Saturday, June 09, 2007

Putting an ECO on your Kid

Can it be possible to reduce the impact my child will have on the earth? This question deeply affected me when I became a new father. It demanded my attention. My values were strained at the idea of adding a new person on the earth to indulge in the already dwindling resources.

The past 50 years has seen an explosion in population increase like never before in our civilisation; mostly due to advances in modern medicine and health care, but also the extent of resource distribution. One hundred years ago, getting an orange from Florida or bananas from Costa Rica was very difficult. Our nutritional needs benefit from world-wide shipping of produce.

Having said that, one can say that a formidable ecological cause is to reduce the population of our species. Having less humans consuming could bring back a balance to the natural resources. This is all good, but the instinct to procreate runs deep within our genes. Complicating the situation.

Such a complex problem requires a lot of effort. I believe it is worth your effort to stick to your values and try as much as possible to find solutions. Remember that what you are aiming for is a better future. Isn’t this what child rearing is all about? So why stop at just their individual development and welfare, and work at leaving them an earth where clean air, clean water and bio-diversity are celebrated.

To begin this open discussion of possible solutions, we all have to work together. Traditional wisdom tells us how a village is needed to raise a child, therefore let us take this as our starting point. You are now part of my village and I part of yours.

Our village is working at raising a new generation who will eventually take over the village and continue on its traditions and values. Of course, our village needs to be a safe place and a place where play is learning. What aspects of being safe can be sustainable? What aspects of play can be sustainable?

With the overflow of goods and services surrounding us, it is imperative that each item be scanned for harmful components. Our village cannot handle too many chemicals and the less the better. Products are well-labeled in these times, examining them does not take any time. As well, find out how and where these goods came from, not only for your own education, but for the sake of other villages who battle similar poisons affecting their children.

Play encompasses many activities, but a significant impact are the toys that accumulate the toy box, which either have short product lives, or have very little value to learning and to the imagination. A simple investigation can supply answers of the impact and value of the toy in question. Every little thing counts. Your effort will not go unnoticed, the village demands it.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey! This is great. I have been thinking about this a lot and sometimes it feels a little discouraging as we try to make little steps to be enviro-friendly with composts and energy efficient products (to say the least)... and then there are the big shots who have their own agenda.

As for the electricity - excuse my ignorance, but isnt electricity ok since it is somewhat renewable?

10:50 PM  

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