Organic goods are popping up in practically every store on the high street nowadays. From organic shoes to organic pet food there doesn’t seem to be a product that hasn’t had a greener, healthier, organic makeover.
It is well documented that the cost of organic products often puts people off purchasing them, whilst the counter argument could be that the more people did buy organic, the lower the price would eventually become.
Encouraging your children to look out for organic alternatives whenever they can will make them more aware of the practices that go into the production of our food, clothes and household goods – be they good or bad, and will help them make a more balanced, considered choice on whether or not to ‘go organic’.
Organic Products as Gifts
One way to make a change towards buying organic goods is to make a pledge to buy only organic products as gifts. Children will enjoy looking through catalogues and on websites and coming up with fun, innovative items to fill party bags and to give to their friends on birthdays – why not set them a task of finding the most unusual organic gift within a set budget?
Sourcing Organic Goods
There are many web-based companies who sell nothing but organic products, and a quick online search should yield a myriad of online stores offering a tempting array of goods. Ask your children what they would consider the most important items to purchase in an organic form from your weekly shopping list – would it be food, clothing, bath and cosmetic products? Do they think it should follow that if they are having an organic diet that their pets should too? Ask them to explain their choices and encourage them to explore and question the production and farming methods of the goods you regularly buy and to discuss what they perceive as good or bad about it.
Living Organically
Setting up your own organic vegetable and fruit garden is one of the simplest and most satisfying and productive ways of switching to a greener, healthier lifestyle. Choose seeds, plants and fruit bearing trees with your children. Keep them involved at every stage. Make your own garden compost from your kitchen waste, and record and photograph your ‘crops’ evolving from seedlings to fresh, home grown produce.
What to Buy
Apart from food, what other organic produce should you be buying? What would your children regard as the most essential changes to make to their more ‘luxury’ purchases?
- Cosmetics and bath products: From baby toiletries to make up and hair dyes, there are more and more organic beauty ranges hitting the high street. If your daughter is at age where she is taking an interest in make up, set her on the right track by going for the more gentle organic lines around.
- Clothes: Lots of the big high street stores are now advertising organic cotton ranges in underwear, nightwear and casual attire. For newborns and babies there are dozens of online stores specialising in organic cotton sleep suits, nappies and bed linen – ensuring your baby has the best possible start to his life of organic living!
- Footwear: Ethic, organic hemp, cotton and leather-free footwear is now being produced by many mail order companies. Ask your children what they think about organic trainers – would they feel under pressure to wear the must have sports brand, or would they prefer to set their own trend by stepping out in more eco-friendly shoes?
Ignite a passion for organic goods within your children early on, and natural, healthy, eco-friendly shopping will soon become second nature.
