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Living Green: Early in school year time for good habits

About tis time last year, The Tri-City News shared a great article on helping “Calm the chaos on busy school mornings.”
sleep

About tis time last year, The Tri-City News shared a great article on helping “Calm the chaos on busy school mornings.”

Suggestions included making lunches and laying out clothes the night before, getting a good night’s sleep, rewarding timeliness, sticking to schedules and staying organized with supplies, gear and keys, etc.

Convenience is key for busy families and decisions are often made with that mind. But although children can remind their parents of good stewardship practices (e.g., the 4Rs, turning down the thermostat, composting, etc.), parents are the primary role models when it comes to forming healthy habits in young people.

When it comes to food and drink, many of our modern-day conveniences are proving to wreak havoc on our planet and, to varying degrees, on human health as well.

Factory farms, industrial fertilizers, pesticides, many processed foods, plastic packaging, and single-use cups and containers affect animal, soil and water health, and ultimately our watersheds and oceans.

If we truly love our children, then our day-to-day decisions and the choices we make need to not only instil life-giving habits that will sustain them as they grow, but should also protect the planet for posterity.

Adopting new behaviours takes time but with a little initial consistency — baby steps! — before you know it, you’re exercising a new and healthier habit without giving it much thought. The dividends are far-reaching.

ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS

Here are some suggestions to get started — I’m sure you’ll think of more:

• Substitute high-priced sugary cereals with home-cooked oatmeal, prepared previously in large batches. As a natural sweetener, add locally produced honey while the oatmeal is still warm. Purchase rolled oats (and steel cut oats for more texture) in the bulk food section or purchase those (preferably organic) products that come in paper bags. Try to avoid “quick oats” and non-organic products that have lost much of their nutritional value and, therefore, do not satisfy like their organic counterparts. I also like to add hemp seeds as an excellent (Canadian) source of protein and local organic (frozen) blueberries to my morning porridge. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein (free run/range, please).

• Avoid single-use plastics. Use re-usable sandwich containers and (cloth) lunch bags, avoiding those pre-prepared snack trays as much as possible. Buy whole fruits and vegetables, adding non-coloured, self-sliced cheese and/or hummus from larger store-bought containers (or bring your own to the delicatessen). If your child loves yogurt, save money and plastic by buying larger containers, serving up daily portions in reusable (e.g., stainless steel) containers. There are now many durable utensil sets from which to choose, including from your local camping store.

• Always bring water — in a durable, reusable drinking bottle. Avoid over-sweetened and over-priced beverages sold in single-use Tetra-packs and plastic bottles. Although a (small) percentage of these packs and bottles are recycled, recycling takes significant fossil fuel energy and should always be regarded as a last resort. Besides, hydrating with water is the healthiest option for us all.

• Celebrate slow food. Not only do home-prepared meals help ensure good quality ingredients, they enable you to express your creative side while teaching your children invaluable life skills. Many cultures celebrate their food and sacred family time by enjoying home-cooked meals together. Try to make this a priority. The long-term benefits are vital to healthy eating, family cohesion, building social skills and promoting emotional-mental well-being. Have fun finding new recipes online and getting creative with leftovers.

Melissa Chaun of Port Moody is an ecologist with a passion for all things sustainable. She is events co-ordinator with the Rivershed Society of BC and volunteers on various city committees. Her column runs monthly.