Kids and climate change

Even if you’re not too keen on the idea of your child going on strike from school, here are some simple steps we can all be taking within our own homes to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce our impact on the environment. They’ve been devised by broadcaster, passionate environmentalist and parent Michaela Strachan, together with Smart Energy GB.

1. Eating less meat is one easy way you can help the environment. Why not try having a veggie meal once a week, which you can cook together with the children?

2. Grow your own vegetables for your meals with an indoor hydroponic kit – these do-it-at-home sets let you grow seasonal plants all year round and help save on plastic packaging, chemical pesticides, food miles and waste.

3. Request a smart meter from your energy supplier at no extra cost. The handy in-home display shows your energy use in pounds and pence in near real time, which is a great way to bring the concept of energy use (and cost) into sharp focus for your children. Show them the display before and after they play their computer games to give them an understanding of how much energy it takes to power our everyday lives.

4. Fast fashion is a big source of greenhouse gas emissions. Take some of the old t-shirts you’ve marked for the bin and have an arts and crafts afternoon revamping them with your kids – from tie-dye to turning them into pillow covers – you can really give old clothes a new lease of life. It’s also worth making sure you all really need that new item of clothing before you buy it.