With a new year approaching, it’s natural to reflect on how we can improve both ourselves and the environment around us. What better way to start the new year with some practical ways to live a more environmentally conscious and sustainable life? One overall resolution can be to reduce your waste. The opportunity to reduce our waste shows up daily in many different ways! Whether it’s our buying, eating, or everyday habits, here are seven resolutions to adopt in the new year and beyond.
1. Refuse single-use plastic
Say “no thank you” to single-use straws, utensils, cups, and water bottles. Bring your own, and revel in the confidence of having on-hand cutlery that is the safest, most hygienic, and unique option.
2. Make reusables easily accessible
One way to set yourself up for success is to make reusables as easy to grab as possible. Put them in your car, backpack, purse, or other common location so you don’t even have to think about bringing them!
3. Rent
Ever need a sewing machine, toolbox, or seasonal gear like a snowboard or kayak? Consider renting! Libraries and sporting goods stores offer rental of these big-ticket items, so that we can use them only as needed. It’s convenient and there’s no need to figure out storage after use.
4. Refill
Instead of continuously accumulating packaging, try the practice of refilling! Bring your designated container or bag to refill laundry detergent, dish soap, or snacks at stores that offer refill options. Sporting goods stores even offer small refillable propane tanks for your portable cooking needs!
5. Rechargeable batteries
While batteries play a huge part in powering the many electronics that surround us, they also pose as a hazard since they are flammable. Reduce the amount of single-use batteries and opt for rechargeable, so we can all help in reducing the risk of battery fires.
6. Support local businesses, makers, and artists
Shopping at a small business not only boosts the local economy, but also lessens our environmental footprint. Supporting a local business, maker, or artist means a higher chance of buying products that were made or sourced from local materials, which means products didn’t travel hundreds of miles to get there.
7. Reuse what you have
Chances are, we already have everything we need in order to reduce waste. Reusable utensils, a cloth napkin, a reusable water bottle – they don’t have to be the newest or fanciest, the spirit of reuse is using what we already have.
It may seem daunting to reduce the waste we create, but let’s feel inspired by the new year and take action today by choosing resolutions that will contribute to both our society and a better environment. Taking small steps slowly builds the habit so that it eventually comes naturally to say no to unnecessary things in our lives that end up as waste. Start small and try one tip at a time – it takes some trial and error to get to a place where you find what works for you. Before you know it, the year will pass and you can look back and proudly say you didn’t use one single-use water bottle the whole year, or at least lessened the amount, which is great progress!