Wondering how to make a new year's resolution that will stick? Here are some small ideas to help you make a big difference!
The New Year is often a fresh start for many; a reset button that gives us the opportunity to set new goals for ourselves encouraging growth and positive change. And while it's tempting to have lofty goals for the year, there is huge merit to starting small and growing from there. To celebrate, and in honour of 2020, we thought we'd share some ideas with you that make new year's resolutions a little easier to keep.
Walk More Often
If you need to go around the corner to pick up some groceries, or if your destination is under a couple of kilometres away, consider walking there. You're saving on fuel, you're reducing pollution, and getting a little bit of exercise in. And walking someplace also lets you spend a little time with the neighbourhood dogs!
Buy Local Produce
Skip hypermarkets and look for farmers who bring in local products. You're certain to get fresh fruit and help reduce the impact on the environment at the same time. Buying local, as far as possible, also helps you enrich your city or town's economy.
Another thing to keep in mind is to try to buy your food items seasonally. With higher nutritive value and guaranteed freshness, you know you're not buying food that's been sitting around in a warehouse waiting to be transported to a market.
Carry Your Own!
A lot of us are in the habit of using disposable plastic. It's convenient and easy to find, but you can help reduce what you contribute to the growing amount of plastic that ends up in landfills. Use metal straws and stick a spare reusable bottle in your bag.
There are some really cool reusable bottles that retain temperature and allow you to infuse water with fruits. Making the practice more exciting by doing some fun shopping can make the switch easier!
Consider carrying your own jars or reusable and sealable bags when you go to buy groceries like grains and dry beans! Many big cities have zero-waste stores that encourage you to purchase items by weight to avoid throwaway packaging.
Easy Replacements
Some easy to reuse replacements can also help you reduce plastic consumption. Small switches like carrying tote bags for groceries and reusable liners for your veggies and fruits. Bamboo toothbrushes are also a great item to use as a replacement to reduce the use of plastic toothbrushes.
For the women, consider switching out to a menstrual cup to both save on money and be more eco-friendly! Regular sanitary napkins use plastic and commercially manufactured fibres that are awful for the environment.
Plant a Tree!
Plant 5 trees once every month, or even just a single tree per month. Twelve trees might not seem like a lot, but that's still more trees than your neighbourhood had last year! The birds and squirrels in your area will thank you for the free housing, and you'll be grateful for the extra shade and clean air!
DIY!
DIY's are very popular and for good reason! Making things for yourself at home is more eco-friendly and there are almost no harmful chemicals involved. Many natural products even give you better results! Switching to DIY is a great way to keep yourself occupied on rainy days, require few ingredients and you can be CERTAIN that no animals were harmed in the making of your homemade cleaning spray, or easy DIY lip balm!
Here's an easy DIY a lip balm to get you started - melt a small amount of cocoa butter and coconut oil in a double boiler, add essential oils of your choice and pour it into a little container! You can add food colouring or melt old lipsticks into this for tinted lip balm.
Another great DIY hack is using white vinegar with lemon or baking soda for cleaning. It gets rid of odours and does a better job than some commercially available cleaners!
Give Things New Life
In a consumerist society, a lot of perfectly useable things often get thrown out. With a little imagination, you can transform old items! Fruit and vegetable waste can be easily used for compost. Old cotton t-shirts can make for a great dusting rag, and that chipped tea-cup can be a birdfeeder. Your ragged old towel can make a fun rope toy for your pet dog. The only limit really is your imagination! And even if you're not feeling very inspired, there are tonnes of great suggestions for DIY's easily available online.
Led by Example
We're all upset about the state of the environment, and there are very few people who will disagree about the state of pollution in the world. But many of us still choose the more convenient option. Small changes are easier to make than you think! And if even one out of every 5 people leads by example, the ripple effect is sure to have a positive impact!