10 Green Commitments
to ensure a more
Sustainable World for our Children
Understanding why we have climate change and how we can solve it.
It starts with us!
Educate our young to love the earth
Our cities have separated us from the earth. We need to educate our young to know where our food comes from; to bond with the soil; to walk barefoot; to understand our impact (or footprint) on the earth and to treasure the earth’s flora, fauna, land and sea.
Parents living in cities could consider taking their children to parks, the sea, forests, mountains, lakes and game parks if and when possible. Perhaps mobiles and earphones should be left at home, so that the fresh air and tranquil atmosphere of natural surroundings can be fully appreciated. Children can get their hands dirty by helping in the garden. Try planting some vegetables, or perhaps a fruit or indigenous tree. Play station games may be fun but try and balance technology with fun in the sun. Avoid buying pellet guns if they will be used to kill birds.
Feed your child’s curiosity by having a few picture books that show the wonders and treasures of your country and the world. Getting our children to appreciate nature is fundamental to getting the right balance between development and the protection of nature. This is because the many poor environmental decisions made over many years have been made by people who put profit first. They do not understand the importance of nature to sustaining all life on earth and are either ignorant of the consequences or choose to ignore them. A primary reason for this indifference is that they grew up in sterile cities divorced from nature and intoxicated with technology. A child who enjoyed climbing trees and playing in a tree house would probably cherish our natural heritage.
School curriculums should be adjusted to include more formal education in the natural life sciences and spirituality. The green revolution will create many jobs and our children must be capable of harnessing these benefits. Most schools in New Zealand are doing a sterling job of promoting environmental awareness among our youth. We should promote the values of substance and intrinsic beauty over appearance, superficiality, infatuation with technology and instant gratification.
