Teaching Kids about Responsible Consumption & Production

Parents, you’re living an eco-friendly lifestyle already, but are your kids on board with it too? Today, I’m teaming up with Thomas & Friends™ to help parents teach their kids how to cut waste by recycling and reusing. Teaching Kids about Responsible Consumption & Production is a sponsored post by Mattel.

As a parent myself, I feel like I’ve done a great job teaching my son about the responsibilities of recycling. Not only does he contribute to the recycling bin, but he also comes up with his recycling projects using things around the house. It’s much better than sitting in front of the TV playing Xbox. We do have a ways to go, as I’m still trying to convince him that our environment needs more of our help in other ways.

Responsible Consumption & Production

Follow along with Thomas and me while we help explain how crucial responsible consumption & production is to our environment and our children’s future.

What is Responsible Consumption and Production?

It involves using resources efficiently, considering ecosystem services that are key to making a living, and reducing the impact of dangerous chemicals. That’s the short version.

Why do we need to teach our kids about Responsible Consumption and Production?

Responsible or sustainable consumption is necessary to reduce the negative impact on the climate, environment, and people’s health. Our environment will be in lousy shape soon if we don’t do our part. We don’t want materials in our oceans, rivers, or lakes.

Parents, we must instill into our kids that our environment can’t survive without our help. We must do our part to save it by recycling, reusing, and reducing it. The more kids know about taking care of the environment where they live and as a whole, the better their future will be. In the long run, we want our kids to be global citizens who care about our planet.

Check out Thomas & Friends All Aboard for Global Goals.

A Recycled Telescope Project

Above is my son’s recycled project that he thought of all on his own. He used a piece of cardboard that came in a box from something we ordered. Then he started collecting toilet tissue rolls to slide over the cardboard. This kid (8 years old) was so excited and couldn’t wait to show his dad and me what he had made. This is Brody’s Recycled Telescope – complete with a see-through lens. Pretty cool, uh?

How can we teach our kids Responsible Consumption & Production?

First, explain again what will happen to our environment if we don’t do anything about it.

Second, we must set an example for recycling at home and reusing items ourselves before teaching our kids.

Third, we must genuinely care for ourselves and be consistent with our efforts. Doing so will teach them responsibility, social development, creativity, and problem-solving techniques.

Try these conversation starters with your kids:

What kinds of things do people throw away?
How can we reuse things at home?
What can we make from recycled materials?
What happens to all the waste?
Should we throw away old toys? What should we do with them?

Recycling starts at home.

Get a recycling bin or participate in your neighborhood recycling program. Recycle everything you can – paper, plastic, cardboard, cans, milk cartons, toilet tissue & paper towel rolls, water bottles, etc. We started small, and now I make sure I recycle everything, but I also clean out all recycled materials before putting them in the recycling box in the kitchen. It’s a big deal at my house now.

Remember, parents – it starts with us, and before you know it, responsible consumption will be part of your family’s everyday life.

This video by Thomas & Friends does a remarkable job of explaining Responsible Consumption through reusing, repairing, and recycling. Let your kids watch it with you.

Let’s do our part by teaching kids about Responsible Consumption & Production and simultaneously taking care of our environment!

Teaching Kids about Responsible Consumption & Production is vital to our environment.

Teaching Kids about Responsible Consumption & Production