Sustainability and Kids: Welcoming them to the green team!

It’s no big surprise that we often strive to provide nothing but the best for the kids in our life. The best education, the best possessions and the best lifestyle in general. We also often hear about the importance of leaving the earth in its planetary best for our future generations. But do we stop to think about the kind of kids we leave behind for our planet? 

Children have the right to live in a world that’s full of promising opportunities, progressive ideals and fair treatment to all. But they’re also the cornerstone to a sustainable future. Which is why it’s important we familiarise them with sustainability and mindful living from an early age. In addition to enabling them to protect the planet, sustainability education promotes a sense of responsibility in them. They learn to respect the natural environment and seek accountability from concerned bodies and justice at a young age.

Now that we’re aware of the why-to’s, let’s look at the how to’s. Quite frankly, there is no set way to educate kids on sustainability. “Then what am I even doing here?!”, you think? Don’t worry, we’ve got a bunch of tips and ideas for you to implement with your kids. However, no two children are the same; it’s important we customise these teachings to each child’s liking to ensure they really connect with the concept and lifestyle.

Here are some simple, effective ways you can make to help your kids become the eco-warriors they’re meant to be:

1. Be Bare with your lifestyle: Rudolf Dreikurs, an Austrian psychiatrist, once said: “Children are keen observers but poor interpreters”. As we lead a mindful lifestyle that is inclusive of various ecosystems, we need to ensure our children understand the reason behind our actions. Why do we use bamboo toothbrush? Why do we carry reusable cutlery and a water bottle everywhere? Why do we read up about a brand and its business practices before making a purchase? They might seem like little changes to us, but it’s often the little things that make big things happen.
2. Make sustainability fun!  A sure-fire way to pique the interest of your child is through incorporating fun elements into it. ENTER BARE! Our 4-in-1 All Things Sustainability Box is designed for just this! Using unique, fun and accessible methods to communicate sustainability in direct and indirect ways, this kit stimulates their creative juices while educating Be Bare with your lifestyle: Rudolf Dreikurs, an Austrian psychiatrist, once said: “Children are keen observers but poor interpreters”. As we lead a mindful lifestyle that is inclusive of various ecosystems, we need to ensure our children understand the reason behind our actions. Why do we use bamboo toothbrush? Why do we carry reusable cutlery and a water bottle everywhere? Why do we read up about a brand and its business practices before making a purchase? They might seem like little changes to us, but it’s often the little things that make big things happen.

Here’s a brief break down of its contents.

• Ecotopia Board Game - a family board game with sustainability and eco-friendly learnings blended in. It brims with eco-tips, fun facts, twists and turns! Honestly, with this game, you will find that it’s more of a task to unhook yourself from this game than getting started!
• Bare's Zero Waste Playing Cards Deck - a good ol’ game of cards with the family can never go out of style. Unlike your regular deck of playing cards, this set has fun, insightful illustrations on sustainability to make sure your kids and you learn to deal with climate change in zero waste style (Get it? ;))
• Kids Activity Book -  a great activity book centred around the environment and sustainability, this book will educate them on leading a zero-waste lifestyle and help them understand how to be part of the change.
• Colour pencils with seeds - we’ve all seen a child’s face light up around colouring elements, haven’t we? We added a zero-waste spin to them as well, because clearly, we do not want to leave any stone unturned when it comes to helping our future eco-warriors start young! These colour pencils made of upcycled old newspaper with seeds literally embody sustainability in fun, don’t you think?

Getting back to the topic, a great way to introduce sustainability to our kids is through DIYs. They can do a little gardening, upcycle their old water bottles, help whip up a dish that generates no food waste, make their own paint or set up their own little overnight tent in the backyard or balcony (COVID Style)

We can go on and on, just like your kids would with these activities!

What’s more, once our kids are comfortable with the concept of sustainability and mindful living, they will eventually talk about it to other members of the family, making an actual difference.

Now that we all have the world at our fingertips, our children too have access to a wide domain of information. Let us make sure the information they receive is worth their time and energy. After all, childhood is the golden period of life; let’s ensure we don’t let all that gold go to waste. 

Written by: Reshma Bhat