Eco Friendly New Years Resolutions

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Eco Friendly New Years Resolutions

Everyone’s familiar with the concept of setting resolutions every New Year’s for the upcoming year, but not everyone asks themselves questions like, Why should we care about protecting local wildlife like different types of whales?, or why should we protect aquatic ecosystems? If these questions sound like you, setting  resolutions every New Year’s that are eco-friendly and environmentally minded might be a more fulfilling route than the typical resolutions of wanting to get a raise or lose a few pounds. Here are some doable resolutions that could help satisfy and fulfill the environmentalist in you.
Shop for Sustainable Foods, Especially When It Comes to Seafood
It’s a little-known fact, but not all seafood is sustainable or ethically sourced. In fact, some fishers’ nets can put some of the most endangered sea creatures at risk when the animals accidentally get tangled up in them. Look for labels that indicate sustainably sourced foods instead, especially when you’re shopping for your next seafood dinner. Simply supporting sustainable companies can help make a difference.
Volunteer To Help Your Local Community Environment
You don’t have to go that far from home to help out. Check out local neighborhood information boards and see if there are any efforts in your area you could help out with. If there’s nothing currently ongoing, you could even start a group yourself. Possible ideas to make a difference right at home include:
• Starting a neighborhood cleanup group
• Start a neighborhood garden or composting effort
• Start a carpooling group or encourage the use of local public transportation
• Encouraging use of solar energy in your homeowners’ association, if applicable
• Encouraging neighbors to switch to energy-efficient lightbulbs
• Starting a monthly meat-free potluck and encouraging consumption of locally grown produce and other foods
Commit To Recycling and Reusing Items Regularly
If you currently only recycle on occasion or hardly ever reuse items that could easily be repurposed rather than thrown in the trash bin, a good goal you could set for yourself this year is to commit to recycling all the time. This might sound daunting, but it can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few color-coded bins and putting them next to your kitchen trash can. That way, whenever you’re tempted to just pitch something that could be recycled, you’ll have easy access to the bins and a visual reminder, so you can instead just rinse the item out and put it in the recycling. Be sure to sort items out by categories like glass, plastic, paper and cans in order to make processing at recycling facilities easier.
If you’re tired of the same old New Years’ Resolutions that are starting to feel a little self-centered, repetitive or even hollow, it might be surprisingly fulfilling to set goals that focus on helping the environment instead. With small daily actions like sorting what would have been trash into recycling bins instead, volunteering for a neighborhood cleanup group or shopping for sustainable food items, you can make a bigger impact than you might have thought. This upcoming year, try these goals out for a more eco-friendly lifestyle.