Teaching Kids about Global Warming

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When it comes to the causes and effects of global warming on our planet, and particularly how
climate change is affecting many species of wildlife, it can be difficult to figure out how to inform your
kids about the issue without scaring them or making them sad. And yet, you want to guide them to
make the choices that are going to lead to a cleaner environment and preserve diversity for future
populations. This means you need to explain how global warming came about and the alarming effects
that the situation has wrought. So if you’re looking for ways to get your kids on board with conservation
and reducing carbon emissions for life, here are few tips to help you get started.

For one thing, you should become well-informed yourself. You want to make sure that you are giving
your kids the best and most current information available, which means you need to do your homework
so that you can adequately answer any questions they might have. That said, you may also want to
temper what you tell them. You certainly don’t want them to think they are killing polar bears every
time you take out the family vehicle, for example. Of course, if you’re really committed to reducing your
carbon footprint, you probably have a fuel-efficient vehicle at the very least, or possibly even an electric
car. But the idea is not to scare your kids in the process of helping them to find the right path.

And you might need some help when it comes to teaching kids about global warming. Luckily, there are
a lot of resources. One great way to get children on board with conservation efforts is by using media
to your advantage. Perhaps you noticed the many storms sweeping the globe over the last few years,
with hurricanes, tsunamis, and tornadoes wreaking havoc upon one nation after another. While the
news coverage could be somewhat frightening for young children to watch, it can provide an opening
to discuss the effects of global warming with older kids, noting the trends in climate change that are
emerging (or speeding up) due to the rise in carbon emissions produced by individuals and industry
alike.

In addition, programs on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and PBS may provide valuable
information in a kid-friendly format (although you’ll have to check out the programs beforehand to
make sure they are appropriate for your child’s age-group). In truth, you may have more success with
some of the many videos and games online that are geared towards teaching kids about environmental
challenges. And each of the networks listed above happens to have a portion of their website devoted
to kids.

So whether you are looking to explain where hydrocarbons come from and how they affect the Earth’s
atmosphere, you want to explain why we need to save the wolves, bears, and other species that are
becoming endangered because of global warming, or your goal is to help your kids come up with ways
that they can actively fight climate change (and potentially reverse it within our lifetime), there are
resources to help you do so in a way that is informative, constructive, and digestible for kids.