Little kids are among the worst about throwing just about everything out without a thought. I can think of some adults I know who are probably worse, but that’s not the topic today.

My daughter is 4 and just lost her right to throw things out without checking with me first. Why? She’s been throwing out bowls and spoons, which certainly explains why I can’t find so many of them now. We had a talk with her about that.

Kids are just so casual about waste. My daughter wants to just throw out some “cards” she made by folding pink paper and cutting the edges. It wouldn’t bother me so much dropping them in the recycle bin if she had colored or painted them, but just folded with a few cuts along the edges… she can still reuse that so she can’t get rid of it yet.

My son is altogether too young, seeing as that he doesn’t talk yet. However, he does love to throw things away, and already understands when I tell him it goes to the recycle bin versus the trash can.

My kids have a ways to go before they’re going to be even remotely environmentally conscious. That’s okay. They’re learning and I hope to provide them with good examples and habits.