Tips to teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing

Eco Friendly Packing Guide - November 28, 2019

During the last couple of decades, we’ve become more conscious of our impact on the environment. People are starting to realize that, if they don’t change some of their habits, the planet we call home will become uninhabitable. While this is a step forward, there is still a lot more to do. One of the biggest concerns of environmental protection advocates is the fact that we have to entrust these eco-friendly practices to future generations. However, the best way that kids can learn about sustainable living is right at home. This can include their parents or immediate family, whoever they live with. So in order to teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing, take a look at some of our examples. You will surely find plenty of interesting ways!

Teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing – lead the way

In order to help your kids understand why it is important to be eco-friendly, you need to talk to them first. If your kids are too small to understand, there are many great cartoons that explain this in as simple a way as possible. Afterward, it is imperative that you lead by example. Don’t just tell your kids to implement these habits, but do so yourself as well. If they see that you are making an effort, they will be more likely to try it out themselves. Actions speak louder than words, so if you want to teach your kids the importance of going green, you need to show them you are willing to go the distance.

Parents, try to teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing.
Your kids look up to you – if they see you doing something, they will follow!

Moving house is an excellent opportunity to start bringing on these changes in lifestyle. Instead of using many different moving supplies and materials, that are not so good for the environment, you should use eco friendly moving boxes. Since they are made of plastic and not cardboard, you will be able to use them many times. Also, they are less likely to break during transport, so you won’t have to spend money on buying new ones.

Consider how you pack their school lunches

Every day, millions of parents across the world pack their kids’ school lunches. Each time they do, many of them use plastic wraps or paper bags. What happens to these disposable materials after the child eats their lunch? More than likely, it’s thrown in the garbage. This system produces massive amounts of trash each year. Luckily, there is a simpler solution. You should opt for eco-friendly food packaging, such as reusable plastic containers, which they can use for every school day. A good way to get your kids involved in sustainable living is to let them pick out the design of the container and take care of it themselves, for example, clean it every day.

On the other hand, you don’t have to limit your kids to using plastic containers. There are many uses for plastic moving tubs even after you’ve moved. They are excellent for storing items such as seasonal clothing, documents, books, or even herbs and spices. They will also keep everything inside fresh, and keep humidity and moisture out.

Teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing – walk to school

Nowadays, there are cities around the world where the air is so polluted, you can hardly see through the smog. While there are many factors that can contribute to this, cars are the number one problem. With so many people driving every day, it’s no wonder. A great way to minimize your kids’ carbon footprint is to teach them to walk or ride a bike to school, the mall, their friend’s home, etc., instead of asking you for a ride.

A happy boy on the way to school.
Walking to school will also keep your kids active.

If your kids are a little older and there are no safety concerns, you can encourage them to take the bus. The opportunity to get more exercise will also help keep your kids healthy, so this is a win-win for everyone.

Encourage them to pass on their things

In every household, there are items people no longer use but keep around ‘just in case’. When it comes to your kids, they probably have enough stuffed animals and old clothes to fit an army. Since many parents are tempted to simply gather everything up in a pile and throw it away, there is a much more sensible solution.

If you want to teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing, you have to explain to them that not everything that is not useful to them has to go in the trash. In order to create a more sustainable environment for everyone, people can donate their items to local charities. On the other hand, if you have older and younger kids, the older ones can pass on their old clothes and toys to the younger ones.

Finally, ask your friends and family if they want or need some of these items. Make sure to take your kids with you wherever you drop off their things. They should see where their stuff is going and how it will be used.

Teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing – turn off electronics

It happens to all of us – we leave a room without turning the lights off, and we don’t even realize we did it. Although it might not seem like a big deal, it can greatly affect the environment. This is especially true if you or your kids leave appliances plugged in and electronics turned on for longer periods of time. The best way to implement this habit of conserving electricity is to set an example. When your kids see that you are taking this seriously, they are likely to follow suit. What’s more, your electricity bill will be significantly lower, so your wallet will be thankful as well!

A father and a son sitting in a hammock.
Take the opportunity to turn off the TV and spend some quality time with your kids.

Explain that material things only bring temporary joy

One of the most important lessons, when you teach your kids about eco-friendly living and packing, is that material things are only temporary, but our planet is here for the long haul. If we pile it up with trash, burn and poison it, we won’t get another one. So try to encourage them to not be attached to things you can buy, but those things you leave behind. Instead of going shopping, plant a tree with your child in your backyard. The time you spend together doing something that matters will also be a reward for you.

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