Sustainability at Home
There are so many ways we can teach our children to be more sustainable. At Fit Kidz Learning Centres, we work with sustainable practices every day – vegetable gardens, worm farms, saving water, recycling, energy conservation… Many of these are things you already do at home with your children.
Councils have made recycling easier with colour coded bins and bulk kerbside waste collection. We are all aware of the importance of conserving water and saving electricity. Solar panels, rainwater tanks and vegetable gardens are commonplace around our neighbourhoods.
Did you know, being sustainable can be so much more than this! Here are a few of my favourite ways to promote sustainable living at home:
Love Food Hate Waste. http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/
Food waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges we are facing. It costs homes and businesses thousands of dollars every month and has huge implications for landfill and greenhouse emissions. Teaching children about the importance of good quality, fresh food is the key. Shop weekly to your family’s needs, don’t overbuy, get creative with leftovers and teach children how to be thrifty and eliminate waste.
Shop and Buy Local. localharvest.org.au
Never has it been more important than to support Australian farmers, especially producers in your local area. At Local Harvest you can find local producers and growers plus get some great information about growing, preparing and storing your own food. Remember, taking children to grower’s markets and helping with food selection each week is a brilliant way to engage children in healthy eating and a healthier lifestyle.
Walk!
To the shops, to the park, to school, to work. Ditching the car wherever possible and using your legs is not only environmentally friendly, but you are developing some great health habits for you and your family every time you do it. To help manage groceries, get a pull along shopping trolley to lighten the load. Pop little ones in the pram or on their bike to help them keep up and off you go! You’ll feel amazing and the environment will thank you. Plus think of all the savings in petrol!
National Parks and Wildlife. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/
We are so lucky in Australia to be surrounded by some of the world’s most amazing National Parks. Taking children into the outdoors and giving them natural experiences helps to build a life-long love of nature and an understanding of the importance of conservation. Bush trails, creek adventures, the sights and smells of the Australia bush is one to not to be missed.
Shop Ethically. https://goodonyou.eco/most-ethical-and-sustainable-clothing-brands-from-au-and-nz/
Ethical fashion is becoming more and more popular as people are more aware of how their wardrobes affect communities and the environment. An ethical brand makes sure it positively impacts on people, the planet, and animals. There are so many brands now realising how important it is to be more sustainably minded.
Living sustainably is so much more than simply recycling bottles, planting veggies and turning off light switches. It’s our daily attitudes and efforts, and it’s being role models and teachers to our children. Fostering in them a love of and sense of responsibility for this amazing planet.
Remember, it’s the little changes we make in our every day that create the biggest changes for the years to come.
