The environment is constantly in the news and it is also becoming a hot topic in schools throughout the world. The environmental awareness of children is therefore something that is becoming increasingly important – something that many people feel is a significant factor for the future of the planet. There are various different things that teachers and parents can do to help a child to understand the impact that humans have on the world.
Pollution
The use of cars is one of the major causes of pollution throughout the United States, with one of the biggest contributors being parents on the school run. Children can be made to understand this principle through the use of carpooling, as it will show them that reducing the amount of cars on the road is good for the environment.
Pointing out different sources of pollution during the journey can also help a child to understand where pollution comes from. There will undoubtedly be various different sources along the route, and this large variety will allow them to build up an understanding of how so much pollution gets into the atmosphere.
Energy Conservation
Energy conservation is also getting a lot of attention at the moment, as the earth’s finite resources are dwindling and it is becoming increasingly difficult to generate the amount of energy that the world needs to function. Teaching a child about the process by which energy is produced – like through power plants and the use of natural resources – will allow them to appreciate why conserving energy is important.
Some common ways that a child can conserve energy include turning off the lights, not leaving the TV on, shutting the fridge door and not using electrical appliance unless they really need to. This will breed the habit into them from an early age and hopefully ensure that they continue with this practice throughout their life. It will even save the parents money on their energy bills too!
Recycling
Recycling is key to the preservation of the world’s natural resources and it is also something that every child can actively participate in. Recycling can even be made into a game, as the child can compete to see how much they can recycle over a given time.
Common items that can be recycled include glass, paper, plastic and even clothes, and teaching children all the different recyclable items will mean that they are more likely to do it later on in their life.
As can be seen there are a number of ways in which kids can be encouraged to take part in saving of the world from environmental damage. All of the methods are geared towards providing them with the knowledge that will allow them to enter into adulthood with a good ability to care for the world by themselves.
This guest article was contributed by Jennifer Bell from Health Training Guide.
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