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Eco-friendly family

Children are our hope for the future – so here’s how to help your kids think green

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oost children find the concept of leading a green lifestyle perfectly normal. They are quick to grasp basic recycling knowledge, saving resources and protecting the environment. So green parenting is really just a matter of education and leading by example.

Here are some tips for getting started:

Plant something. Even if you buy a bag of compost, slash a few holes in the bottom for drainage, open up the top and sprinkle some seeds in it that will grow into something your child will like to eat like a carrot or fast-growing radishes. The process won’t take too long and you’ve just taught them the theory behind organics – provided you used organic compost and not pesticides – and sustainability. Setting aside some ground for a children’s garden that they look after and bring food in for dinner is ideal.

Discuss packaging. Talk to your child as you are making their lunch and point out the tiny little packets of chips and biscuits which could easily be replaced by one big packet and a reusable plastic container or greaseproof paper (which is biodegradable) to contain a day’s worth of snacks.

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**Encourage them to walk to school.

**oany schools now have organised walking buses, but walking with your child, even one morning a week, can be a nice chance to spend time together. If you live too far away from school and must drive, then why not park a few blocks away and walk together or for one journey a week take the bus.

**Teach them about your local library.

**Instead of buying new books, DVDs, CDs and console games, you can hire them very cheaply.

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Encourage your kids to turn things off at the wall. All microwaves should be turned off at the wall rather than using the power to keep the clock going, and all computers, especially the screen, should be turned off after use. Remind them when they leave a room to switch the light off and they’ll soon get into the habit.

When thinking of presents for relatives, rather than buying something new and packaged, which they might not even want, why not give tokens for help in the garden or having a clear out. Mr spend an afternoon making cakes or biscuits or scented soaps or bath bombs. There are many easy recipes on the internet.

Get your child interested in op-shops. No-one is suggesting you dress your child in hand-me-downs entirely, but most kids will happily find clothes they like and when they realise they can get lots because they are cheap they’ll be sold. And as they get older, teenagers will love seeking out great retro finds.

Teach your child to recycle their toys, books and clothes. Every few months, have a clean-out and discuss who you could pass their treasures on to in the neighbourhood or the family. once you’ve recycled those, drop the rest off at an op-shop or a women’s refuge.

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Get a worm farm. They take a bit of setting up but kids love seeing them chomp through their leftovers and the worm juice when diluted is a great fertiliser for the kids’ garden.

Give your kids their own eco bag. Buy one made of jute or 100% cotton and help them decorate it with their name and some fabric pens. They can bring it with them every time you go to the supermarket and help you carry things home in it.

Encourage your child to use both sides of a piece of paper when drawing or painting and get older kids to do the same with the computer printer.

Do away with baby wipes. We tend to have them around for kids of all ages for quick cleans up yet they don’t biodegrade. Replace wipes with muslin squares or face-cloths and get used to throwing them in the machine with the rest of your wash.

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