5 Sustainable Resolutions this New Year
Are you looking to boost your sustainable lifestyle and reduce your footprint/impact on the world? Here are 5 ways to kickstart your inspiration for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Veganuary:
Yes I know people are thinking it is a gimmick and everyone is suddenly Vegan for a month, but the main thing with this is that it is great! If you actually take it seriously and plan some great vegan meals you’ll not only be able to reduce your impact on the environment, but also eat healthier food and expand your culinary arsenal. I did this last year with my housemate and we followed a 28-day plan in this book.
It was a great way to get into the swing of buying and cooking vegan food, plus it was a fun activity to do during the 2020 lockdown. With most things it is the trying that counts; even if Veganuary does not make you vegan all the time, but only half! Then you’re still reducing your impact and it is never going to be a binary switch.
No Plastic:
This one is interesting. The premise should be to avoid plastic packaging and products with single use plastic… even if they’re “recyclable” we all need to try and reduce our dependence on plastic in modern life.
Key ways to do this are:
Bring your own bags with you when you shop
Buy loose food from the fresh sections and put them in your own bags
If you want meat or fish, shop at your local butcher/fishmonger and ask to not have plastic packaging or bring your own reusable containers for it
If you need to buy a gift for someone, look for items that don’t use plastic packaging. Or better yet, buy them an experience or plant a tree for them :P.
No Spending (other than staples):
January is often a month when money might be tight. Therefore reducing your retail action will also help the bank balance.
Everything you buy has a footprint, therefore reducing what you buy in the long-term will always be better. Swapping from buying cheaper things more often to buying slightly more expensive but longer-lasting will be cost effective in the long run, and you’ll have better quality things.
If you can avoid buying anything other than food and basic needs this is a great thing to aim for in the new year, something you’ll hopefully continue in the long-term
Great ways to get around the retail therapy itch
Shop in your own wardrobe, find inspiration in the clothes you already have, or even share with friends.
Share or swap electronics, books and other entertainment items, another good way of increasing the utilisation of these products. For books, you could also join your local library - I am sure most of what you want will be there, and once you’re finished with it, someone else can use it, and the cycle continues!
Zero Shopping:
There are now some amazing shops cropping up all over the place called zero waste stores, switch your shopping habits from the supermarket to a place like this. They’re often run by friendly people who’re able to offer some great advice and ideas for recipes to try.
I’ve also found the community of people who also shop there will have similar outlooks to you, and can be a great way of socialising in your community and sharing life hacks and tips to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
Carpooling to work:
Another great way to reduce your impact, save some money, and also have some time with colleagues that are not in the office. Again, not only will you be able to reduce your footprint, and save some money on your fuel bill, you’ll also be reducing the miles on your vehicle hopefully increasing the lifetime and value of it.
These are just a handful of great ideas to start the ball rolling in making your new year more sustainable. If you’re interested in other sustainable tips and ideas, check out some of my other blog posts.
