The new year is just around the corner! January is a time to look into the future and set personal goals to better improve your life and the lives of those around you. This year make an impactful resolution and strive toward living a more sustainable lifestyle. Here are 7 ways you can make your life more green next year.
Avoid single-use items: Instead of buying single-use items, such as cups, straws, plastic bags, and paper towels, invest in reusable or recyclable products. Single-use items can not only be costly, but they can create quite a bit of waste. Check out these reusable stainless steel straws: https://amzn.to/2NrRUQQ and these cute recycled grocery bags: https://amzn.to/33rkJ5v
Conserve water: Make an effort to avoid taking long showers or keeping the water running while brushing your teeth. If you want to go the extra mile, purchase a low flow toilet, a low-flow faucet converter, or a low-flow shower head. This Spark Pod shower head has great reviews and is even easy to install: https://amzn.to/2PXIBJS
Switch to “clean” beauty products: Both men’s and women’s beauty products contain all kinds of harmful chemicals such as parabens and aluminum. These chemicals and toxins can be found in cosmetics, skincare and even haircare products. Be conscious of what you’re buying and go with vegan, cruelty-free alternatives instead. Even better, many of these products are in recyclable or reusable packaging! Try this safe and healthy shampoo and conditioner:https://amzn.to/2PWQS0T
Cook at home: This resolution may be hard, but your health, wallet and the environment will thank you for it. Processed and packaged foods contribute to the waste of energy, oil, water and trees. Cooking at home and meal prepping with fresh ingredients is not only more affordable and good for your health, it will also allow you to spend more time with friends and family. If you’re not the best chef, try a meal prep service like Fresh N Fit Cuisine: https://bit.ly/2WSZ4jU
Avoid fast fashion: Big chain stores with fashionable and cheap clothing often create destruction and pollution. In order to meet the demand of the latest fashion fads, products are mass produced and typically don’t contain the safest and healthiest materials. Heavy chemicals and synthetic fabrics and dyes are often used in the industry. This year, consider whether you need new clothes at all. If you do, try to choose timeless styles that won’t go out of fashion and higher quality pieces that are made with good materials. Check out this sustainable clothing brand for women: https://bit.ly/33u63CG
Start composting: Composting will prevent you from wasting food or tossing out old leftovers into your household garbage. Even if you don’t have a garden where the compost can be used, there are plenty of places that will benefit from nutrient rich compost. You’ll reduce costs of waste collection, decrease your carbon footprint and keep your leftovers out of landfills.To learn how to get started, check out this helpful article: https://bit.ly/344slev
Buy local/seasonal produce: Seasonal produce doesn’t need as much artificial help in growing, so you’ll find less pesticides and chemicals. Eating seasonally also means you can avoid eating foods that have been shipped from other countries, which cuts down on food mileage and reduces our carbon footprint. If you’re not sure what’s in season at the moment, take time to go to your local farmer’s market. You’ll see firsthand what’s seasonal, and you’ll also support local growers at the same time. You can also do a little online research by checking out websites like this: https://bit.ly/37kND9I
Going completely waste-free can seem overwhelming, but getting down to a low-waste level isn’t nearly as hard. This year, make simple lifestyle changes to have a big impact on the environment!