Whether you are boating or taking a trip to the beach, safety should always be the top priority. When it comes to our oceans, those safety measures should extend to pollution. In this Earth Day blog about water safety for grandparents, we’ll talk all about teaching kids to not pollute the oceans.
The History of Earth Day
Every year, April 22 marks Earth Day. It is often referred to as the birth of the modern environmental movement. As many grandparents can recall, the first Earth Day occurred in 1970.
Since then, it has grown into a global phenomenon. More than a billion people each year treat it as a special day to take action to care for our world. One of the ways we can do our part at home is by protecting our precious waters. Many of us make these efforts to ensure a safe world for our children and grandchildren…and these efforts should continue with the next generation. To this end, let’s learn ways that grandparents and parents alike can start teaching kids not to pollute the oceans.
Teaching Kids to Not Pollute the Oceans
Pollution is a serious problem in our waters. Believe it or not, many reports show that there could be over 8 million tons of plastic trash dumped into our oceans each year.
Besides looking unattractive, this waste can have serious repercussions for our wildlife. For example, animals and birds can easily become trapped or strangled by plastic waste. This is a case of serious drowning danger for nature’s creatures.
As many grandparents have learned their entire lives, those plastic rings that slip around soda cans can be hazardous to animal health. One of the first ways of teaching kids not to pollute the oceans is to have them cut up those rings. This simple act may not prevent the plastic from getting to the water, but it can prevent some of the strangulation dangers.
Beyond that, many animals can eat bottle caps and other small plastic pieces. This can either choke them or get stuck in their stomachs. This can be extremely dangerous to the animal’s health.
How Does Plastic End Up in The Water?
As you can see, this plastic pollution is a serious problem. Part of teaching kids not to pollute the oceans is helping them to understand how the plastic trash gets there in the first place.
One of the most common ways plastic sees its way to the water is through ocean dumping. This occurs when people rudely (and illegally!) just dump their waste directly into the water. One way grandparents can help their grandkids learn this Earth Day is to make sure they know to throw their garbage in a trash can. Never throw garbage into the ocean—and not just when they’re at the beach. Lots of garbage simply blows in from the streets, beaches and elsewhere. It could do serious damage to the environment.
Lessons and Activities for Grandparents to Teach
Kids often look up to their elders for sage advice. This creates many teachable moments. In this way, grandparents are in an excellent position when it comes to teaching kids not to pollute the ocean. Here are some helpful ways to show kids that they can make a difference on Earth Day and every day:
Give the Kids a Reusable Water Bottle
Rather than constantly buying new plastic bottles, why not start with a reusable bottle? It will be cheaper in the end, and it helps to eliminate excess waste. Besides that, it’s a fun gift that grandparents can give to their grandkids. Make this a teaching moment. Explain to them why using a reusable bottle helps their favorite underwater creatures. The ocean critters and the grandkids will thank you!
Clean Up Local Litter
One way of teaching children not to pollute the ocean is to take a walk along the beach together. This walk should have the express purpose of cleaning up any litter you may see along the way. Doing this together will make it a fun activity instead of a chore.
Along the way, you can discuss common and uncommon drowning hazards. Just be sure to keep a close eye on the kids while near the water. After all, drowning danger can happen suddenly and without warning.
Begin a Foundation of Knowledge
Another Earth Day friendly topic to discuss is how the water gets to the ocean. Many kids simply believe the water magically ends up in the ocean. This is a great opportunity to explain our complex world to curious young minds. When people understand the system, they can better appreciate how to keep it clean and healthy.
