Hearing voices? Varda offers 4 ways a mother can help “green” her children.

My mother’s voice accompanies me throughout the day, as I go about the act of living my life. Yes. I’ll admit it: I hear voices. If I need half a carrot for a recipe, my mother’s voice tells me to take care to wrap and store the other half in the refrigerator and to take pains too, to make sure I incorporate that half carrot into a future meal plan for my family.

I do that because I hear my mother’s voice instructing me to do so, even though she lives way far away from me in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and I have not lived under her roof in 31 years, since I was 18 years old. Such is the influence of a mother.

And that’s the point of this article: the importance of the values you give over to your children cannot be underestimated. When you show your child how to wash dishes so that the least amounts of soap and water are used, this is a life lesson for your child. (Your voice stays with your child for life. Your daughters and sons will always hear your voice saying, “I didn’t know you owned shares in Mekorot [a water infrastructure company in Israel],” or, “So now you own stock in the soap factory?”’)

The most basic green lessons a mother can teach:

1. Help your child understand that unplugging electric appliances and turning off lights when they are not in use saves energy.

2. Running taps are a no-no. Tell kids not to allow the tap to run as they brush their teeth, water plants, wash the car, or wash the dishes. Every bit of water that goes down the drain is gone for good. Teach children to plan water usage and to remain alert when using water sources.

3. Grow a garden with your child. If you live in a high rise, plant a container herb garden. Understanding the process of growing things helps children understand the preciousness of resources and the effects of global warming.

4. Teach children how to recycle items from an early age.