We all know that our hard work trying to save the planet doesn't do any good unless we can get the next generation to buy in on the importance of living a sustainable lifestyle. The One Small Change challenge was initiated with the next generation in mind and none of these changes mean anything in the long term unless our children will accept the challenge and pass it on. Suzy chose the picture of our daughter holding a doll to be the image associated with this challenge. That image symbolizes our child caring for her child (although imaginary at this time) in a way that passes our beliefs on to future generations.So what are we doing to bring the kids into this challenge to be green? Well, we have always been an outdoorsy family. We love nature. We hike, hang out at the river, go camping, and spend weekends enjoying the nearby mountains. I've always assumed that my children would grow up loving nature and therefore would be good stewards for Mother Earth but this challenge really has brought the discussion to the forefront.
We have taken our children to the Landfill to discuss where our waste goes. We have talked about how composting works and how valuable the nutrients are to our soil. We have discussed the long term effects of buying plastics and packaging that doesn't recycle or compost. We have even spent an afternoon hanging out by the river discussing the importance of clean water and how we can reduce how much we use to ensure there is enough water for everyone to use and plenty more for the fish to enjoy.
I truly believe that there is no greater gift I can give my children than the love of nature and how to care for it. I also believe that there is nothing more important for me to leave behind in this world than two little girls who have the potential to carry the things I have taught them on to make a much larger impact.
There is nothing small about changing the way we teach the next generation about energy, waste, natural resources, and the Earth. In fact this could create the largest impact of all. So please join us in educating the next generation to take our small changes to the next level.
~Andy
Andy Hawbaker is a lover of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, father of two daughters, and co-owner of Hip Mountain Mama.
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