It seems we can’t make it through a week without learning a new statistic about how polluted we’ve allowed the environment to become or without hearing about the devastation caused by a natural disaster made worse by climate change.
With environmental destruction happening on a global scale, it can be challenging to feel like the actions we take within our own families won’t do much good. But the truth is that every positive action has a positive impact and when we all make efforts to help the environment, we make the world safer and our families healthier.
That said, here are a few ways you and your family can make the world a little greener.
Refuse to tolerate trash
According to the EPA, one American will produce 1600 pounds of garbage in a year. That’s a lot. And unfortunately, some of it ends up in our parks, on our streets, and in our waterways. One way to make the world greener and to teach kids a valuable lesson is to pick up what we can. You can try bringing some protective gloves with you the next time you head to the park with the kids. While they’re playing, pick up the stray bits of trash that others have littered. In doing so, you teach your kids a valuable lesson about everyone doing what they can—no matter how small the task—to make the world cleaner and greener.
Teach the importance of energy conservation
As the World Wildlife Fund explains, many of the ways we get our energy—whether we’re supplying power to our homes or fuel to our cars—are dirty and wasteful. One way to cut back on your family’s carbon footprint is to make energy conservation a priority. This article on home energy conservation for kids provides a number of tips on how to conserve energy. For example, playing outside instead of watching TV or playing video games, always turning lights off when leaving a room, and more—are easy habits for kids to develop and great ways for them to contribute to making the family, as a whole, more environmentally friendly.
Choose walking over riding
The Union of Concerned Scientists points out that our cars and trucks make up “nearly one-fifth of all U.S. emissions.” Naturally, one of the best ways to cut down on your family’s contributions to this pollution is to park the car and walk or ride a bike whenever the option is viable. If your kids are old enough and you live in a safe area, KidsHealth.org suggests allowing your children to walk or bike to school or to friends’ houses. That way, they’ll get some much-needed exercise and you can keep the car in the garage.
Work a green job
If you’re in the market for a new job or thinking about a career change, consider working a green job or restricting your search to socially responsible companies. In one of its recent surveys, Nielsen.com found that 67 percent of Millennials want to work for socially responsible companies. If you don’t have any experience in the field, not to worry. As this article suggests, simply add a bit about your passion for becoming more environmentally friendly to the career summary or personal branding statement of your resume. Working for a company that cares as much about the environment as you do is a great way to increase your positive impact on the world.
Don’t forget Fido
From poisonous houseplants to harmful lawn chemicals to dangerous cleaners, often the things that could be potentially harmful to your pets are bad for you and your kids, too. As this sustainability guide for dog lovers suggests, there are many ways to mitigate these less-than-eco-friendly risks. For example, choose houseplants wisely. Do a little research to make sure none of your plants are poisonous when ingested. And outdoors, choose plants that thrive in your area. That way, as the guide notes, you won’t have to use as many fertilizers and lawn chemicals to maintain their growth.
When parents serve as positive green-living examples to their children, they help ensure their kids will make environmentally-conscious practices part of their way of life. And really, that’s what the world needs more than anything—more people making green living a priority.
Image via Pixabay by techlec
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