Twyla Schmal writes:
I am a single mom to three boys, ages 4, 8, and 11. Since they could walk, my boys have grown up knowing which compartment each recyclable goes into. There is no such thing as garbage in our house! We are all excited to feed our garden with compost and enjoy not having to clean our vegetables all summer.
The boys get terribly angry when they see food and products from other countries in our stores as well as the terrible amount of plastic wrap, cardboard, screws and wire used in packaging. Because my children have grown up in this environment, they know no other way (it is easy for children to accept; much harder for us adults to change).
My boys really understand the fact that others are not seeing what is happening and most of all, are doing so little to make a difference for their future. We use a clothesline almost year-round, power bars with light indicators to remind us to turn the energy suckers off; we practice water restriction, electronic restrictions and very rarely drive.
It is a lot of hard work and discipline dating back some 50 years. There is really no financial incentive; I still pay for garbage pick-up and am forced to drive my recycling 40Km to drop it off — too bad we can’t afford solar panels and wind power!
Other than the gratification we get from doing something right in our one little space on this earth, I wish that my children were supported more by other children. I challenge you Moms and Dads to make it easier for your kids’ futures. Tell them what is going on with the planet, offer them resources and tools to implement changes, and bring them up as Mother Earth’s Children and maybe they will be her saviour.
