Sustainable New Year's Resolutions for 2021
New year's resolutions are notoriously difficult to sustain for the entire year. We set them with the best of intentions but usually by February we've forgotten all about them and slipped back into old habits. This is usually because we set unrealistic goals and targets and once normal life resumes following the optimistic days of the festive season these are unachievable.
If your new year's resolution is to live a greener lifestyle we want to show just how easy it is to maintain that throughout the year, not just for the first few weeks.
Switching to an eco-friendly lifestyle and sustaining it is easier than you may think. It's finding little swaps that make a huge impact and alternative ways to deal with your waste.
Start composting
Composting is an inexpensive and natural process that allows you to turn your waste food and garden rubbish into nutrient rich food for your garden or window boxes.
Almost half of the food waste in the average rubbish bin could be composted. You can do your bit to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill or other more costly forms of treatment by composting your food and garden waste at home.
Once you've bought your composting bin it's super simple. Composting saves money, saves resources, can help to improve your soil and reduces your impact on the environment.
Composting at home for just one year can save global warming gases equivalent to all the CO2 your kettle produces annually or your washing machine produces in three months.
Reusable water bottles
Single use plastics are bad news for our planet and water bottles are a huge contributor to landfill and waste in our oceans. A bottle of water grabbed on the go is mostly cheap and readily available everywhere we go but there isn't always a recycling point quite so easy to reach.
With reusable bottles now coming in a vast array of shapes, sizes and designs there's no excuse to not carry one with you where ever you go. It's a simple swap that has a massive impact on our environment.
Eco-friendly Reusable water bottles
Always carry a bag
Another easy eco-friendly swap is cutting out the use of single use plastic bags and switching to reusable bag instead.
The easiest way to make this a part of your greener lifestyle is to use a fold up bag.
It's an easy swap because you can store them everywhere so you always have one to hand. They fold so small you can keep them in pockets, handbags, changing bags, well anywhere really.
Eco-Friendly reusable shopping bags
Rethink mode of transport
We're all guilty of just jumping in the car or on a bus for a short journey that we really could've have walked or cycled instead but if you can change just one or two journeys per week it makes a big difference to the planet.
Walking or cycling isn't just great for the planet of course, it's a fantastic way of getting more exercise into your daily routine, you could even count it as two new year's resolutions.
Eco-friendly swaps even when you're on the go
Reduce food waste
From production and transportation to packaging and waste the food we eat has a huge impact on the environment so if we can reduce wasted food even by a little we can make a big difference.
Simple eco-friendly kitchen gadgets such as silicone lids help to store food for longer and sustainable lunch boxes means you can take your left overs with you wherever you go.
Eco-friendly food storage for zero waste
Buy second hand
Before buying something brand spanking new consider selling pages or second hand shops. You'll be amazed at some of the things people don't want any more or don't have the space to store.
You'll typically pay a fraction of the price too so it's kind to the planet and your wallet.
Swap to zero waste bath and beauty products
If you count how many plastic bottles are sitting in your bathroom now you'll probably be surprised. Shampoo, conditioner, hand soap, toothpaste and shower gel all typically come contained in some sort of plastic that isn't always recyclable.
Switching to zero waste products such as shampoo bars and toothpaste tablets is the perfect solution to eradicate plastic from your daily hygiene routine.
Zero waste bath and beauty products
However you decide to make eco-friendly resolutions be realistic and set achievable goals, remember even little changes have a big impact.
All here at The Ideal Sunday wish you the happiest of new years and hope that no matter what 2021 brings you continue to be awesome and eco-friendly.
Leave a comment