Talking About Green

Levels of environmental awareness have certainly increased in recent years. More and more people are thinking about the way in which their actions may have an impact upon their surroundings.

This increased level of awareness should not come as any great surprise. With issues surrounding climate change, in particular, receiving more media coverage, people of all ages are taking an interest in the environment.

But the information that’s available can also become bewildering. We may wonder what actions we should take. What can we do to make the situation better?

We may also want to keep our children informed. We know that actions that we take today could have serious consequences for our own kids and for generations to come. It makes sense that we should want our children to be involved in caring for the environment. But it’s also important that we try and make sure that we teach them in an enjoyable way.

Parents know that boring a child is a great way to make them want to do something else. So we don’t want to bore them with environmental issues. This gives us something of a challenge. How can we demonstrate that a greener lifestyle isn’t a duller lifestyle?

If we’re trying to cut down on international travel, eating foods that are grown closer to home, using the car less and maybe having a vegetarian diet, then it may seem like things will inevitably become somewhat less interesting. But this is only a matter of perspective.

Cutting down on international travel, for instance, is a good way of ensuring that we’re not responsible for increasing airline emissions. But it also presents us with opportunities. It allows us, for example, to spend more time exploring the area closer to home. You’ll be amazed at how many great days out you can plan within a shorter distance of your home. More importantly, you’ll also have the chance to amaze your kids!

If you’re worried about air freight then it does make sense to avoid buying some food products that are produced thousands of miles away. But, once again, this can be seen as an opportunity.

Rather than concentrating on what you’re missing out on, why not focus on the great benefits that will now arise? In particular, there’s no reason why growing your own fruit and vegetables can’t be a great experience. Indeed, it’s far more rewarding than a trip to the supermarket!

Spending more time using a bicycle, or walking, can also be incredibly rewarding. A car is, by its nature, restricted to using roads. If you choose to travel on foot, by contrast, you’ll have the opportunity to explore some great rural locations.

Why not plan a picnic in the countryside? You could walk, or cycle, to the picnic spot and enjoy eating fruit and vegetables that were grown in your own garden. That’s what living a greener lifestyle is all about.

It’s not about having less fun. In fact, it can be about the exact opposite. A green lifestyle should mean being happy, as well as being kind to the environment.

Simon Barnett writes extensively on environmental issues. He’s also always keen to track down discount codes that allow consumers to buy green goods for less online.