How to get my father to be greener?

Question

I'm 14 btw.

I try hard to be green. I tend to take bottles home from subway and such because they don't have a recycling can, and even if they do, I don't always trust it, hehe. If I need food or something I walk a half mile to Wawa instead of asking my parents to drive me to shop-rite. I walk -everywhere-. I rarely take plastic bags from stores and I reuse them when I do.

My dad doesn't care, and I swear he tries to make our planet waste. He tells me how useless my efforts are, how global warming is a load of c**p, how I'm insane. The thing on your car that makes the exhaust less pollute-ish, his doesn't work, at all, and he won't replace it even though he said he can easily afford it because he doesn't care. He rants about how organic and local foods are all a lie, how I'm stupid for buying into it.

As much as I want him to go greener, I can't change that much. But how do I get him to at least respect my opinions and efforts?

Answer 1

first of all, congrats on being green and realizing how important it is at such a young age. we need more people like you.

my father is the same way, and we still butt heads every now and then about my personal choices and his lack of compassion with saving the environment. i feel ya! but when i showed him, slowly over time, i'm not "buying into" anything, and he's saving money in the long run, he started to recycle! if your dad doesn't come around, remember that you can't change him. but please keep doing what you're doing and encourage others who are more open minded.

i have found that going to http://www.thepetitionsite.com has helped me stay active with current issues (especially saving the planet), email my local representative, and find new ways to help the environment. i also go to http://www.practicalenvironmentalist.com... which also help me around the house.

best of luck to ya!

Answer 2

i must thank you for understanding the necessity of greener planet and as you do, the other children will follow your way feeling the necessity of the hour. your father will change himself oneday and he will be proud of you. be on the track. god bless you and you are doing his work and you are blessed and you will have the strength that is required for this job. i will pray for you.

Answer 3

You are a very strong soul.  That man is set in his ways.  The best way to get someone to see your Point of View is to lead by example.  This obviously won't work here.  Just do what's right for you and nevermind him.  You can't fix someone who is close minded.

Answer 4

i have the same problem but much bigger!

Answer 5

Tell him you're willing to cut down on wasting electricity by not watching TV, and by hanging the household laundry out to dry on a clothesline instead of using a dryer.  In return for him doing:_________.

Answer 6

Have you ever open-mindedly considered the possibility that he's right?

Answer 7

paint him green or give him expired milk

Answer 8

Respectfully explain to your dad that this is an important issue to you and it hurts that he doesn't take you seriously in this matter.  He may not realizes how important this is to you.

You can maybe show him some statistics & information to support your view.

This site has a lot of info: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vine... .

Even if your dad doesn't want to go green, he needs to repect that you did.

Just remember that you need to respect that he doesn't believe in being green. You can present him with your point of view. However,  if he doesn't want anything to do with it, you can't make him.

Answer 9

live your life...let him live his...when hes dead you can go save the planet

Answer 10

I gave up trying to change the ways of my parents. It has just caused more angst, dispute, and maybe brought me farther away from my parent's remaining days. We have had many fights regarding politics, me being pretty liberal and them fairly conservative. I must say my mother has been way more receptive. So I still love'm but, I honestly think their conservative old thinking, old practice, non-conforming ways to newer technology and changing times will just have to die off with them. And so I just let them be. It doesn't change my ways and my perspective. Keep living green, and nudge your father when you can, but I don't think its worth damaging a relationship over it.

Answer 11

Paint him green. He might not like it though.

Answer 12

"Some people you just can't reach."

Answer 13

If he doesn't care, he doesn't care, but at least for the issue of global warming, your best chance at convincing him that it isn't just a load of c**p may be this site:

http://gristmill.grist.org/skeptics

Or, if he is too lethargic to actually read the pages upon pages of evidence that global warming is in fact caused by humans, perhaps you could convince him to watch this amusing and insightful You Tube video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zORv8wwiadQ

Or perhaps there is nothing you can do to make your father change his ways.  That's okay because you can use your time more effectively convincing more open minded people to listen to you.  The environment doesn't care who specifically changes their lifestyle, only how many people do.

Answer 14

The only way I can see for him to respect your views is just to simply state what you believe, not argue about in what he believes, and just leave it at that.

Answer 15

But how do I get him to at least respect my opinions and efforts?

Make sense when you talk.

Answer 16

Just do little things and be true to yourself.  Keep using the earth friendly fabric bags.  When your light bulbs burn out in your bedroom get energy efficient ones.  If he ever asks why the lighting in your room looks different, say "better bulb, longer life, just saving some money."  Even people who can afford quite a bit still like to save money.  From where I stand you have two courses of actions.  First, because you are a teenager, this is an important time in your life in terms of separating from your family and determining the kind of person you want to be.  Why don't you make it into a game by not being drawn into an argument but just making little statements like the one about the lightbulb.  Then, after this happens a certain number of times, you can just mention how going green is a lot simpler than one thinks.  Your second choice is to just stick to your guns and be the person that you are.  Leopards do not change their spots so you should not expect too much.  Just make the lifestyle choices that you believe in.

Answer 17

hey show him the facts, state the truth, show evidence, and if he still doesn't believe, he is the stupid one.