7 eco friendly resolutions
pretty sure we all are ready to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021. if you're looking to start the new year off on a more sustainable foot, i've got 7 eco friendly resolutions that are easy to stick to & will have an impact!
ditch single use water bottles. if you haven't already - THIS IS THE RESOLUTION FOR YOU! 17 million barrels of oil are used each year to produce bottled water, plastic which will never biodegrade and up to 80% of it won't be recycled and will end up in landfill! bottled water is also way more expensive - do yourself & your wallet a favor and switch to a reusable water bottle. this is one of my favorites.
eat less meat. eating less animal products (especially meat!) is one of the most impactful ways to not only reduce your carbon footprint, but support cleaner air and water. try adding in meatless mondays, committing to meatless lunches, or even going vegetarian or vegan for a month. Some of my favorite websites for easy, delicious vegan meals are: Vegan Richa, Love and Lemons, and Cookie & Kate.
make a swap. trade out a single use product for a zero waste or reusable option. here's a few ideas: refillable hand soap containers vs. plastic 1x use, cloth napkins vs. paper, shampoo bar vs. plastic 1x use, reusable grocery bags vs. plastic, veggies in bulk vs pre-cut and plastic wrapped
get involved. join a local environmentally focused organization. do weekly or monthly beach clean ups. donate to nonprofits. sign petitions to help drive change.
walk more, drive less. remember how clear the skies were during the first COVID lockdown? more of that. car travel contributes to around 27% of our GHG emissions. challenge yourself to see what locations you could walk or bike to instead of driving.
meal plan. cut down on food waste by planning out your meals in advance and buying only what you need. not only is this good for the planet, you'll spend less money on food and likely eat healthier overall!
educate yourself. read books, listen to podcasts, or watch documentaries. A few recommendations to get you started. Books: An Uninhabitable Earth, Project Drawdown, The Big Pivot, Diet for a Hot Planet. Podcasts: Outrage and Optimism, Reversing Climate Change. Documentaries: Chasing Coral, Our Planet, From the Ground Up.
