Teaching children how to live sustainably includes teaching them how to reduce waste, conserve energy, care for what they have, and how to reuse or safely dispose of items they no longer need. 

Here are some simple ideas you can do: 

Reduce 

• Try to stop optimizing everything for convenience. When everything is instant (snacks, toys, etc.), consumption increases without much notice
• Practice turning off lights and water when not in use
• Grow herbs or vegetables, even a small indoor or porch garden works
• Let them help plan meals using what you already have at home
• Choose open-ended, long-lasting toys and talk about caring for them
• Bring them along when shopping and talk about choices (local, less packaging, reusable)
• Teach them to ask if they need something or if they just want it. You can follow up with how long they plan to use it
  • Another approach is that you can create a 'waiting list', where you can revisit a desired item after a few days to see if they still want it
    
• Try to avoid solving problems with purchases

Reuse 

• Rotate toys instead of buying new ones
  
• Talk about rewearing clothes before washing (how to tell when something needs to be washed vs. when it can be reworn) 
• Teach older children how to repair clothing 
• Let them carry reusable bags

Recycle 

• Let them help sort recycling vs. trash (make it a game!)
  
• Compost food scraps together (show what can/can’t go in)
  
• Involve them in passing down or donating clothing and toy items
• Use recyclables for crafts (boxes, jars, paper rolls) and create a 'reuse bin' for art supplies

Have an activity you'd like share? Tell us in the comments!