To reduce the environmental footprint of humans, many think that stopping childbearing would be a solution, but it’s more complicated than that.
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According to Laure Waridel, ecosociologist, it is possible to have children while reducing your ecological footprint as much as possible.
“It’s seeing how many we want to have children and how we raise them, how we live with them on this planet, because having a child can also be a force for change, a motivation to say ” me, I will contribute to a world which is more ecological, more united ”, says Mme Waridel.
This is precisely the case with the Menigault family, which has four people (two children, two parents) and which aims to reduce its ecological footprint as much as possible.
According to Christophe Menigault, father of a family, living with concern for your ecological footprint is not more difficult with children.
“We haven’t changed much, we don’t already have a car, we were already paying attention to what we consumed, we were already buying a lot in bulk, organic too, so when the children arrived, we were ‘is adjusted,’ he explains.
“We did all our shopping and travel by bus, bicycle, and especially on foot. We took a bicycle trailer and then there we are, we adapted to our new life as parents, but without changing what we had put in place. ”
Mr. Menigault explains that he transfers the dry food into glass Mason jars. “It allows us to better see what we have and it avoids waste.”
“You buy a lot of food when you are a parent,” adds Marion Tissot. “We almost only buy organic products, for example we have a family farmer for vegetables. Me, I do almost all my shopping in bulk. “
Other consumption choices are more atypical. “We also have washable tissues and washable toilet paper and that is a symbol that we have gone far enough”, adds Mme Tissot.
“We give them an example, quite simply. It’s been part of their life since they were little, having bulk groceries, going on family bike rides. ”
Little Mathieu is already sufficiently aware of the fate of the planet. “We must use electric cars instead of gasoline cars.”
“We educate the citizens of tomorrow with good values in terms of the environment, mutual aid and solidarity,” adds Mr. Menigault.
Experts point out that if all citizens consumed like average Quebecers, it would take three to five planets to meet global needs.