15 Eco-Friendly New Years Resolution Ideas

New Year’s resolutions date back to 153 BC, when January, (named after Janus, god of all beginnings), replaced March as the first month of the Roman calendar.

More than 2,000 years later, people are still making resolutions, and though some certainly fall by the wayside, research shows that end-of-the year resolutions rank higher than other goals in terms of commitment because they represent personal aims that people really care about.

I love the New Year, it’s a great time to reflect on all that you’ve accomplished and how much more there is to do in the coming year. We announce our commitments to new behaviors and goals. I have assembled a few great green tips that can help your “green in the new year.” I encourage you to select a few, but if only one seems feasible for you, go for it!

• Give Up Using Paper Napkins, Paper Towels, Or Both: Buy a few sets of organic cloth napkins so you always have clean ones available. Clean up spills with old recycled towels cut into smaller squares, and then just toss them in the laundry when soiled.

• Always Buy Recycled Paper: Lets face it, it would be very difficult to do away with paper totally, but we can seriously reduce how much we use. Use recycled content paper for everything (home and office). Use both sides of the paper. Meaning, if one side is still clean, put that in the printer or fax, and only print out materials or emails if you absolutely must have a hard copy of the item.

• Use E-Cards: Make a list of the birthdays you honor throughout the year and send out creative e-cards.  No shopping trips in the car, no postal service vehicles in use, no paper used.

• Use Low-Energy Light Bulbs: Switch to energy-saving light bulbs. They may cost a bit more, but can save you up to 10 times the price over their lifetime and use at least two-thirds of the energy of standard ‘incandescent’ bulbs.

• Cut Down On Power: Plug your electronic into power strips so you can conveniently switch off when you’re not using them. Unplug appliances when not in use like the toaster, coffee maker or microwave.

• Cut Out Processed Food: Food production is among the most energy-intensive industries and the commodity crops most commonly used in it (corn and soy) is produced using fossil-fuel fertilizers and pesticides, then trucked around the country in diesel-spewing trucks. Makes you want to eat better, right?

• Don’t Drive When You Can Walk, Or Ride A Bike: Walking and biking not only helps the planet, but it helps your health too. However, if you must drive, kick the idling habit. Unnecessary idling is bad for your wallet, your vehicle, the environment and the health of people around you. Contrary to popular belief, the best way to warm up your car is to drive it at a medium speed. Idling for 10 minutes a day produces almost a quarter-ton of carbon dioxide emissions and costs you more than $80 every year!

• Don’t Waste Water: Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth.  Also take shorter showers or turn off the water while you’re soaping up.

• BYOCB: Remember to bring your own cloth bag when you go shopping.  Hang a reminder in your home, or your car to help you remember to grab your bags when heading out.

• BYOWB: End Your Plastic Water Bottle Habit: Kicking the plastic water bottle habit might sound like an impossible feat if you’re as addicted as the average American; last year we consumed about 50 billion plastic water bottles. Buy an eco-friendly reusable bottle, and refill it throughout the day, for free. If the water from your tap isn’t to your liking then add a filtration system.

• Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: There are so many great and highly effective green products on the market now, that there’s almost no excuse for this one. You can even make up your own cleaning agents. DIY kits make it easy to blend up your own nontoxic household cleansers. Check out eco-me.com for some great cleaning recipes.

• End Junk Mail: Inundated by catalogs but too lazy to call and get off their mailing lists? Register with catalogchoice.org, which will do the work for you. Services like greendimes.com and 41pounds.org stop other kinds of junk mail too, but they charge a small fee.

• Volunteer In Your Community: Sign up for your local clean-up day, tree-planting day, volunteer at a local park, or a community garden. Improving your hometown’s environment is so rewarding

• Donate Unused Items: Donate cloths or household items you don’t use to your local thrift shops or other places that can use them. Reduce clutter in your home, and give others the chance to turn your trash into their treasure.

• Support Local Food And Organic Products: I know that buying local isn’t always possible. But you can make sure that your food (even clothing) is produced in an ethical and sustainable way. Pay attention to labels such as USDA Organic, and Fair Trade.

Help stop the planet from going to waste by recycling and reusing what you already have. The most eco friendly thing you can do is pay attention to reducing, recycling and reusing. I hope this list helps you in your going green resolutions. Good luck!