Is There a Link Between Eco-friendly Practices and Character Building in Children?

Is there a link between eco-friendly practices and character building in children? We have all read success stories about children who grew up in suboptimal conditions and managed to become well adjusted and successful adults. However, studies have shown that most habits and behaviors developed in childhood tend to carry over into adult life. Therefore, in addition to teaching children to eat healthy foods and exercise proper hygiene techniques, it is also important to support and encourage children to engage in eco-friendly behaviors throughout their childhood.

The following are five simple eco-friendly habits to encourage children to develop in childhood.

1 - Use wash cloths and towels instead of paper towels
Give each child a dozen of clean wash cloths for his/her personal use. Each time he or she finishes using the wash cloth, teach him or her to deposit it to the laundry basket. Avoid having paper towels near the sink. Only have the wash cloth there for use.

2 - Print on both sides of the paper and draw on both sides
Teach children how to print their homework on both sides of the paper. For younger children, remind them to use both sides of the paper for drawing. When drawings or artwork are completed, have each children reuse these artwork as wrapping paper for gifts.

3 - Establish an energy monitor at home
Remind each child to switch off home appliances or light switches when not in use.

4 - Explain your actions
Whenever you are doing something that is environmentally friendly, explicitly tell your child what you are doing. For example, when you are car pooling, mention that you are saving money and gas while being more eco-friendly. When you bring your own shopping bags to the supermarket, explain why you are avoiding the use of plastics or paper bags.

5 - Establish eco-friendly days
Set aside a day of the week that is an eco-friendly day. This may be a weekend day in which you do outdoor activities such as riding a bike, playing in the park or hiking in the woods.

As with every new habit or behavior, it takes time to establish new routines so it is important to be patient and have fun. Show your children that being eco-friendly can be convenient and simple. In a few years, you will be surprised when your children starts sharing and enforcing new eco-friendly habits of their own.