There are countless elements to being a parent. It’s a fast-paced, and therefore very tiring, lifestyle. With so much to think about, why should you focus on living greener? If it’s not directly affecting you at this moment in time, it’s easy to drop it to the bottom of the pile – or even forget about it completely. Greener living assures a future for your children, their children, and so on. Although it may not seem like it, making some small changes can actually make a difference. You might also note some personal changes as well; it’ll make you feel better for doing your part, and it can even help with the household bills.
Here’s how to make your home a little greener, and help your children become more environmentally conscious.
Go digital
We love movie nights in with our babies. There’s nothing better than a cosy Saturday evening in on the sofa watching the latest flick. However, there’s a dark side to those movie nights if you’re purchasing new DVDs to watch. Once you’re fed up of them, or the little ones grow out of their childhood favourites, what happens to them? You can sell them of course, but sooner or later it’s likely they’ll end up on a landfill. Rather than buying physical copies, going digital with your movie purchases is much more environmentally-friendly. We all know the seriously huge rise of Netflix, however there are also a number of free and paid-for alternatives out there to help you get your movie and TV fix.
Talk openly about green living
If you’re looking to educate your children on being environmentally conscious, it needs to be talked about openly with your children. If you’re making some of the above changes, explain why you’re doing it. No child is born with pre-conceived views on green living, so it’s vital to help them think amenably about the difference it can make. By bringing this kind of conversation into day-to-day home life, it reinforces your goal of a greener home whilst helping your kids to understand the reasons behind it.
Get maximum use out of products
In modern times, there’s always a new product. Whether it’s a new phone or the latest clothes, the temptation of upgrading is almost constant – even when it’s not really needed. Just because something doesn’t look like it once did, doesn’t mean it’s useless and should be thrown out. Even using something that little bit longer keeps the money in your bank a little longer, not to mention it saves waste. Reducing personal consumption is a great way to live greener for longer. When the time does come to replace, recycle or donate as much as possible.
Buy sustainable and reusable
Buying from sustainable sources is easier than most people realise. Whether you’re after solid wood flooring from maintainable forests or seafood products that are caught sustainably; you’re reducing your own personal effect on the environment. There are a number of online stores that support green shopping, both online and physical stores. Reusable products should also be considered if you’re looking for more longevity from your products. Rechargeable batteries, low-energy lightbulbs, reusable takeaway coffee cups – there’s countless products out there. Do your research and see which of yours and your children’s products you can replace with reusable.
Living greener is easy when you know the little changes you can make. Once you’re comfortable with the small stuff, it will be much easier to see if there are any bigger changes you can challenge yourself with. Keep your children informed, and encourage them to ask questions if they’re unsure on anything. If you don’t know the answer, you might both end up learning something!
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