A study by Ezra Markowitz, an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, found that people who are grateful to past generations are more likely to do good for the environment. He suggests that’s because gratitude enhances our sense of responsibility toward future generations. One way to build that kind of gratitude, he says, is by sharing the stories of environmental heroes from the past, like John Muir and Rachel Carson, who worked to preserve our parks and environment. That will help kids appreciate past generations and develop their sense of wonder and awe for the natural world.