So many children today don’t see to know much about our environment or even care.  They would rather play the latest video game than learn how they can help save the Earth and her resources.  If you start teaching your child about his or her environment early enough, they will learn to care as they grow older.

The first step to raising an eco friendly child is to make sure you practice what you preach.  If you tell your child to respect the environment, but you don’t do it yourself, it won’t do much good.  Children learn much of what they know simply by noticing what we do.  You don’t have to do anything outrageous.  Just simple steps such as recycling will help.  As your child grows up seeing you do things like that, it will be second nature to them when they grow up.  You can also use environmentally friendly products.  Check to see if there are any organizations that you can join in your town that are concerned about protecting the environment.

As you get involved in protecting our environment, begin to involve your child.  They can start by putting recyclables in the bin.  Most toddlers love helping mommy or daddy like that, so be sure to praise them for all their help.  You can have them help you as you build a compost pile.  Let them help you pick out organic products at the grocery store.  Even if you just have them help you pick up trash from your neighborhood, you are setting a good example that they will learn.

Do not forget to teach them about our environment as well.  They are never too young to start learning.  Take your child to a local zoo or nature center.  These usually have experts who offer education classes for children on how to protect the environment and endangered species.  Their little minds will soak up all this information like sponge.

Once your child gets a bit older, get involved in volunteering and have them help you.  Many organizations have volunteer position for teens and young adults.  Start simply with your family, but as your child grows, get them involved in the community.  They will enjoy meeting other teens who share their interest in environmental issues.

The most important thing is to start early and continue to show your child how to help the environment.  As they age, get them involved in their community.  They will learn to be a good citizen and that is something they will take with them their entire lives.