The world is moving in a dangerous direction, and if we want our children to grow up into a natural world anything like our own, we need to act now. A warming globe and wasteful behaviour could threaten food stocks, increase extreme weather, lead to flooding, and destroy precious ecosystems.
Why do we at St. George’s Nursery need to be more sustainable?
Sustainability can be defined as ‘development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
At St. George’s, we’ve been working hard to think of lots of ways that we can act more eco-friendly. Why? Because we want to ensure that we are doing everything we can in order to help minimise the detrimental effects of certain human activities but more importantly we understand that the path to a more sustainable Earth will depend on how we educate the next generation. We want children to grow up with an understanding of how to look after the planet, and in turn, go on to influence others with their behaviour. The earlier you can teach these core principles, the better.
Children should be taught to respect and care for the world they live in from a young age, if they do, they are more likely to preserve it and consume more appropriately. This could help reduce the consumption of plastic in the future. One of the best ways for children to learn about the environment is to experience it.
Our aim is to empower our children, raise environmental awareness amongst parents, children and the wider community, and improve the overall school environment.
So what are we doing to help?
Our eco-committees, made up of both children and staff, have been learning about various topics such as biodiversity, energy, transport, water, waste and litter and have been implementing various new measures around the nursery.
From reducing waste and using more eco-friendly products, to conserving water and energy, we want to continue to educate ourselves and our children to lead healthier lives, make more mindful choices and protect the beautiful world in which we live.
How can parents help?
Help to reinforce what the children are learning at nursery – from recycling, reducing waste and reducing energy consumption to walking more/ taking more public transport to reduce our carbon footprint.
Wherever you live, take your child outside into nature, whether it is in a local park, or just outdoors, they can learn so much about nature from seeing it and being part of it. They need to understand that they have a shared responsibility to protect the animals and trees that they love so much.
“Looking after the world around us has never been more important than it is today. It’s up to us to take positive actions now so that future generations have a whole, healthy planet to grow up in.
But most importantly of all, we act as role models for your children, showing them how to look after the planet, teaching them about the living world and its precious resources, and fostering their love for nature.”
