Our children hear the eco talk all over their living environment. If you are one of those parents concerned about the world your child will live in, it is only up to you to do the right thing and educate him accordingly.
No matter the age, the children are very receptive of the factors dominating their environment. So you can start the education from a very young age.
The house is a very good place for the child to start learning to live green. Teach him or her to unplug the electronic gear when they are not in use. Tell them to turn off the light when they are leaving the room and teach them not to let the computer on stand by when they are not using it.
Set a target for your family, such as a financially important one, like reducing the electrical energy and water consumption with at least 5%.
Challenge your children to do their best to help achieve the target. Tell them that the money saved can be used for something else and this way you can teach them responsibility.
More than anything else, children learn by the power of example. Every city or town has at least one point of selective garbage collecting. You can follow the same principles at home.
Explain your child why it is important and by the force of habit he will learn that responsibility comes naturally.
Encourage your kids to reuse instead of throwing away. Naturally, during growing up comes the moment when the toys are no longer an issue.
Instead of throwing them into a pile to end up in the landfill, encourage your child to donate. Explain why it is important for him to be generous and apart from making your child social conscious you will also make him a responsible citizen.
Teach your kids about wrappings and packing, about how long it takes for a sandwich zip-lock bag to disintegrate in the landfill. This way they will encourage you to pack their snacks in biodegradable wrapping.
Let your child be part of ecological education programs. Encourage him to participate, let him learn about how important he is for the world he lives in. Allow him to learn from any possible source how to do the right thing and you will see him become a responsible adult.
Encourage the children to love the outdoors. Take them on camping and show them how to live with minimum resources far away from TV and computer. Teach them to appreciate the simple things in life.
Bottom line: make every moment count. Your children see in you the ultimate authority and if you are a responsible person they would want to be one too.
