6 mins read | Creating Change

A sustainable future as seen by our younger generation

boy playing in the sea

Children know more about sustainable living than we think

 

A piece of research by baby food provider Hipp Organic in 2020 revealed that 57% of parents think their children know more about sustainable living than they do, with recycling, global warming and pollution being the practises parents are least knowledgeable about.

Indeed 72% of parents had been reprimanded by their children for unsustainable practices such as using too much water (30%), using too much plastic (32%) and not recycling correctly (30%).

With over half of all parents describing their kids as being “passionate” about protecting the environment, we hooked up with some great friends of ours over in New Zealand, photographer Damien Nikora and model Chanelle Taylor who both grace the Pala website if you look hard enough!

It was Chanelle’s younger siblings who would be taking the limelight on this occasion; we wanted to learn more about where they felt adults needed to take more responsibility for their future.

So, we fired a few questions across to them and got some excellent insight into the concerns of the younger generation, their solutions and… erm…  understanding the downside of using glitter to coat your house in.

Oh… and they totally styled out our sunnies too!

 

“Hamster Power”

 

First up, we have Dylan, aged 13 a person who has clearly been thinking of solutions…

picture of boy wearing Pala sunglasses

 

Q: What is one thing you think adults could do better when it comes to looking after our earth?

A: Trust us,

There’s this plant in the red Forrest and it exploded. it was leaking oil into the rivers and it was making mutant fish some had two heads this was on river monsters and he had to catch a Wels catfish that has 7 rows of teeth.

I’ve learnt there are different ways to make power. There’s Water, wind and sun that are the main 3 ways to make power. And I know you could make free energy by putting your guinea pigs in a cage and they can run around on a wheel. Hamster power.

Q: How do you think you could convince adults into buying alternative energy?

A: I don’t reckon you could. Cause they’re too stupid, they won’t stop using it. They don’t put time into learning about it and I think kids know more. A lot of adults buy houses but they put more time into looking at getting a house with a pool instead of looking at what you can put onto the land like solar power.

Because to them it’s really expensive but every month they pay for power. If they paid for other power source’s they would save more money.

 

“Don’t chuck it out”

 

Next up on stage, Alexis 9 Years + Lilly 8 Years and a simple lesson for all adults.

young girl wearing Pala sustainable sunglasses        young girl wearing Pala ethical sunglasses

Q: What is one thing you think adults could do better when it comes to looking after our earth?

A: Alexis – I learnt at school there is so much plastic in the ocean and if the fish eat it they can die. People keep throwing away their rubbish and it goes straight to the ocean. Adults are lazy and don’t like to go to the bin.

Maybe we can put a metal gate over the drains to collect the rubbish before it goes to the ocean.

A: Lilly- My teacher always taught me to put rubbish in the bin. On YouTube someone was so naughty cause they put the rubbish down the drain. And I watched it but I will not do that because it’s illegal to do that. And because I saw a whale got stuck in this big net.

And instead of chucking rubbish out like when people say “I don’t want this” then they chuck it out… well that’s wasting money and wasting food so don’t chuck it out.

Make something out of it but when there’s rubbish that you don’t need then you can chuck it out but don’t chuck out what you do need.

We could use the plastic container for dad’s tools

A: Alexis – or you could put all your makeup in it and paint the box

 

“Raining out gas”

 

…and welcoming them up to the microphone, Blake 12 years + William 11 Years. Their view on what needs changing and how this will help our wildlife.

young boy wearing Pala sustainable sunglasses        young boy wearing Pala ethical sunglasses

Q: What is one thing you think adults could do better when it comes to looking after our earth?

A: Blake – people use to many cars it pollutes our air

A: William – then the clouds start raining out gas

A: Blake – Birds will start dying

A: William – Birds, fish, animals will all start dying

A: Blake – people should drive Tesla’s they don’t use gas

A: William – Or go on a scooter, or on a bike or electric train. If people did this life would be better there would be more birds, more animals

A: Blake – And you don’t have to pay as much for gas

 

“Put the plastics into the bins”

 

….and last, but certainly by no means not least, Melody, aged 6 years.

young girl wearing Pala sustainable sunglasses

Q: Do you know what recycling is?

A: Yes I know. It’s when you put the plastics into the bins. I also make things with the plastics like a house and then I get to put glitter on it. But then it went all over the floor.

 

These are the voices of a future generation. They are aware, much more aware than our generation was at their age of some of the key issues facing our planet right now. We, as adults, need to listen to these voices and take responsibility as best we can for helping to create positive change for the planet.

This means reflecting on our own habits and nudging others into changing theirs too. We cannot afford to ignore these voices – if we do, we let this generation down. We can, however, take the alternative choice – become an inspiration for this generation and hand on the baton with a smile when the time comes. 

 

What is the true meaning of sustainability? Find out more.