As the New Year slowly approaches, it brings a new start and a clean slate, making it the perfect time to set some new goals. And while we all aim to get fit, travel more and spend more time with our loved ones, these goals tend to be difficult to achieve, as there’s not enough conviction behind them. However, when a significant, noble goal, such as preserving the planet, is your motivation, New Year’s resolutions become much easier to maintain.
So, here are some sustainable resolutions that will not only bring you satisfaction, but also help save the environment:
Change your Eating Habits
It’s a well-known fact that the meat and dairy industry is one of the biggest contributors to habitat degradation and environmental changes. Apart from the excessive air pollution caused by global meat production, maintaining such a large industry also requires a tremendous amount of water and land, which results in detrimental deforestation. In an effort to offset these problems, many people are committing to a vegetarian or even vegan diet. But eliminating meat altogether might be difficult for most people, or simply a decision they aren’t ready to make just yet. However, by making a resolution to consume less meat and dairy products, and to incorporate one meat-free meal into your weekly diet, you can lower your carbon footprint and do your part in delaying climate changes.
Stop wasting single-use plastic
Taking hundreds of years to degrade, without ever fully decomposing, plastic pollution has a truly disastrous effect on our planet, as well as our own health. Thankfully, avoiding plastic is one of the easiest ways to live more sustainably. So, make it a point to stop using single-use plastic straws, bags and take-out containers, and always carry more sustainable alternatives with you, such as a bamboo or metal straw, a cotton grocery bag or a reusable water bottle. Even the takeaway coffee cups you might think are made of paper are actually lined with a plastic film, making them nearly impossible to recycle. But just by bringing a reusable cup with you every morning, you can be more sustainable when it comes to your tea and coffee consumption.
Make your bathroom more sustainable
From makeup to skincare products, our bathroom tends to be the place where we use a lot of non-recyclable packaging, although those negative habits could easily be changed. When New Year comes around, make an effort to opt for concealers, foundations and serums in glass bottles, swap out your toothbrush for a bamboo alternative and choose toothpaste tablets over plastic toothpaste packaging. Apart from washable and reusable cotton pads for your face, you could also go for a reusable metal razor, as well as a hard soap instead of a shower gel. Another thing you can opt for is a great organic anti dandruff shampoo, as its mild and natural ingredients will benefit the health of your scalp and hair, while not contaminating the water and the soil as it goes down the drain.
Avoid fast fashion companies
Due to mass production and suspiciously low price points, not only are fast fashion brands some of the biggest contributors to climate change, but they also often use unethical working practices. So, for the benefit of both the planet and the less fortunate communities around the world, it might be a good idea to stop buying fast fashion clothing next year. Instead, opt for one of the many great sustainable fashion brands that only use ethically-sourced, natural materials and produce high-quality and durable clothing. Even though it might seem like a bigger investment at first, you will shop with a clear conscience for timeless clothing items that will last you for years to come.
Reduce your energy consumption
Another very simple yet incredibly efficient way of being more sustainable is to reduce the water and electricity use in your home. Start saving water by opting for shorter showers, turning the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth or soaping up, and choose a water-saving shower head. When it comes to reducing household energy consumption, make it a habit to switch off any lights or appliances that aren’t in use, hang your clothes to dry instead of tumble drying them, let some air in rather than turning up the air-conditioner, and bundle up during colder weather to save on heating. Not only will these simple resolutions be more beneficial to the environment, but they’ll also help you cut down on general household costs.
Whether you opt for all of these sustainable New Year’s resolutions or just one, you can rest assured that every small change you make will have a greatly positive impact on the environment.