In 2018, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg started School Strike for Climate — calling the Swedish government and the whole world to take action against environmental problems. Now, three years later, this has turned into a global movement that has many supporters from the scientific community, politicians, and celebrities. One of those climate issues is carbon footprint that includes various processes damaging to our environment, like using fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gasses.
By reducing your carbon footprint you can contribute to improve the conditions on the planet, as well as live a healthier life. More importantly, you don’t have to do it alone, but with your family and teach your children the importance of being environmentally responsible. Here are family-friendly ways to reduce carbon footprint and bond with one another while doing it.
Change your diet
Growing your food has many benefits and reducing carbon footprint is one of them. Gardening is a fun activity, ideal for the whole family to have quality time and create something together. Since meat and dairy have a considerable impact on carbon emissions, you can eat more veggies, beans, grains, and fruits from your garden.
Another way to help the planet is by supporting local farmers which will reduce the necessity to import and transport food to your stores from other places. Reducing food waste is also a big deal, so freeze and reuse leftovers, but also turn them into compost to fertilize your garden.
Also, read: This Is The Only Carbon Negative Country That Measures Gross National Happiness Index
Switch to laptops
Since it’s almost impossible to imagine our days without a computer, opt for an energy-friendly option — laptops. Unlike desktop computers, they use less energy since they have a battery that you charge and then unplug them from the electrical socket. Moreover, you can take a laptop anywhere with you, so you and the kids can watch movies under the homemade teepee together, for example. When choosing a laptop brand, opt for an environmentally responsible company to support their efforts to reduce carbon footprint.
Be mindful with your clothes
Persuading your kids that sustainable clothes can be equally fashionable can be quite a task when you have teenagers, but it’s not impossible. Vintage clothes are one of the biggest trends in fashion right now, with even celebrities visiting thrift stores, like Shailene Woodley. By reusing clothes, you contribute to producing fewer new items that need a lot of resources to manufacture.
Furthermore, you can buy clothes made from sustainable fabrics, like recycled cotton, organic linen, and Tencel. Lastly, instead of throwing your clothes away, you can donate them or send them to be recycled and reused.
Choose paperless options
Yes, paper is recyclable. However, it’s made from trees and that production requires lots of water and energy. It’s impossible to go paperless completely, but you can have your bills delivered to your email, as well as read magazines and papers online. A bidet is a healthier and sustainable replacement for toilet paper, not to mention kids will love it.
Switch to already available resources, for example — make reminders, notes, and lists on your phone, leave messages on the chalkboard or with fridge magnets. This is something you can learn from your kids so let them show you how to be paperless and still keep records of everything.
Be responsible about energy and water
When it comes to conserving water, you can start by collecting rainwater to irrigate your garden or wash a car. Replace a bathtub with a shower to spend less water which is also a bill-friendly option for a family budget. In addition, take quick and short showers, but also switch to eco-friendly shower gels, soaps, shampoos, and other products.
The same goes for energy use. Since kids learn by example, teach them the importance to turn off unnecessary lights and devices. While most new devices are energy-efficient, you still can do a lot to prevent waste of energy.
Adopt sustainable ways of transportation
Cycling and walking can make a big difference to carbon emissions since cars, public transportations, and other vehicles greatly contribute to the greenhouse effect. Children may not be eager to give up the commodity of being driven to school, so show them the beauty of sustainable travel. Get kids bikes and go riding together around the city to teach them the rules and how to behave among traffic and pedestrians.
In case you have to use a car, see if you can switch to an electric model or at least a hybrid. You can make arrangements with other parents and take shifts to drive all the kids to school. If the school is too far away to cycle or walk, talk to the school or your district to provide a bus that will pick up kids and take them to classes.
Start carrying reusable bags
Reusable bags have become a trend of their own and you can often see people carrying them on the streets of big fashion cities, like New York, Paris, and Milan. While they may not be safe for personal belongings, they are perfect for shopping, carrying school books, and anything that you would usually pack in plastic bags.
Cotton, hemp, and jute are natural and biodegradable fabrics that are commonly used to make green reusable bags. Woven and non-woven polypropylene bags are also considered sustainable since they can be fully recycled.
Stop using plastic
According to predictions, there will be more plastics than fish in the world by 2050. Plastic is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse emissions and you should replace everything made from it with eco-friendly options. For example, buy every family member aluminum water bottles and food containers. Furthermore, instead of buying beverages in plastic bottles, you can use a home filtration system that will give you clean and drinkable tap water. There are many companies that have changed their materials, for example, they have started using sustainable custom cannabis packaging that won’t harm the environment.
Declutter your home from plastic with your kids by turning it into an adventure, like a treasure hunt. Look for single-use straws, plastic Tupperware, plastic laundry pegs, and other non-green items that you can send to recycle. If you ever wanted to inspire your kids to stop chewing gum, this may be the moment, since these treats are made of plastic too.
In conclusion
These family-friendly ways can be a good start to reduce carbon footprint and help lower the climate change problems we witness today. Not only will it be good for the human race, but every living entity on the planet and prevent them from going extinct. Politicians, environmentalists, and other decision-makers are not the ones that will change the world, but rather ordinary people and their families.