While mankind is suffering from the adversities of spread of COVID-19, nature is replenishing itself. The empty streets and less smoke from the factories are giving mother earth a time to refresh itself. Had mankind taken proper care of the earth and the co-owners of this planet, we would have never been forced to face this lockdown. Though we cannot undo what has already been done but one thing that we can do for sure is taking the remedial measures. The remedial measures that we can take now are making our children aware about the environment and what it demands of us. Making the thought process of the upcoming generation sensitive towards the need to mother earth is the only thing that can save mankind from suffering such an adversity in future.
1. Using water judiciously
Teaching children about use of water is vital to prevent wastage of water. Tell them how to prevent water from flowing uselessly by teaching them use of bucket to bathe, mugs to brush teeth and sprinklers to water plants in the backyard of your house. They need to learn that shortage of water causes drought which has adverse impact on the population. Make them aware about the prominence of local water restrictions and of following the guidelines.
2. Proper disposal of waste
Our household activities collectively results in production of diversity of waste types. While kitchen waste is compostable, plastic and paper can be recycled while other type of wastes can be incinerated. Tell the kids that proper disposal of waste is important in order to prevent environmental pollution. You need to practice yourself and at the same time teach children how to segregate waste at the initial level and then dispose it off accordingly. The simple task that kids have to follow is to determine what type of waste they have in hand and in which dust bin they are supposed to discard it. Teaching as well as learning this should not be a difficult task at all.
3. Judicious use of electricity
Teaching children about the fossil fuels and how these are over pressurised is a herculean task. However, teaching children about the ill effects of wasting electricity is easy. All that you need to tell children is that they need to use electricity and electrical devices only to an extend in which it is required. They should be taught to switch off the lights when they are not in the room or when they have an access to daylight. They ought to be taught to switch off the air conditioners and the heaters in case they are not using it. Other than this, you can teach them how to be energy efficient by telling them the importance of keeping doors shut while air conditioners and blowers are on.
4. Pampering the environment
Teach your kids that the way they like to be pampered, the environment likes to be pampered too. Make them aware that there are little steps that they can take in order to show respect towards the nature. Not littering the earth is one fine example of displaying your affection towards the nature. Apart from this, you can inculcate the habit of watering plants and not plucking flowers uselessly from the gardens. Also, you can arouse the interest of your children in kitchen gardens.
5. Impact of plastic on environment
You need to teach children that use of plastic has a detrimental impact on the health of the environment and thereby make them inclined towards staying away from things that are made up of plastic. Irrespective of how small your kids are, you need to tell them the difference between the virgin and the recycled plastic. Drift their habits towards use of sustainable options as well as the importance of using the sustainable resources.
We have always been taught about conservation and preservation of environment and its essential scarce resources. However, we have been too lenient at applying these in the real life for which we are paying heavily. Don’t let your kids repeat the same mistake, make them sensitive towards nature and its need so that nature does not set its reset button this way ever again.
