Teaching the Pollution Solution: Instilling environmental compassion in children

Pollution has become a major problem, and these days, people are seeking solutions, tips and ideas to help keep our planet healthy.  How can we stop pollution from contaminating our water, air and land?  There are many simple steps we can take, both as individuals and as communities to help reduce our use of pollutants, and prevent environmental contamination.

One of the most important steps to preserving the environment for future generations is to make the time and commitment to teaching our children how we can stop pollution.  For instance, incorporating lesson plans, research, field trips or projects that offer realistic answers for how we can stop pollution into primary school curriculum’s, will ensure that our children develop the necessary respect and concern for the environment. 

As adults, parents and role models for our children, it is also important to demonstrate our own compassion for the environment by adopting daily behaviors and choices that can make a difference. Here is a list of simple, effective tips to teach children how we can stop pollution.

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Finding the Pollution Solution:  Simple tips to teach children how we can stop pollution.

1)    Practice what you preach.  Teach children that many chemicals in products such as pesticides, cleaning products, lawn and garden products can be harmful to the environment.  Demonstrate your commitment to the environment by purchasing and using only organic or chemical free products.  

2)    Don?t litter!  This tip is possibly the simplest solution to how we can stop pollution.  Avoid throwing trash such as, empty cans, bottle or wrappers onto the ground.  If you see an outdoor area where there is litter, set a good example by cleaning it up, and recycling any recyclable litter.

3)    Recycle as much as you can ? separate your trash into recyclables; paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard, etc for recycling collection.  Landfill space (where all our trash goes) is filling rapidly.  To avoid the future need to allocate precious, open land and natural habitats for landfill capacity, teach your children that much of what we throw away can be easily recycled.

4)    Never put any chemicals, soaps, or toxins down storm drains.  These storm drains wash into streams and rivers where fish, birds, and other animals will suffer the consequences.  Instead, dispose of any pollutants properly and safely.  Motor oil can be particularly damaging to the environment.  Always recycle your used motor oil and filters.  For a list of guidelines, regulations, and collection centers local to you, visit your town website or contact the administration officials at your town or city hall.

5)    Compost anything organic.  Composting is a great way to create new, organic, rich, healthy soil for your yard and garden, while preserving landfill space.  Dispose of vegetable peelings, fruit rinds, egg shells, leftovers, leave and yard waste clippings, in a compost container.  Many cities and towns issue these compost containers free of charge.