To ask what you're doing to 'save the Earth'

[mrsgrimbots]

My DS6 is a really sweet boy, hugely empathic, emotional, etc... and has had a bee in his bonnet about saving the Earth since his school had a non uniform day to raise money for the Australia fire relief.

He wants me to stop using the car and god forbid if I leave it running a second longer than needs be.

Today his last words to me as he went into school were....

'mum come up with a plan today of how we can save our world. We have to do something'

So of course, I'm putting it to the mumsnet community because I need ideas I can pass off as my own later you're always full of the best ideas ... what small or big actions/sacrifices/changes have you made to 'save the world'?

Easy things to do are;

Bar soap/shampoo Evan Sainsbury's now have shampoo bars.
Wooden toothbrushes
Wash on lower temps
Try to buy local foods in season if possible.
Local holidays
Charity shops for clothes/toys/books
Well insulated house (you can just show him loft insulation or double glazing and explain)
Don't buy drinks in plastic bottles, take water bottles out.
Metal straws
Reduce meat consumption.
Most delis/butchers even the supermarket ones will put food into your containers to reduce single use plastic.
Actually remember to take reusable bags with you!
Walk or use public transport when possible.
Many areas still have milkmen who offer glass bottles or there are often places you can refill milk bottles from a dispenser to cut down on plastic.

If every family made just a few small changes then surely the cumulative impact would be pretty big!

@corythatwas

My post wasn't dismissive. It reflects if one is serious about making changes then there will be sacrifices.

HTH

I don't allow myself to be preached to by children. It's cute if it's yours but to me it's just twee showing off.

For small actions with big hit

Turn the heating down a little, 1degree
Walk when you can...ideally any trip less than a couple of miles
Switch to eg oat milk and decrease meat consumption, eg one less meat containing dinner a week
Avoid flying on holidays, say once every two years

Only buy to replace things broken beyond repair.

Write to your MP.. ask about plans for more public transport , or plans to improve recycling , eg returnable bottles

when your children talk sense, supporting them seems like a great idea

@VeniVidiWeeWee but telling them no holidays and no presents isn't supportive, it's dismissive and punishing.

Thinking about what type of presents and holiday would be completely different.

My post wasn't dismissive. It reflects if one is serious about making changes then there will be sacrifices.

I think that is a bit much to tell a 6-year old. Birthdays are huge things at that age. Why suggest that they have to start at a level that may well seem unsurmountable?

Even for adults, I think there is a massive problem with "I am not prepared for the ultimate sacrifice so I'm not going to bother about changing anything".

This is not a religion, it's about practicalities.

SarahLou I'm going to adopt many of the ideas and I don't patronise him at all, he's absolutely amazing! I actually believe we need more kids like him as I have no doubt he will do what he can to make positive changes. He's always been a deep thinker and cares about EVERYTHING. We've had tears for bugs that his friends have stamped on and I understand his sadness because I'm the same, I hate anything like that too so I'm sure we will find a way to make some changes together especially with all these fab ideas!

So we already recycle and we talk about why we don't throw litter because of the environment and the animals etc

I really like the idea of not buying fast fashion, we could definitely walk more and have a meat free day once per week as a start. Composting is also something I don't do but we could do that.

I'm not anti vegan but I'm not sure I could live on a vegan diet, or even a vegetarian diet. Its probably hypocritical to not like the thought of the animals suffering and to still eat meat... be interesting to know how people transitioned to a vegetation diet after eating meat for most of their life.

As for the car, I don't leave it running! He just literally shouts 'turn off the car mum' the second I park

Thanks for all the great ideas, I'm going to write them all down in a long list and go through it with him after school... I'll let him decide what he wants to do. I'm sure he will pick many.

@Avelinebread I don't see it as preaching as he's only 6 and genuinely worried about the Earth and the animals. However I do also have a 12 year old DS who thinks I was born yesterday so I know what you mean

I've just switched to a vegan diet this week! So far so good, there's so much stuff in supermarkets now that shopping for it was easier than I thought. I'm also lucky to have a package free store nearby so I can take bottles aNd jars to fill up rather than buying new

@Emmagen I totally agree, if everyone made changes then the impact could be huge. I never understand how people can be so ignorant throwing their rubbish out their car windows etc 🤷‍♀️ some people, and I think it's a lot people really don't give a shit

My DD10 said 'it's only one plastic straw, said 7 billion people' (something she heard on tik toc) but I thought it's actually a really powerful statement

With regards to meat, just eating less would make an impact. Do you have it every day? Could you make a conscious effort to have 1/2 meat free days a week

It's absolutely possible to switch to a vegetarian or even vegan diet, most people are brought up eating meat and make the transition as adults or teenagers. These days it's so easy as there are many substitutes available. It's one of the biggest things you could do as a family to help the environment. I went vegan overnight from an omnivorous diet and it's been almost 5 years now. Your son sounds very kind and thoughtful, and so do you.

#wokekids

We've made lots of little changes at home over the last couple of years and the kids are really invested in it.

Take refillable bottles out with you
Take your own coffee cup out with you
Buy second hand where you can
Switch to bar soaps instead of handwash/shower gel/shampoo
Compost
Look into terracycle, lots of schemes to recycle things that you can't recycle kerbside (e.g. crisp packets, toothpaste tubes, baby food pouches)
Use washable kitchen towels instead of kitchen roll
We make our own yoghurt (they eat gallons of the stuff, so making our own and using resusable tubs has massively cut down on plastic waste)
I buy as much as I can from local bulk store (pasta, washing up liquid etc, fabric softener)
We also have milk delivered in glass bottles which we return.

I think that is a bit much to tell a 6-year old. Birthdays are huge things at that age. Why suggest that they have to start at a level that may well seem unsurmountable?

So you don't think sacrifices have to be made? That we can carry on consuming as we are?

women- reusable padss/cups
reuse where possible
recycle where possible
reduce "stuff" bought ( the impulse crappy tat!)
cut the un necessary car uses (walk the mile to the shop)
switch to more eco friendly alternatives eg bamboo toothbrush, soap/ shampoo bars, zero waste shops?
grow your own, even if its just cress

its a bit mean about the no present thing, cant the present just change?? so instead if plastic tat, see what hed like instead? a reusable insulated mug if likes hot drinks, lunchbox tin instead of plastic ?

I`d just go with it and make it an eco friendly birthday! recyclable decorations or whatever, homemade cake.....

VeniVidi you’re being deliberately obtuse. Corythatwas (and indeed all other posters) have suggested practical, sensible solutions. There’s no need to cancel birthdays but, for example, ask for gifts of charity donations (eg to a rainforest preservation charity) instead of toys. Have a party in the forest, which could include activities like making bird feeders, instead of at a soft play. Etc.

OP, switching to a veggie diet is very easy. But actually the carbon footprint of a veggie diet is about the same as a white meat eating diet (probably because most veggies rely quite heavily on dairy). So you’re best either cutting out red meat or going entirely vegan.

Buy second hand books/clothes/toys etc. Declutter unwanted items, so that someone else can enjoy them before they become obsolete/unfashionable.

Turn the central heating down so it's background level. Wear jumpers/gilets/wristwarmers. Invest in loft insulation, double glazing, draught excluders... the payback is much quicker than leaving it in a savings account.

Take meter readings every morning... aim to decrease it each day.

Grow your own veg and fruit. Get an allotment or join a community growing scheme if you don't have a garden.

Go on a community family tree planting day.

Eat a local, seasonal diet that's a balance of meat and veg. Children need animal products to physically and intellectually thrive. Many vegan kids have failure to thrive, look gaunt and have weak teeth and bones. (Lots of sad ex-vegan narratives of longterm deficiencies coming through now on youtube/instagram etc). Try to buy from independent shops, market stalls or community co-op schemes, rather than supermarkets. Also look out for zero waste shops, where you can buy your shampoo, washing up liquid etc in refillable bottles and dry goods in your own tubs. Take your own tupperware to the butchers to save on packaging.

Don't buy bottles of soft drinks. Kids only need water and milk, unless it's a birthday party/Christmas etc. Adults also tea/coffee.

Don't buy industrially processed food like seed oils, sugar, snack food etc. Think of all the land and destruction of habitats required for huge food factories, distribution centres, logistics parks, packaging manufacture, high tech machinery etc required for complex food products. Snack on simple things like fruit, nuts, local cheese etc.

Walk or cycle only for shortish distances.

Don't fly on holiday.

I went vegan
Swapped to a menstrual cup
Swapped to bar soap
Try not to buy plastics
Holiday in UK so not flying
Make my own deodorant, makeup remover, body lotion
Changed to eco friendly cleaning products
Use reusable gift bags instead of wrapping paper and ribbon instead of sellotape

Going vegan makes a massive difference. Or you could go dairy free and have 2-3 meat free days a week.

I forgot I also use bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste that comes in jars
Use foil instead of cling film (or use soy wax wraps)

My 6 year old is very similar. I try to bring it to his level and make it things he can be responsible for. He sorts out the recycling. We walk whenever we can. We have reusable bottles and coffee mugs. It's his job to turn off lights etc.

I've just bought him this book as well so he can do his own research and make his own decisions...

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1780555881?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

We buy food in season and nearly always buy British produce, if that's not available we buy from as close as possible.
Minimal heating use.
We buy drinks in glass not plastic bottles and recycle everything.
I don't think we do enough though.

Oh, I forgot, we use Splosh for refillable toiletries and cleaning products, bamboo toothbrushes not plastic and who gives a crap for bamboo toilet paper

I use my local fruit and veg shop so when i buy fruit and veg it's without plastic packaging, i use my local butchers too and everything there is wrapped in paper so no plastic also shopping locally i very very rarely use my car anymore.

My washing machine is half full but i am not washing anything until the machine's full i also only wash on eco setting