How to raise an eco-friendly family in 2022

Facing the future: How to raise an eco-friendly family in 2022

• Research from the United Nations has suggested that the global population is increasing by more than 80 million each year and is set to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 (UN).
• A 2017 study by climate scientists Kimberley Nicholas and Seth Wynes found that raising a child in the developed world produces a carbon footprint of 58.6 metric tonnes every year (IOP Science).
• A conversation has therefore emerged around the environmental impact starting a family can have, including the parental responsibility to raise children who are eco-conscious and will make a positive difference for our future.
   

Every generation of prospective parents has shared the hope that their children will be born into a safe environment where they can thrive. However, one particular concern has arisen for younger parents that was most likely not a factor when their parents started a family: considering the impact on our planet. James Partridge from Greenshop is here to share some top tips that could help you establish a greener household and limit your growing family's environmental impact.

Teaching children green values 

When taking steps to raise a sustainable, environmentally conscious family, explaining the details of climate change to young children may make the whole topic seem very confusing and inaccessible, or even scare them. One way of avoiding this is to start teaching them the broader core values of being green, approaching it as more of a mindset that your household adopts to be kinder to the planet. This could range from key lessons like never littering and avoiding unnecessary plastic, to spending more time together outdoors to teach them how important and special our green spaces are. 

One key value that you can easily introduce to your children is the idea of reducing waste. While getting children to finish their dinner has long been a common parenting practice, today this means even more as we all come to realise the real environmental threat posed by food waste. According to the most recent research, the UK produces around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste a year, 70% of which comes from domestic households (WRAP). Tackling food waste is therefore one of the major things that families across the country can do to make a tangible difference to our overall carbon emissions. 

However, if environmental factors are proving difficult to explain or grasp, parents can convey the importance of preventing waste by explaining how other children's families may struggle to buy enough food or new clothes. This instils them with equally important lessons that all work towards the same goal of becoming less wasteful. 

Encouraging eco-friendly habits

Involving your children in running the household is a great way to teach them about responsibility and practical skills as well as encouraging greener habits. One key practice to instil in them is buying less and mending more, which has thankfully become a more popular sentiment among consumers in recent years (particularly in the clothing industry). You could show your children how to mend their belongings when they break or tear. Once they've outgrown their clothes and toys, you can also enlist their help when making donations to charity shops or clothes banks, demonstrating how to put this principle into action.

Parents can also assign jobs to help around the house, like rounding up and sorting the weekly recycling and making sure it's disposed of correctly. Or, to get the kids involved in the kitchen, try showing them some creative ways of using food up rather than throwing it away. Bringing them on trips to cafés or markets with a green ethos also demonstrates that finding eco-conscious products or alternatives is not as difficult as it may seem. 

One major way to improve sustainability in the family home is reducing — or completely eliminating — meat consumption. While recycling and avoiding single-use plastics is still a crucial part of being eco-friendly, studies have found that in terms of reducing carbon emissions, adopting a plant-based diet is four times more effective than regular recycling (IOP Science). This lifestyle change may seem hard to approach at first, but try to lead your children by example and remember that every effort to reduce your animal consumption is a step in the right direction. 

Talking about the future

As your children get older and learn more about the world around them, you may feel more comfortable having conversations with them about the future and their role within it. However, you might still be worried about scaring them or putting the weight of responsibility on their shoulders, so approaching these conversations with a more optimistic tone may help you navigate this.

For instance, talking over the dinner table about exciting new achievements in science and technology could encourage your family to think about all the creative ways their generation can work towards tackling climate change. Reassuring your children that what they do as individuals can truly make a difference is also a great way to give them confidence in their own environmental journeys ahead. While you may be concerned about what the future holds for your family, reminding them that they have a real, active role within it is an important thing to impart.

Starting a family has brought with it new challenges for every generation. Today, parents are increasingly recognising their responsibility to raise children that are environmentally conscious and ready to contribute positive change in the world. By implementing a few daily practices and core values, your family can take their first steps towards a greener future.