Eco-parenting helps future generations learn how to care for the environment

With the rise of eco-conscious consumers, green parenting is now a popular lifestyle choice among parents looking to raise their children in an environmentally friendly way. This is highlighted by a survey revealing that seven in 10 American homes class themselves as an eco-household. Additionally, 88% of respondents believe it is important for future generations to learn about how to be environmentally friendly[1].

Practicing eco-parenting is a great way for parents to encourage their children to be greener as well as to educate them about the environment, which will in turn lead to positive impacts in the development of younger generations.  

We have put together some tips to inspire you on your eco-parenting journey.

For pre-school kids (0-3 years old)

1. Use reusable diapers and wipes

The majority of diapers and wipes found in supermarkets are made of plastic components and other non-biodegradable materials. Kids from 0-3 years old on average use more than five diapers a day and a large amount of wipes for cleaning. The consumption of single-use diapers and wet wipes is a huge burden on our environment. One way to help is by using reusable cloth diapers and wipes or even biodegradable ones made without chemicals.

2. Reuse nursery essentials

Kids in this age range outgrow everything faster than you can possibly imagine -- they need new clothing and necessities every 8 to 10 weeks. This cycle of purchasing new items every couple of months leads to landfills filling up and your wallet losing money. To reduce waste and be economical, parents can buy second-hand items or look for hand-me-downs from family and friends.

For primary pupils (3-11)

1. Take your own lunch to school

Research by the WWF shows that in the US almost 530,000 tons of food goes to waste annually from school cafeterias.[2] This food waste is caused by schools overproducing and overserving food. To minimize food waste, parents can tap into their parental knowledge about how much food their child can eat to prepare lunch for their kid to take to school. Parents can even get creative and turn the leftovers from dinner the night before into a delicious lunchtime meal.

2. Walk or cycle

If your child lives close to school, walking or cycling the short distance is a healthy and environmentally friendly option. If the school is too far to walk or cycle, consider using public transport to lower your child’s carbon footprint.

For secondary students

1. Turn trash into treasure

It is more important to set an example for your children than lecturing them about how to be greener. Parents can help nurture their child’s eco-friendly habits by showing them how to reuse, recycle or, take it to the next level, upcycle. Through creative methods of reusing old materials such as repurposing old clothes to make book covers, upcycling expands the lifespan of various items which keeps waste out of landfills and also sparks creativity in your child.

2. Embrace nature

In the Philippines and India, 84% and 78% of youth respectively are extremely or very worried about climate change.[3] To support your child and help them fight climate change in their own way, you can work together to plant a garden or grow plants at home. Gardening cleans the air and ground and also creates an ecosystem for birds and insects. Additionally, the activity will help your child learn about the importance of sustainability and how to help the planet.  

Parents know how vital it is to protect their children’s future by protecting Mother Nature. Starting from today, #itisinyourhands to be a thoughtful, eco-friendly parent to set an example for future generations.

[1]swnsdigital.com/us/2019/06/76-of-american-homes-say-their-kids-are-the-reason-they-are-eco-friendly/

[2]www.worldwildlife.org/blogs/sustainability-works/posts/school-s-back-in-food-waste-is-out

[3]climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/these-4-young-leaders-asia-and-pacific-region-are-forefront-climate-action