Teaching your child to be conservative of the earth’s resources.

Let’s face it, even if we use reusable bags and recycle our paper and plastic, many parents are not thinking about how kids can improve their eco-friendliness. However, this is more critical than ever. As a nation, we are burning through our earth’s resources at an alarming rate.

Fortunately, going green and caring for the planet doesn’t mean we need to live off the grid and stop wearing shoes. In fact, many small, simple changes in your lifestyle – and kids’ lifestyle – can make a huge impact on the environment. Since your child’s generation may suffer if we don’t tackle environmental concerns now, make it a goal to instill good, eco-friendly behavior.

#1: Get used to turning off lights when leaving a room. Talk to your children about how turning off lights saves valuable energy and money, too. Also teach them to turn off the water while they’re brushing their teeth.

#2: Walk places with your kids instead of hopping in the car. Resist the urge to drive to the grocery store two blocks away and make it a fun activity to walk there instead. While on the walk, talk to your kids about the smog that cars emit into the air, and how walking place is a way to keep the air clean and clear.

#3: Plant your own fruits and vegetables. If you have space in your garden, place a few fruit and vegetable plants in the ground. It really is that easy! Encourage your children to feed and water them when necessary. This will help your children to learn about organic produce that has no pesticides or sprays.

#4: Buy local, organic produce. If you can’t garden at home, head down to your nearest farmer’s market to buy organic and local produce when possible. This is a good habit to get your child into!

#5: Adopt a vegan diet. The animal agriculture industry is responsible for producing more greenhouse gases than any other sector (including all combined transportation systems, from planes to trains to buses to cars to boats) and the livestock themselves release large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. Adopting a plant-based diet can save 1,100 gallons of fresh water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 ft. of forested land, 20 pounds of CO2, and 1 animal’s life every day.

At Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley, we understand the importance of encouraging healthy and green habits. Contact us today to find out about all of our after-school programs and which is the best fit for your child.