World Environment Day serves as a global platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable living. As the world grapples with pressing environmental challenges, it's imperative to instil a sense of environmental responsibility in the next generation. Parents, as the primary educators of their children, have a unique opportunity to shape their children's attitudes and behaviours towards the environment. By teaching their children eco-friendly habits, parents can instil a sense of environmental responsibility that will benefit both their children and the planet.

Here are some eco-friendly habits that parents can teach their children to foster a more sustainable future. These habits focus on reducing waste, conserving resources, protecting wildlife, and making environmentally conscious choices. By incorporating these practices into their daily lives, children can contribute to a healthier and more sustainable planet for generations to come.

Habits Kids Should Learn

Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children's attitudes and behaviours towards the environment. Here are 9 eco-friendly habits parents can teach their children:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Teaching children the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle can help them develop a mindset of sustainability. Encourage them to think critically about their consumption habits and find ways to minimize waste. By reducing their consumption, reusing items whenever possible, and recycling materials, children can make a significant contribution to environmental protection.

Conserve Water

Water is a precious resource that is essential for life. Teach children the importance of conserving water and demonstrate practical ways to reduce water usage. This could include taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, fixing leaky faucets, and using water-efficient appliances. By conserving water, children can help to protect our planet's natural resources.

Save Energy

Energy consumption has a significant impact on the environment. Teach children how to conserve energy by turning off lights when not in use, unplugging electronics, and using energy-efficient appliances. Explain the benefits of energy conservation, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving money on energy bills.

Plant Trees

Trees play a vital role in the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide, providing shade, and supporting biodiversity. Encourage your children to plant trees in your community or backyard. Explain the benefits of trees and the positive impact they can have on the environment.

Compost Food Waste

Composting food scraps is a simple and effective way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for gardening. Teach children how to set up a compost bin and the benefits of composting for the environment. By composting, children can help to reduce landfill waste and create a more sustainable ecosystem.

Choose Sustainable Products

Encourage your children to choose products that are made from sustainable materials and have minimal packaging. Explain the importance of supporting businesses that prioritize environmental responsibility. By making conscious choices, children can help to reduce their environmental impact.

Reduce Plastic Consumption

Plastic pollution is a major environmental problem. Teach children the harmful effects of plastic and encourage them to use reusable bags, water bottles, and containers. Explain the importance of reducing plastic waste and the positive impact it can have on our oceans and wildlife.

Educate and Protect Wildlife

Wildlife plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Teach children the importance of wildlife conservation and encourage them to respect and protect animals. Explain the threats facing many species and the steps they can take to help protect them.

Walk, Bike, or Take Public Transportation

Reducing car pollution is essential for protecting our air quality and combating climate change. Encourage your children to walk, bike, or take public transportation whenever possible. Explain the benefits of reducing car use, such as improving air quality, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting physical activity.

A team of doctors in Uttar Pradesh successfully performed a rare and highly complex neuro-interventional procedure on a two-and-a-half-year-old girl that enabled significant neurological recovery.

The child initially had severe indigestion and mild fever. However, it quickly escalated into repeated seizures, altered sensorium, and sudden loss of movement.

At ApolloMedics Super Speciality Hospital, Lucknow, the child was diagnosed with deep Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (CVST) with multiple brain infarcts -- a condition associated with high mortality risk and potentially devastating long-term neurological disability.

“Deep cerebral venous thrombosis in toddlers is exceptionally rare, and neuro-intervention in pediatric stroke is particularly challenging because of the small size of vessels and increased risk of bleeding,” said Dr. Dewansh Mishra, Interventional Neuro-Radiologist, at ApolloMedics.

“Literature on catheter-directed thrombolysis in such young patients is limited. In this case, the child was deteriorating quickly, and timely escalation to precision neuro-intervention was crucial to prevent irreversible brain injury and give her the best possible chance of recovery,” he added.

The Rare Brain Surgery

Dr. Mishra said that the child was also diagnosed with Antiphospholipid Antibody (APLA) syndrome, a clotting disorder that increases the tendency of blood to clot excessively.

Infection and dehydration further worsened the condition and accelerated stroke progression.

Recognizing the urgency, a multidisciplinary team of doctors took a critical, high-risk decision to escalate treatment without delay. They performed intracranial catheter-directed thrombolysis, under general anesthesia, preventing irreversible brain injury in the toddler.

Through the femoral vein in the thigh, a microcatheter was carefully navigated into the intracranial venous system, and clot-dissolving medication was delivered directly at the site of thrombosis to restore venous drainage. This was successful in limiting further neurological damage.

"After nearly three weeks of intensive care and rehabilitation, the child was discharged with significant neurological recovery. She is now able to walk, speak, and perform activities that children of her age do," the hospital said in a statement.

The case, marked by rapid deterioration and a narrow window for intervention, will be presented at the Indian National Stroke Conference 2026 in Kochi, underlining both its clinical significance and the growing capabilities of advanced stroke care in India.

Can Stroke Occur In Very Young Children?

While stroke is more common in adults than in children, the condition can occur in children and debilitate their lives.

Pediatric stroke is a rare condition affecting one in every 4,000 newborns and an additional 2,000 older children each year.

Stroke in young children is similar to that of adults and is caused by a brain injury due to the interruption of blood flow to part of the brain.

In young children, the diagnosis is often delayed. A stroke typically begins suddenly in children and infants, with Seizures the most common symptom.

Extreme sleepiness or altered mental status and a tendency to use only one side of the body are other major symptoms.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, we all know them as a power couple. However, there are moments that have broken them and they both have talked about it. This was the moment of their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas' birth.

On February 4 episode of the Jay Shetty Podcast, Jonas, 33, opened up about his daughter's birth. "She came to the world under sort of very intense circumstances, which I have not really talked about ever. She came out, she was one pound and 11 ounces, and purple basically. These angels at the NICU kind of resuscitated her in that moment, got her taken care of really quickly, and intubated and everything else."

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In fact, recently a video has been circulating of Priyanka Chopra Jonas talking about the premature birth of her daughter too. She described this period as "tough" and said that it was extremely hard on her. She also called Malti a "miracle baby".

On the Jay Shetty podcast, she revealed that the couple were forced to announce her birth, whereas they wanted to wait till her health gets better. They had put everything on halt and visited the NICU every single day. "We received a text saying that her (Malti) birth would be out in the newspapers, if we don't, they are going to put it in within three hours. So we were kind of forced into announcing her birth because we wanted to control our own narrative. We weren't ready. We didn't know what would happen with her or how she would be."

Malti's Premature Birth

Priyanka shared that she was informed about her premature delivery in the 27th week. This is what made her completely "shut down". She also recalled sitting in front of the fireplace for nine hours and was not able to process the situation.

Like Jonas, Priyanka too noted that Malti was purple at birth and required immediate NICU attention. She also said that the nurses' fingers were too big for her small mouth. She recalled feeling "numb" at that time.

However, Jonas shared that Priyanka and him "had a lot of tough conversations day in, day out about caring" for Malti. He also appreciated his wife's strength on handling the situation. "The way in which she handled it was so inspiring to me, and you know, allowing for those days to be tough, but to be tougher for our little girl was the focus."

Malti received six blood transfusions and gained weight in the hospital. After nearly three and half months, she was able to go home.

Priyanka reveals that in her house there is a "big mandir" with "a large Shiv Ji murti". This is where everyone sat as a family and she cried not out of fear, but out of gratitude. "Gratitude that she survived, that she was home, that she chose us, and that we were able to make it happen. IVF is tough."

Read: What Parents of Premature Babies Must Know About the NICU, According to a Neonatologist

What Parents Of Prematurely Born Babies Must Keep In Mind?

Health and Me had earlier spoken to Dr Sanjay Wazir, Medical Director, Neonatology and Pediatrics at Motherhood Hospitals, Gurugram who pointed out that Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or the NICU may seem overwhelming, however, it must be seen as a sanctuary of healing.

"In the NICU, premature or unwell newborns receive specialized medical attention, constant monitoring, and compassionate care from expert hands. Here, the mother and the baby are well taken care of. This will help the baby lead a healthy life. Hence, NICU care is important for all the premature or unwell babies," he says.

What Happens Inside The NICU?

The doctor explains that the NICU provides a controlled and nurturing environment where babies can grow stronger outside the womb. "It helps maintain their body temperature, supports breathing, and ensures proper nutrition through feeding tubes if necessary," he says.

Every machine in the NICU is for a specific purpose, right from oxygen support to heart rate monitoring, ensuring that each baby receives precisely what they need. Parents often find comfort knowing that the experts in the NICU are constantly watching over their child’s progress, explains the doctor.

The doctor points out that parents are essential part of the NICU journey. "Your touch, your voice, and your calm presence can help your baby feel safe and comforted," he tells to all the parents. However, what is extremely important is to maintain hygiene guidelines, staying involved in daily care, and communicating regularly with the doctors and nurses to "strengthen your bond and confidence as caregivers." The doctor says that during this time, the mother will also be taught about Kangaroo care, which is skin-to-skin contact that helps the mother bond with her baby.

World map based on the United Nations population projection shows that 85 per cent of babies in 2026 will be born in Asia and Africa. The probabilistic population projection for 2026 is based on the World Population Prospects 2024.

2026 Baby Boom: 64.9 Billion Births In Asia

The map reveals that Asia is expected to see 64.9 billion births in 2026. This will account for roughly 49 per cent of all births worldwide. While fertility rates in countries like China, Japan and South Korea have declined, Asia's population still is keeping up and is at the center of global demographics.

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2026 Baby Boom: 47.6 Billion Births In Africa

Second on the list is Africa, with expected numbers of 47.6 billion births in 2026. This represents 35.9 per cent of the global total. This is also true due to continent's high fertility rates and young population structure..

2026 Baby Boom: How Does the Rest Of The World Look Like?

• Latin America and Caribbean are expected to see 9.3 billion births or a total of 7 per cent of the total.
• Europe accounts for only 4.6 per cent of the birth rate as compared to the global population.
• North America shares a 3 per cent, which also reflects low fertility rates, despite a population growth driven by migration.
• Oceania contributes 0.5 per cent of births.
• Antarctica has no permanent population.

2026 Baby Boom: South Korea's Birth Rate Increased

South Korea’s birth rate increased for the second consecutive year in 2025, offering cautious hope for a country that has grappled with a demographic crisis for nearly a decade.

Preliminary figures from the Ministry of Data and Statistics show the total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, reached 0.80 in 2025, up from 0.75 in 2024. Births had already begun recovering in 2024 following the pandemic, aided by government support measures, after eight straight years of decline that pushed the rate to a record low of 0.72 in 2023 amid soaring housing costs and greater female workforce participation.

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The crude birth rate rose to 5.0 births per 1,000 people in 2025 from 4.7 the year before. For comparison, China recorded 5.6 last year, Taiwan 4.6 and Japan 5.7 in 2024, where the overall trend is still downward.

The rebound has been quicker than the government’s optimistic forecast, which had projected 0.75 in 2025 and 0.80 in 2026, with fertility expected to cross 1.0 by 2031.

Marriage rates, often a leading indicator of future births with a lag of one to two years, climbed 8.1% in 2025 after jumping a record 14.8% in 2024. Officials attributed this partly to a larger population in their 30s and gradually shifting social attitudes.

The biggest rise in births occurred in the capital. Seoul’s fertility rate increased 8.9% to 0.63 from 0.58 in 2024, though it remains the lowest in the country.

Experts say the numbers still require careful interpretation because demographic composition changes can affect statistics. Even so, they view the improvement as a positive signal that may encourage more people to consider parenthood.

A 2024 government survey found 52.5% of South Koreans held positive views about marriage, up from 50.1% in 2022, and respondents ideally wanted 1.89 children on average.

Births increased 6.8% to 254,457 last year, the biggest rise since 2007. However, deaths also grew 1.3% to 363,389, meaning the population declined naturally for the sixth year in a row.