Musings of an Eight Year Old Eco-Warrior
Being this is my first post with Green Options, and with Eco Child’s Play, I thought I’d confer with my son about what the topic should be. His answer went something like this…
“You need to tell people that we only have one Earth, and we need to take better care of it. Also, people need to stop littering. That’s gross. Besides, when you think about it, the Earth is our home…and you don’t throw garbage around on the floor of your home!”
What a brilliant analogy. That’s one thing I love about children, they tell it like it is.
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His comments got me thinking about how much our children notice the things we say and do and follow the examples we set. It’s important to take the time and explain to our kids why we recycle, buy organic food, bring our own bags to the store, and everything else eco minded we do. As parents, we should make sure our kids are noticing the world around them. Point out positive things like wind farms or solar panels, these are fascinating to children. Include them in trips to the grocery store or Farmer’s Market, and let them help find healthy foods the whole family can enjoy. Plant a garden, and see how proud they are when something they grew from a tiny little seed ends up on their dinner plate. Explain why the factory farms scattered throughout the countryside are bad and unnatural places to raise animals. (While we’re at it, let’s remind them that those animals have the capacity to feel many of the same emotions we do.)
All these things and more will give them a better concept of the big picture, and help them to realize that every person has an impact on this planet. And what a wonderful planet it is.
Oh, and P.S. Please don’t litter.
image: A handful of earth on flickr.com under creative commons.
