No one is born with ecological consciousness in his/her blood. It’s not something inherent, it is something you acquire. And it’s something that has to be infused at the human from his/her early years. From his/her childhood, where the foundations for human respect for the environment are set. How will the child gain ecological consciousness? Here are five ideas to manage it…
How the child will acquire ecological consciousness
Be the example
The first and simplest thing a child should learn early on is not to throw trash on the streets and sidewalks, but always in a trash or recycle bin. If you keep repeating it, he/she will learn to do it mechanically.
Recycling and daily habits
Explain to the child in simple terms what recycling is and what its benefits are for gradually starting to get into the right mindset. Everyday life is full of such opportunities. Ask the children to help you flush the empty recycling containers, remind them to close the tap when they brush their teeth, take them a multipurpose water tray they take to school and try to reduce the plastic you use at home.
Good mood and happiness are contagious
“Lessons” from the family
From infancy we can start talking to children in simple terms about environmental issues. As they grow older, add extra information and supplement what you tell them with things that each of us can do to protect the environment.
“Lesson” with fun
There is no need for ecological education to take the form of catechesis. A walk in nature is much more effective. Show them the trees, animals and plants you meet, talk to them about the food chain and let them admire the beauty that surrounds them. Take a garbage bag and gloves with you and gather all the trash you have on your ride.
Reading the book “Party Halibam”
Get books, movies and eco-friendly documentaries and look for events on environmental issues. Reading the right books, for example, a child can receive the right messages subconsciously. One such book is the “Party Halibam” by Cypriot writer Michalis Nikolaou.
It’s a teenage novel for kids of all ages, but also for adults who can enjoy it as … kids. It’s a novel about heroes that are animals.
But behind the animals it’s the behavior of people who lead the planet to destruction. A novel of ecological and environmental consciousness that concerns us all.
Throughout this book, the author attempts, in a comical way, to show how humans destroy the environment with their attitude toward animals and nature in general.
It is a book… food for thought and awareness. It is, in essence, a story of love for the animal kingdom, since we see that animals are those who accept the negative effects of human behavior.
In the book, animals are essentially humans, they are personalized and they have human characteristics. We see, in the end, how people with their behaviors lead to total destruction on the planet.
Party Halibam is available from Ostria Publications and you can find it (or order it) at any bookstore.
