Across North America, families are trying to reconnect with the natural world—yet many of us feel overwhelmed by the climate headlines, worried about leaving a planet in distress for the next generation, and unsure of how to act. While pushing for systemic change is essential, there are also deeply impactful choices we can make in our own everyday lives. These quieter practices teach children (and remind adults) that caring for Mother Nature can be simple, grounding, and joyful—and that she is family, too.
Thinking about nature
Indigenous knowledge and teachings are a great place to start thinking about our relationship with nature. Indigenous perspectives on nature view humans as part, rather than separate, from the natural world and place a strong emphasis on the interconnectedness of all living beings.
In an interview with National Geographic, Inuk microbiologist Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann encapsulates this world view with the Inuk word sila, which she says is “not easily translated into English—but can mean weather, climate, spirit, wind, consciousness. What that points to is that it’s all connected.”
Associate professor of American Indian Studies Charlotte Coté, who’s originally from the Tseshaht First Nation, one of the 14 nations that make up the larger Nation of Nuu-chah-nulth on the west coast of Vancouver Island, describes a similar Nuu-chah-nulth philosophy expressed as ḥačatakma c̓awaak, meaning “everything is interconnected.”
In these worldviews, nature is not a resource to be extracted but a relative to be protected. For many Indigenous people, caring for the land and environment is seen as a sacred responsibility.
While this care can be demonstrated in the ways which we harvest food, energy, and raw materials, it can also be exemplified through legal frameworks. In recent years, Indigenous communities in countries including Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, and New Zealand have led the charge to create legal protections for nature as a living entity—meaning that it can be afforded its own legal rights.
A planet in distress
While Indigenous worldviews conceptualize nature as kin, modern-day society has been treating the Earth as anything but. For centuries, industrial societies have been ramping up our exploitation of the natural world, driving a crisis in global warming that affects every ecosystem on Earth. In October 2025, scientists warned that the world’s first irreversible tipping point linked to emissions of harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane has been reached.
While many governments have committed to reducing emissions, progress has thus far been insufficient. Some countries are backing out of key climate pledges, and in some cases, their carbon emissions are actually increasing.
Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada, a non-governmental organization that advocates for environmental protection, says that in Canada, taxpayer dollars are being invested in experimental carbon capture technologies led by energy sector companies, and the country is significantly off track in meeting its emissions targets.
Along with political inaction, Olivastri cites siloed policymaking as a key issue. With competing demands, governments are failing to integrate sustainability into other areas, she says. For example, in many places it’s urgent to build new and affordable housing—but if climate considerations are left out, Olivastri suggests, we’re only destined for further issues down the road.
“We don’t want to see new housing in 10 years that has to be retrofitted for insulation or heat pumps,” says Olivastri. “We want housing to be as climate resilient as it can be, for both people and the planet.” The same considerations go for large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.
Engaging the next generation
Many of us are already familiar with the challenges discussed above, and thinking about the scale of change needed can feel overwhelming. However, when we start to get lost in the headlines, one of the most empowering things we can do is to act within our own families and communities.
Supporting the next generation—whether as a parent, an aunt or an uncle, a family friend, or a community figure—to engage with the natural world can help to raise new legions of “Earth Keepers” or kids and teens dedicated to fighting for the health of our planet, who feel capable rather than paralyzed.
This is the ethos behind Terra Nova Nature School (TNNS), operated by Thompson Community Association in partnership with the City of Richmond, BC. Founded by Emily Vera and Kate Dawson, TNNS offers year-round outdoor programming for children and teens.
“When children grow up with regular, meaningful contact with nature, they develop strong observational skills, emotional resilience, and a sense of responsibility,” says Katharina Scharnweber, an early childhood educator at TNNS. “I often see children who were free to climb trees, get muddy, and care for living things grow into grounded, empathetic teens and adults who feel motivated to protect the Earth.”
A tree-hugging magazine
Alive Publishing Group is working with nature-based solutions provider veritree to offset its carbon emissions. The organization helps businesses take meaningful climate action through tree planting and ecosystem restoration. As of early 2026, alive has planted 735,863 trees, up from 630,863 in April 2025.
Take a walk on the wild side
One of the best ways to build a bond with the natural world is by spending time in it in age-appropriate ways.
Little learners
Scharnweber says that for children aged three to five, education should start experientially and without pressure. “In early childhood education, the foundation of relationships is more important than the transmission of information,” she says. “At this stage, children learn through their bodies and senses and through imitation.”
For engaging this age group, think play-based, rhythmic, and sensory activities, which might include storytelling, finger games, and songs that respectfully personify nature. Open-ended walks in the forest, building shelters with natural materials, or paying attention to animals’ resting places can also help children cultivate a sense of curiosity about places around them. Scharnweber suggests adding gentle prompts like, “who lives here?” or “what do you notice?”. The goal is for children to see nature as a living community, not as a resource.
“When children spend unhurried time outdoors—touching soil, observing animals large and small, and exposing their senses to the elements of nature—they begin to develop a sense of belonging to the Earth,” Scharnweber says.
Bold builders
With older kids and teens, activities can be more intentional and reflective, as developmentally, they are ready for critical thinking and capable of understanding complex issues and systems.
Scharnweber says that project-focused work, such as gardening or habitat restoration, may be particularly appealing for teens. Gardening can be a way to open discussion about food systems and sustainability, encouraging youth to reflect on the differences between store-bought food and food that they have grown themselves and to think critically about packaging, transportation, water use, and labour.
At TNNS, staff also work with teens to remove invasive Himalayan blackberry from the local ecosystem. Scharnweber says that teens feel a strong sense of accomplishment when they complete this challenging and hands-on work.
“Engaging teens in environmental topics supports their search for meaning and empowers them as active participants in the world they are inheriting,” says Scharnweber. “Hands-on work helps them understand that caring for the land sometimes means active intervention, not just observation.”
Kids as Earth teachers
While we often think about our role as teachers of the next generation, Scharnweber says that engaging kids and teens with the Earth means that they will have perspectives to teach us, too.
She recounts being deeply moved by a recent story from a parent who didn’t understand why her daughter was collecting plain sticks all summer—until her daughter explained that they were “magical sticks from the cottonwood tree,” which have star-shaped nodes at their centre when split open. This type of story is not unique in the TNNS community, with other parents reporting that their children are sharing foraging knowledge, such as letting them know that they’ve come across a plant they can eat.
In general, says Scharnweber, children become attuned to details that adults often overlook, transmitting their sense of wonder to older generations.
“Many parents share that their children have become their teachers,” she says. “They invite the whole family to slow down, look more closely, and relate to nature with curiosity and respect.”
How climate change disproportionately affects women and girls
Climate change is also a gender equality issue. Research shows that climate change has a disproportionate impact on women and girls, for several key reasons:
- In many regions of the world, women and girls are responsible for securing food, water, and fuel for their families, so when these resources become scarce due to the pressures of climate change, they need to work harder and travel farther to secure them—potentially leading girls to drop out of school.
- Climate change intensifies social and economic pressures on societies, which in turn fuels increased levels of violence against women and girls—one study done in Spain found that rates of intimate partner femicides increased by 28 percent during heatwaves.
- In fragile and conflict-affected settings, adverse weather events can be the catalyst for further political instability, which in turn increases the chances that women and girls will be affected by conflict-related sexual violence, human trafficking, and child marriage.
- When disaster strikes in the form of floods, fires, and other extreme weather events, women and girls are more likely to be injured due to restricted mobility and access to training, as well as being less able to access relief and assistance.
For these reasons, UN Women advocates for a feminist climate justice approach—one that recognizes gender as an essential part of climate and environmental planning.
Good for the planet, good for people
Slowing down and spending time in nature isn’t just good for cultivating relationships with the Earth; it can also boost mental and physical health for adults and children alike.
Studies show that spending time in so-called blue spaces—areas adjacent to water—can have a powerfully relaxing effect: simply looking at a body of water decreased participants’ heart rates. People who spend at least 120 minutes a week in nature are more likely to report being in good health, and exposure to nature may help improve cognitive function, blood pressure, mental health, and sleep quality.
When it comes to youth, there are also deep benefits of time spent in nature, including improved cognitive and social development, increased physical activity levels, better support in the management of attention deficit symptoms, and reduced stress and anxiety levels.
Thinking about justice
Socio-economic or racial inequalities mean that not everyone can access or experience nature in the same way. Economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods often have less access to urban green space, despite the physical and mental health benefits that these spaces can provide.
Marginalized communities are also more likely to have conflicts with urban wildlife and fewer resources to manage co-existence safely, and researchers are increasingly calling for cities to think about wildlife-human interactions through a lens of multi-species justice—once again reminding us of the ways that all beings are connected.
Mindful educators
While helping kids and teens connect to the natural world is a vital part of building their relationships with the Earth, it’s important to let them do so on their own terms and recognize that not all people will be able to engage in the same way.
Some kids might not own adequate outdoor clothing, may suffer from allergies, or may lack access to a car or public transit; educators should seek to meet kids where they’re at. If children are able to sit under the nearest tree with a book or iPad, that’s a fine place to start.
After all, it’s about building a relationship with the Earth in your own quiet way—one that you can continue to cultivate for years to come.
Barometers of breakdown
The lichen you see on your nature walk is more than just terrestrial decoration: studies show that these organisms can be used as indicators of air quality, given they obtain almost all of their nutrients from the atmosphere.
Climate action for the whole family
Showing the Earth that you care is easier than you think. Try out some of these activities, which can easily become long-term habits.
Micro-mindful meals
While it can be hard to fully source seasonal foods during busy periods of life, try choosing one daily ingredient that’s seasonal or local. It can help cut down on carbon emissions from your diet, support your local farmers, and strengthen nutrition.
Pause before you buy
In the mood to add a little something to your (digital or physical) cart? Try taking a 30-second pause before adding it, which can help to reduce impulse purchasing and give you the chance to take a deep breath, regulate your nervous system, and make a decision with intention, thus limiting waste from ending up in landfills.
The half-use principle
Most of us tend to use more household products than truly necessary—try using half the usual amount of detergents, soaps, and beauty products to cut down on waste and lower your chemical load. If you can, look for low-tox, natural versions of these items.
Daily micro-commute swaps
Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada, says that a great thing you can do for the planet is to participate in “active transportation” like walking, cycling, or taking the bus or metro. This is a particularly great activity to do with kids. And as a bonus, it’s good for cardiovascular health!
The three-plant challenge
Challenge your household to grow at least three plants—herbs, greens, or pollinator plants—at home to support home nutrition and your local ecosystem. Olivastri says that encouraging kids to get their hands dirty is a great way to generate excitement for organic foods and to build a relationship with the Earth.
The weekly fridge forage
Foraging isn’t just for outdoor spaces. One night a week, try going foraging within your own fridge to take stock of what’s languishing in its depths and needs to be eaten. Get creative about using these ingredients in a fun, food-waste-cutting meal.
Monthly plastic audits
Just like you might audit your bank statements at the end of the month, it’s good practice to be regularly checking in on the number of plastics you’re using in your home. Microplastic pollution is an increasingly recognized issue, and Olivastri urges you to cut down where you can—particularly for sensitive products like baby food, which she says are better purchased in glass.
Organized clean-ups
Improperly discarded garbage is a huge issue for humans, animals, and plants alike. Whenever you can, try to get out for an hour of trash collection at your local park or beach. When you must throw something away, make sure you dispose of it properly in accordance with local guidelines.
Pass it on
The more people who engage in sustainable habits, the more powerful their impact will become. With every action you complete on this list, tell someone else about it—your commitment may serve as their inspiration.
This article was originally published in the May 2026 issue of alive magazine.
