Week 13 - Be little? Think big.

Nowadays, since sustainability has become the major topic around the world, sense of sustainable and act sustainable is significant for human beings. Not only for adults, but also for kids and youth, if everyone keeps thinking sustainably, every single move they make can potentially change the world.

Planting the sense of sustainability in early ages is therefore needed. In the modern era, kids are having more chance to watch TV and movie, advertisements and games, being exposed to heaps of information from different kinds of media. Firstly, we have to admit that young can receive information very fast. Everything occurs on media can be received by kids in a short amount of time. Therefore social media plays an important role in developing kids' values, world-views and personalities.

By thinking that way, planting the right value and positive information in young's head is easier. It is not uncommon that nowadays in movies, Tv or commercial advertisements, renewable energy, hygienic vehicle have become the norms. Children's perception on sustainability has already been rooted through the Tvs and movies they have been watching. 

A cartoon episode "Tote Life", talking about the bears failed to bring reusable bags, trying to get all the bags they can find to create a tote bag. It significantly promotes the idea on sustainability to young kids.

Following this thought, why can't we just root the sense of sustainability deeper in their minds? Nowadays, some tv shows including cartoons and dramas have already started to promote the idea by adding in episodes and elements that are related to the sustainable topics. This is a brilliant move, that when kids are having fun with the cartoons or shows, at the same time they are receiving the ideas.

A book for kids showing sustainable technologies in the illustration.

Not only on social media, but also on story books that the revolution is taking place. It is claimed that "You're never too young to become a sustainable urbanist". The new book is called Bicycles, Airships, and Things That Go! , which is intended for children aged from 3 to 8. In the book, it tells a story about a family travels to a science museum by bike, airship, cargo scooter, high-speed train and solar-powered ferry. On the way, they encounter all different kinds of sustainable, environmental friendly technologies, including wind turbines, wave energy machines, portable solar briefcases, green infrastructure, street recycling, permeable pavement and solar-powered street lights. It is certainly nothing like the fairy tale stories we read when we were young. However, kids seem to be loving the technological stories.

It is a great way to root the thinking of sustainability in children's mind. There is no doubt that we need more of these resources for children. Instead of all kinds of deceptive advertisement and meaningless soap drama on social media, this topic is certainly a revolution on social media. 



Resources:
http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/stakeholder_trends_insights/matthew_yeomans/how_kids_pop_culture_helping_shape_early_

https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/urbanist-childrens-books-about-cities