

Limit Water Consumption

Kids are often notorious water wasters, but they don’t have to be. There are some easy tips you can use to encourage kids to stop the tap while brushing their teeth, or taking baths. You can also limit toilet flushing by teaching kids to use only small amounts of toilet paper and to only flush when needed, not when it seems like it will be fun. Teach kids to sing a song (such as the ABCs) when they wash their hands. That way they get their hands clean, but don’t overuse water.

Dress in Layers

One of the best ways to conserve energy is to keep the thermostat set a little cooler in the winter and a little warmer in the summer. Put on a sweatshirt or throw another blanket on your bed to keep warm, rather than cranking up the heat. Have your furnace and HVAC unit serviced regularly to keep them running efficiently. A New Jersey plumbing, air, and electric company, Team Electric recommends inquiring if your machine’s warranty covers parts only or both parts and labor for saving money if things go wrong.

Recycle

Introduce kids to recycling in a fun way. Children typically love sorting and organizing things, so let them help you with sorting and preparing materials for recycling. Set up separate bins in your home to help encourage this important chore.

Reuse and Up-Cycle in a Fun Way
Help kids craft with old toilet paper tubes, magazines, bottle caps, old detergent bottles, tin cans, and old crayons. Nearly anything used up once, can be up-cycled or reused in a fun way to make something new. Encourage your crafty kids to get creative and use old trash to make new treasures.

Plant a Tree
Teach kids to be proactive. Encourage them to plant a tree or even a small garden. This will be fun for them, help provide a home to the local creatures, and may also provide you with some fresh food and beautiful foliage.

Saving the planet may seem like a daunting task, but every little bit helps. If we start training up our youngest citizens now, it will benefit our earth and everyone on it in the future!