It’s New Year’s Resolution time and for many that means making a list of lofty goals and to-dos that are often difficult to live up to. Many are even broken before the month or week is out.
This year, maybe think a little smaller because often it’s the smaller things that can get accomplished and build into larger things.
It’s that way with making sustainable choices. If you decide that, all of the sudden, you’re going to live a completely carbon-neutral lifestyle, become a vegan, never use another single-use plastic bottle again and only buy goods that are made in a 100% sustainable way, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment.
We suggest picking a few small things that you can incorporate into your daily lifestyle and build from there. If everybody was able to do that, it would all add up to a significant impact. So, this New Year’s, instead of making resolutions you know you won’t keep, think about a few small things you can do that can help make the world a better place. Here are 12 suggestions – one for each month:
Shop smart and healthy
- Shop vintage or thrift stores instead of buying new all of the time. The flip side of this is to be sure to donate or repurpose your used items instead of throwing them in the trash.
- Remember to bring those reusable bags into the grocery store. Or skip the bag altogether if you’re only buying one or two items
- Hit up the farmers market when possible for local produce and other goods. You know it’s fresh and that it hasn’t had to travel far to get to you.
- Start Meatless Monday in your home. Giving up meat even for just one day a week can have a big impact.
Enjoy the outdoors
- Try to enjoy nature as often as possible to appreciate what we need to protect. The side benefit is that spending time outdoors is good for your well-being.
- Plant pollinator friendly flowers in your garden or balcony to help sustain a health bee population.
Conserve energy
- Turn off the lights during the day when natural sunlight can do the job. (You can almost hear mom’s voice now, can’t you?)
- Get a good water bottle that you love and bring it with you everywhere so you won’t be tempted to buy single-use plastic bottles.
- Drive less. Walk or bike when you can. Take public transportation if that’s an option.
Make your home more ecofriendly
- Use eco-friendly cleaning products in your home. They are less damaging to the environment, safer for household use and often come in more sustainable packaging.
- Recycle. Recycle. But be sure that you’re being smart about it and following your municipality or waste company’s recycling guidelines.
- And last, but certainly not least, look for plant-based alternatives to items you use every day. Think about bamboo or stainless straws and of course, Zungleboo tableware.
The right sustainable resolution is the one that you can stick to. We encourage you to try some of these ideas out and see which ones become new habits. And of course, these twelve suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. Do some of your own research, ask questions and figure out what you can do to literally change the world. New Year's resolutions is just a kind reminder.
Happy New Year!
