How To Get Your Family Into Recycling

Although it’s always important to know how to dispose of your trash appropriately, recycling doesn’t come easily to everyone. However, when you consider the amount of garbage that you produce daily, it’s clear to see how important it is to recycle as much as possible. How do you get your family into the idea, though? Keep in mind that it’s probably going to be challenging at first, but over time, recycling will become second nature. These are a few ways to get started.

Make It Simple

If you want your family to recycle, you have to make it easy to start recycling. One simple option is to keep the trash and recycling bins next to each other. You probably will only have one or two recycling bins, so place them in high-traffic areas. It’s also going to be helpful to put labels on recycling so that everyone knows what goes where. Ask your children to make the labels to get them engaged in the project from the get-go.

Set Up Goals

If you’re not sure of what would help to motivate them, consider setting up a goal for your household. For example, if you take out six bags of trash a week, consider changing your goal to only take three bags out each week. Keep track of your trash each week, and then have a reward at the end of the month if you manage to cut down. This could be as simple as taking the family out for a special meal or letting them enjoy a favorite activity. Your family will be more motivated if they have a reward in mind.

Consider Composting

In addition to recycling, you should also know how to dispose of leftover food scraps. Of course, you can’t recycle these foods, but you can compost them and turn them into rich, nutritious soil for your garden. If you have a home garden, set up a compost bin, and get your family involved. Remind them that they’ll be helping to grow healthy food for the family. Kids may be more motivated to participate in this if they’re allowed to choose fruits and vegetables for the garden, so bringing them into the process can be a great motivator.

Develop Conservation Habits

Recycling isn’t just about knowing how to dispose of different items. It can also mean having a conservation mindset. Teach your kids to not be wasteful with the materials that they use. For example, instead of using paper products, consider using sponges or cloths for cleaning up, as these can be washed and reused. You can also teach your children the value of conservation by regularly donating unused items to local charities. Consider working with your kids to only have items that they enjoy, and don’t purchase things that they don’t really need.

Developing a recycling-friendly household isn’t going to happen overnight. However, by making a few changes, your kids will start to do this as second nature. Not only will these habits be beneficial for your current lifestyle; they’ll also be a great habit for them as they grow, and they’ll take the same mindset into their own households as adults.