What do your DCs pester you about when it comes to being green? Tell Unilever for a chance to win a £300 voucher!NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

Unilever have asked us to find out what Mumsnetters’ DCs pester them about to make the world a greener place.

Here’s what Unilever say, “At Unilever, we believe there has never been a better time to create a better future for our children; a world where everyone has enough food to eat and no child goes to bed hungry; where everybody can enjoy life today while protecting the planet for future generations.

“If we all work together to take small actions every day that make a real difference, we can build a world where everyone lives well and lives sustainably.

“We think that children can help us see the possibilities for a bright future – with an optimistic viewpoint that says ‘why not’, the younger generation open our eyes to new, positive ways of living. But we know Mumsnetters’ are the experts…so we’d like to know what you think.”

We know that children are now being taught more about being environmentally friendly at school than perhaps the majority of us were. So, what are the things which your DCs pester you about when it comes to making the world a greener place? Perhaps it’s about splitting out all the recycling properly? Maybe they’ve decided to become a vegetarian and are convincing all of you to join them too? Or do they want to get their hands stuck in and have been hassling you about getting involved in some conservation volunteering? Whatever it is, we’d love to hear it!

Everyone who posts their tips on the thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

My kids are pretty good when it comes to green issues. They sort out the recycling, turn the taps off when brushing teeth, switch lights off when leaving an empty room, remind me to bring my boxes and bags when shopping and dd in particular likes to recycle or up cycle old stuff into new stuff as gifts.

DS is an invertebrate lover, so he always makes me rescue stray spiders/ladybirds/bees/snails. DD doesn't nag me exactly but she's very relaxed about me getting loads of her clothes from charity shops, which is quite good going for an image conscious 12 year old.

My girls love my collection of shopping bags so they always like to remind me to bring a few every time we go to the shops! They are also helpful with recycling and turning off gadgets as well.

Cache in,trash out...... It's a saying for geocachers. We do lots of geocaching and the idea is to take some rubbish away with you when out and about caching!

Helps keep the countryside cleaner

I'm the one pestering them. Mostly about being wasteful. DS1 is a one boy ecological disaster.

Grinning at the one boy ecological disaster as DS is the same, DD1 is pretty good and I hear her nagging reminding her brother about taps / lights etc. they both check what can go into recycling, what can be taken to school to be used in projects and what has to be thrown away

Dd (3) loves recycling. She's very passionate about sorting rubbish from recycling and tells me off when she sees me doing it wrong!!

She has her own mini long life bag from Tesco which we always have to take so it reminds me to take my bags as well.

She understands that rubbish on the ground can hurt wildlife. So we always carry ours til we find a bin. I fact she shouted at a perfect stranger a few weeks back who threw their crisp packet on the floor!! I was surprisingly proud after being terrified of a confrontation!

Ooooo, yes! Lights. She's fanatical about light switches lately as ours are set lower then standard and she can reach them so has started turning them off everywhere!!

Every time I go to throw something away DS1 will demand to know which bin I'm putting it in & has been known to check with DH if I'm doing it right. He's 3.

Walking rather than using the car - which would be great if they didn't start moaning 5 minutes later that they are tired, their legs hurt, are we there yet etc

Mine are very hot on recycling which is great. They certainly nag my parents. Also pretty good on walking and using public transport rather than the car. They think a bus is a treat!

DD is always checking which bin things go in - not sure it's yet an eco-crusade, but could very easily go that way in years to come!

They always want to walk/scoot to
school, even if it's not convenient (the 2 days a week I have to head straight on to a class 30 minutes drive away!).

The younger one is evangelical about turning the taps off while brushing teeth and nags his older brother about it. In fact he takes saving water a bit far, choosing not to wash his hands every time he goes for a wee as he is saving the planet (yuck!).

My children don't need to pester me but they are pretty good at reminding DH to recycle rather than bin stuff.

I get them to put the recycling from the kitchen into the outside bins and they are pretty good at sorting through their own lunchboxes, taking out rubbish, recycling and compost.

My son told me, 'if it's yellow, let it mellow' the other day . He must have picked it up from his time spent at his father's; I flushed the toilet.

We don't flush wees, the kids know we need to conserve water. So they will never leave the tap running while they brush their teeth or was their hands for instance. They love to sort the recycling and know to turn off lights when they leave a room.

The shouts of "Bicycle. ...More Bicycle" whenever she's told we are going anywhere

DD (4) is good at walking rather than using the car for short journeys. She understands about picking up litter, and recycling.

She is learning about switching lights off and is a keen charity shop buyer and donator.

My DD is fanatical about only using products that haven't been tested on animals. She knows it's a minefield because some products contain previously tested ingredients but she also understands that being on the right road is as important as getting it right all the time.

My DC has been fascinated with composting since taking part in some hands on gardening at school.
He learnt that small amounts of cardboard are good for worms in his compost heap, well I now go through twice as much loo roll!
If he spots any loo rolls nearly empty he tells me not to try and sneak it into the recycling box, and that the worms need it
In fairness the compost heap has never looked better, seems to be worm heaven.

Not sure how he will feel when I try to tip it onto the borders.

I'm usually telling them to take paper out of the normal bin. They are pretty aware though.
They've planted wildflowers and bee friendly plants, help me mix the compost, happy to eat vegetarian food many times a week and they are good at reusing stuff for junk modelling.

My eldest often tells my youngest to eat all his food up so that it's not wasted. And then finishes his brothers meals so as not to waste any food.

My DD is vey aware (age 7) most recently she's been educating me about the fat balls in London's sewers and I am banned from putting cooking oils down the sink. I've started saving the fat in and old jar to be disposed of through the bins instead. I'm proud that she cares and keen to show her that she can have an influence on our household habits in a good way

Its me always onto them to make sure things are in the right bins etc

My son loves to help organise the recycling and would never let me forget to do it

they claim that having a bath less often would be greener!