How the climate crisis has impacted my parenting

I'm all in!

(I'm the goose on the far right saying: "Quak! Climate change is real! It's here and we got to do something about it! Quackkk!!" While my partner is on the far left is just chilling, putting up with my rants and supporting me.)

Having my child was one of the most transformative experiences in my life. I went from overworking myself and having an unhealthy, addictive, relationship to work to saying phrases like, "no emails after working hours".

Being someone who thinks long-term, having a child amplified that by 1000 percent. So, it’s not surprising that the climate crisis has impacted both my parenting and outlook on life.

Here’s the low-down on what has changed.

I am becoming eco-friendly.

When I held my little baby, I wanted the best for them and for all children around the world. It led me to think more deeply about the gifts I wanted to give them: clean air, clean drinking water and predictable seasons. I became more attuned to the climate crisis and started taking climate action. Now, you don't need a child to care about the climate crisis. My awakening just coincided with having a baby, becoming a parent, and surviving a pandemic.

I am a mindful consumer.

I have always been picky, but with climate change on my mind, it went to another level. Receiving bags of toys that don't biodegrade and ends up in the landfill? No thanks. An advent calendar of 25 objects we don't need? Get out of here! Books that I can borrow from the library. Please return it.

It doesn’t matter if the items are used, locally produced and even touted as "sustainable", if we don't need it, if it's not useful, if we have more than enough, if we can borrow it, if we can make it – the response is “no thanks”.

I didn't set out to be that person. Really. That was not the image of whom I thought I would be as a parent. I wanted ALLLLLL the stuff, ALL the plastic, plastic wrapped in plastic. Now, I'm annoying to others, overly discerning and picky...it's a lot. And…I embrace it, here's why.

According to the Government of Canada, only 9% of our waste is recycled while the rest end up in landfills, are incinerated or ends up in the environment (aka litter). To make things worse, according to the Fifth Estate, Canada's premier investigative documentary program, Canadian recycling companies are illegally shipping trash overseas to developing countries.

Overconsumption in the world’s richest countries is wreaking havoc on the planet and destroying children’s environments globally. I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sit well with me.

As much as possible, how I live, shouldn’t be at the detriment of others and our planet.

Saying no to overconsumption has been a game changer and a serious life hack. It frees up more time to do what I enjoy. A win for the environment, a win for me, and a big win for my family.

It hasn't dissuaded me from the idea of having children.

There are other reasons not to have kids, for instance, not wanting one. But I do understand peoples’ concern about being able to provide a livable, sustainable and safe future for children in a climate crisis. This reality that we are in, coupled with underwhelming global action, can make it difficult to make a decision to start or even grow one’s family. And there are no right answers.

As for me, I will show my child how to live sustainably, and build their resilience in an unpredictable and uncertain world.

Children give me hope. Even if they don't understand everything, they are open and willing to adopt news ways of doing things. They just need us, the adults around them, to get our act together and do better…not only for them but for ourselves.

That's it!

That's how the climate crisis has impacted my parenting. I am becoming eco-friendly. I often say no to say yes to what matters. I also feel that children can be a catalyst for change.

How has the climate crisis impacted your parenting?

References

1. Government of Canada (2023, April 14). Plastic waste and pollution reduction. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste.html

2. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2022, April 24). Illegal Canadian trash keeps ending up overseas. And the federal government won't say who's shipping it. CBC. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/fifth-estate-recycling-1.6410657

3. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2019, May 30). Canadian garbage on its way from Philippines to Vancouver. CBC News. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canadian-garbage-from-philippines-departure-1.5156007

4. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2019, May 28). We are going to send this back': Malaysia returning unwanted Canadian plastic. CBC News. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-are-going-to-send-this-back-malaysia-returning-unwanted-canadian-plastic-1.5152274