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Three R’s of Sustainability: Reduce, reuse, and recycle

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Teaching children about the environment and understanding how it works is an opportunity to also teach them about sustainability.

Written by: Jo Harris Educational Advisor  

Understanding the environment

Children are innately curious about the world they live in and will freely ask questions or observe what is happening around them. They have an affinity and acceptance of the awesome power of nature. Teaching children about the environment and understanding how it works is an opportunity to also teach them about sustainability.

As confronting as it may seem, and in our efforts to keep the focus positive, there will be occasions to share with children how humans impact the environment, there is also inherent value in teaching what can be done to protect it. 

Three R’s of Sustainability Reduce, reuse, and recycle

Some of the simplest, but most practical choices we can make are to reduce, reuse and recycle. These are practices that children can learn about through their own participation. Providing children with planned experiences which include elements of these principles means that their understanding of sustainability could lead to developing lifelong habits and dispositions when it comes to caring for the environment.

Children’s sense of agency is supported when they make choices that reflect their individual needs. Recognising how they can reduce waste, reuse materials, and recycle items, children can learn the importance of reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling items instead of throwing them away.

Reading books as a large group on a recycled mat can draw a greater emphasis on learning about sustainability in action; as children learn how resources can be reimagined into new products instead of going to waste. Storing items in recycled trays and baskets made from discarded materials allows children to gain another perspective on how people live and work.

Uncovering the Power of Utilities

It can be easy to take for granted that we have electricity available at all times from an uninterrupted supply source.  Little actions such as turning lights and appliances off demonstrate to children skills such as energy conservation.

Just as we must be mindful of our water usage, there are daily activities in which children can play their part. Watering gardens with recycled rainwater, remembering to turn off the bathroom taps after use, or using a personal drink bottle to consume water from are all small but powerful actions.

Grow your Own for the Greater Good

Setting up a Vegepod or vegetable garden to plant and grow food is one of the most rewarding activities to do with children. Learning how to compost food waste or using worm farms are other important sustainability life skills for children to learn. When children see the process they become more invested in the process and are more often willing to try what they have grown.

Giving Things a New Lease of Life

Many of Bellbird's resources are made from recyclable bioplastics produced from sugar cane that are 100% renewable. Purchasing items that have had a previous life and sharing them with children can inspire and encourage children with their future dreams and visions.

Learning how they are made by completing puzzles and reading factual books supports their interest and understanding and could make for interesting learning provocations for individual children and larger groups.

For more ideas and inspiration on how to implement child-friendly sustainable skills with young learners, visit bellbird.com.au

 

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