Children who think green

One of the threats facing the planet at the moment is the negative impact of human activities on the environment.

The air faces significant pollution just from the burning of fossil fuels from vehicles. The further release of gases from the exhaust of vehicles which are not road-worthy even complicates this matter.

Open dumping of refuse, open defecation and the recent menace of galamsey continue to be a source of pollution to our water bodies – the same water bodies that feed our surface water supply ending up in our homes.

Rural-urban migration continues unabated, with more trees being chopped and forests being invaded just to make way for sprouting shops and homes – even Ramsar sites are not spared.

The world has not been spared the effects of climate change, which has resulted in seasonal variability of weather patterns and extreme weather events. The consequences are damning and have resulted in the loss of lives and livelihoods in many places.

Resilient children

As these environmental issues make headlines and call for global action, it is important to also consider raising resilient children who understand the times and seasons.
Children who think green are tomorrow’s leaders, who understand sustainable choices and practices because they have a sense of environmental responsibility.

We must start them off from an early age by setting good examples in our homes, schools, communities and nations that they can learn from. As they say, children are great imitators and must be given great things to imitate.

When the adults around these children make eco-friendly choices, such as properly disposing of plastics or buying locally grown produce, children can be inspired to do the same by modelling such sustainable behaviour.

Awareness

Some years ago, a television programme, “Watch These Things”, was one that created the much-needed environmental awareness. It became a must-watch programme over time because people were caught on camera perpetrating detrimental acts to the environment.

The role of the media as the Fourth Estate held the general public so accountable that people were conscious of their behaviour in town. Such educative programmes must be encouraged.

By introducing children to documentaries, cartoons (like Mighty Joo) and books that raise environmental consciousness, we can help them understand the environment and its importance at an early age. Taking proactive actions to protect it will, therefore, happen effortlessly.

The love for nature must be nurtured in the classroom and beyond by introducing children to natural reserves, such as the Aburi Gardens. Helping them understand the need to protect the plants and animals in these spaces will develop in them the desire to protect biodiversity.

Tree planting exercises should not be limited to the month of June. Children should be encouraged to practically involve themselves in gardening and tree planting in more innovative ways all year round.

This single act has many benefits. It has even been proven that children who have the opportunity to care for plants (and even pets) turn out to be very empathetic.
Conversations at home must include the conservation of resources such as electricity and avoiding waste.

Actions as small as turning off lights and electrical appliances when leaving the room or choosing energy-efficient light bulbs are green choices that we must introduce them to.

Children must be empowered to take action by encouraging them to address environmental issues that bother them from an ecological point of view.

For instance, encouraging them to write letters to their Member of Parliament about an issue or mobilising friends to clean up a refuse dump are all ways by which children can be made to feel that they are capable of contributing positively to the society in which they are members.

The writer is a Child Development Expert/ Fellow at Zero-to-three Academy, USA.
E-mail: nanaesi_19@yahoo.co.uk