How to Reduce Waste and Use Less Plastic with Kids at Home
How to Reduce Waste and Use Less Plastic with Kids at Home
Author: Team Grove
Children are our future. They’re also voracious little consumers — and waste from toys, snacks, crafts, and more can quickly pile up. If we envision a thriving, habitable earth for them to cherish as they grow, it’s essential to instill earth-friendly habits early on, including reducing waste in everyday life.
So where to begin? A great start is fostering a love for nature, wildlife, and the interconnectedness of all life. When kids develop a true appreciation for something, protecting it becomes instinctive. On your next hike, pick up any trash you see along the way and point out the difference you’re making on the wildlife around you. Grow herbs or vegetables on a windowsill or in a small garden to demonstrate that delicious, healthy food comes from the soil and our willingness to tend to it. You can also introduce eco-friendly options at home, emphasizing their positive impact on the environment rather than choosing plastic. By teaching children with these small, mindful practices, we empower them to protect the planet and shape their relationship with plastic from an early age.
Here are other specific ways we can reduce our plastic consumption in the home
Switch to bulk snacks and reusable containers
Every parent's bag is filled with snacks to tide kids over throughout the day. Instead of buying individual servings that come in disposable packaging, we can opt for bulk quantities and reusable containers. And trust us, there are so many easy options when it comes to the latter that are washable, sturdy, and easily transportable. Plan a trip to the farmer’s market or bulk bin section at your local co-op and bring your reusable containers along.
Teach kids to take care of their possessions and shop second-hand
To make playtime more sustainable, teach kids to manage their toy collections thoughtfully. Toys can quickly pile up, creating clutter, but organizing with colorful, non-plastic storage bins can help them keep track of and appreciate what they have. As they get older, encourage donating outgrown toys as a holiday tradition. And at the same time, when at donation sites, consider shopping second-hand for toys and clothes to foster a communal understanding of the things we use.
Reduce waste in the bathroom
Bathtime for kids often involves a smattering of plastic bottles for bubble bath, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner, but switching to eco-friendly packaging and plant-based products can make it safer for both children and the environment.
Shampoo and conditioner bars, often wrapped in recyclable paper, lather just as well as regular shampoo, while soap bars save bath space and are also easier for little hands, which can help encourage kids to bathe themselves.
Bamboo toothbrushes are a great durable alternative to the traditional plastic ones, and you can skip the plastic toothpaste tube too! Chewable toothpaste tablets give littles ones the option to just chew the tablet, then brush with a wet toothbrush for a fresh clean, and most tablets come in aluminum or paper packaging.
For even more low-waste options, try concentrated or refillable foaming hand soap, shampoo, and bubble bath, to minimize packaging in the home.
Practice sustainable habits like reusing and recycling
Turn everyday trips to the trash or recycling bin into teaching moments, guiding kids to minimize waste at home. Introduce eco-friendly practices like reusing towels to save water and energy. You can also add hooks in the bathroom for easy hanging and normalizing wearing clothes for more than once before throwing them in the laundry hamper. Swap out paper towels for Swedish dish cloths that can be washed again and again. Lastly, teach them to repurpose old peanut butter jars and food containers for crafts and storage. Make a game out of collecting reusable items each week and brainstorming art projects you can do with what you collect. By teaching these habits early, we can teach children the good we can do for our planet, beginning with our homes.
