How Green Is Your Family?

Teach your children well, and the environment will thank you

As most new parents discover when they bring their bundles home from the hospital, children are significant consumers of the earth’s resources even before they cut their first tooth. Witness the diapers. The endless loads of laundry. The buckets of plastic toys. But practicing sustainable living with children is not only possible, it is vital for reducing global warming. And the earlier parents start, the better chance they have of instilling strong environmental values in their children.

“Once we become adults, we’re so busy trying to make it in the world that it’s easy to forget to protect the world. A child who is taught to respect our planet will have an inherent sense of responsibility for it as an adult,” says actor Ed Begley Jr., who is a spokesman for MyGreenCottage, an Asheville, N.C.–based builder of custom green homes.

Baby Steps

“Children are extremely smart and can learn as early as 3 to 4 years old, especially if they see their parents doing some environmental things,” says Gillan Taddune, chief environmental officer at Green Mountain Energy Co. and a founder of Austin, Texas–based eMission Solutions. For toddlers and preschoolers, teaching by example can go a long way toward distilling complex environmental issues into digestible bites. Not only can a 3-year-old learn to turn off lights when leaving a room, but the child can also begin to grasp why that’s important.

“Making electricity is the leading cause of industrial air pollution in the United States,” says Taddune. “Make sure children understand that when you turn on a light switch, there is pollution occurring somewhere else.”

There are countless opportunities to instill environmental values in your children. Take reusable bags to the grocery store and explain why that’s better than using plastic bags. Teach your preschooler to rinse food containers and place them in the recycling bin. Plan car pools for after-school activities, and tell your kids how that helps the environment. “Then it becomes naturally incorporated into the family,” Taddune says.

Child’s Play

Parents of elementary schoolchildren can capitalize on kids’ natural instincts for play and competition to drive home green lessons. “Reward your children with points when they do ‘green’ deeds,” Taddune suggests. “At the end of the game, give them an eco-friendly prize, like a backyard camping adventure.”

In addition, check listings in your area for eco-friendly outings. Plan a weekend visit to a botanical garden or a museum with interactive exhibits about ecosystems.

And keep an eye on your children’s actions — if you see them do something to reduce waste, praise them and ask them why they did it. “This is the most opportune time to explain the benefit of their actions,” says Taddune.

Teen Spirit

As children reach their preteen and teen years, they are ready to recognize the broader context of their green efforts. The Web site Begreennow.com offers a carbon calculator that lets consumers calculate their CO₂ emissions and compare their carbon footprint against the national average. Once kids are ready to understand those numbers, undertake the exercise as a family.

“At that age they’re ready to take on more responsibility, like sustainable projects or volunteering,” says Taddune. You can also encourage kids to participate in tree-planting initiatives or park or trail cleanups.

Begley believes these seemingly small acts can add up to something greater. “When you convey the importance of sustainable living to a child,” he says, “you are helping create a future steward of the planet.”

For Kids (and Parents)

Written by Karen Farmer and illustrated by Gary Currant, the colorful children’s book My Bag and Me promotes earth-friendly values and comes with a reusable grocery bag.

BabyPlays delivers toys using the Netflix model, cutting down on waste and clutter and promoting reuse. Parents can arrange to have a box of toys delivered to their home once a month. When children are finished with the toys, they send back the box and receive a new batch. babyplays.com

Grey’s Greetings cards are printed on 100 percent recycled paper using vegetable-based inks at a facility certified by the Forest Stewardship Council; teach environmental values and thank-you-note etiquette at the same time. ggdcards.com — M.M.M.