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10 Green New Year’s Resolutions
It’s a brand new year, so for most people that means dedicating themselves to their new year’s resolutions. But let’s face it, we all make a lot of resolutions that we don’t keep. We’re either too busy at work or too consumed with our personal lives to truly stick to our goals.
One way you can stick to your resolutions is to make some green resolutions that would benefit both you and the environment. Just think about your traditional resolutions and add a green twist to them!
Here are ten eco friendly resolutions that you can make this year to have a happy and green new year:
- Green Exercise – With all the extra weight put on from feasting over the holidays the start of the New Year is a great opportunity to get in shape. And you can do it in an earth-friendly way! Check out our post on How to Green Your Exercise Routine.
- Recycle – Whether you take your plastic bottles or aluminum soda cans to a recycling center or do something creative like Recycling Your Used Coffee Grinds, get rid of your waste in an eco friendly way and help reduce trash in your area by recycling.
- Switch to Reusable Shopping Bags - Countries like Africa, Australia and China have already banned plastic bags in many areas, so why not jump on the green bandwagon and stop using plastic bags yourself? You can purchase organic and eco friendly reusable shopping bags from ReusableBags.com.
- Drive Less – You may not be able to afford a hybrid vehicle but you CAN afford to cut down on carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint by driving less. If you live on campus check to see if you can rent a bike like the students at these universities, or try walking to your destination. If you have to drive you should carpool or join a ride share program.
- Green Your Work Area – You spend about 40 hours a week at your place of employment, so how about making it a bit more eco friendly? Not only will you be more productive at work, but you’ll also be helping out the environment. Check out our 10 Ways to Make Your Work Area Green blog post.
- Stay in Touch with Family and Friends – Make it a point to get back in contact with the family and friends that you haven’t had a chance to talk to in the past year. You can reduce paper waste by sending them an email or a free e-card, or you can purchase recycled greeting cards and notebook paper.
- Volunteer – Websites like Idealist.org offer hundreds of opportunities for you to join a green organization and volunteer your time. You can do just about anything, from planting trees to promoting animal rights.
- Green Your Computer – Even if you turned your laptop off at work last year it still consumed energy if it was plugged into the wall! So this year cut back on your computer’s energy consumption by installing a free energy-saving application from LocalCooling.com or by unplugging the cord when it’s not in use. You can also purchase an eco friendly laptop bag or buy green computer products from websites like Verdant Computing.
- Start a Garden – Even if you live in a small apartment with limited space you can still grow your own herbs and vegetables. Nothing is better and healthier than eating your own organically grown food.
- Use Less Water – There are many ways that you can reduce your water consumption, from turning off the water when you’re brushing your teeth to taking shorter showers. If you’re interested in finding out what your water footprint is check out the website Waterfootprint.org.
These are just a few green resolutions that you can make.
If you have any other ideas please feel free to share them with the Green Student U community.
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its really great i i thought it had some humor to it which i liked but then again i find humor in everything even some time when its not funny, But i did like it.
Wow, thanks for the post. It really is important for people to start thinking green and going green can also save you money. There's no downside to it. All of the resolution's you've listed are great and easily done.
Wow, thanks for the post. It really is important for people to start thinking green and going green can also save you money. There's no downside to it. All of the resolution's you've listed are great and easily done.
Really great ideas! Everyone should do their part in helping conserve, reuse, and recycle. These links have some really awesome ideas as well- thanks!
Great list of ideas. I am an active environmentalist and appreciate others taking a stand. I even contacted the manager at work and had him replace all the light bulbs with florescent. Keep up the good work.
Great ideas, especially about exercising. We live on 4 acres and have mown paths around the property. I walk daily--no matter what the weather. It costs nothing except time and a good pair of shoes. We've conglomerated our driving trips, also, to save gas.
It would be more helpful if you told us here how to do these things instead of just linking to other posts.
Good article with great suggestions! A couple I already do, I'll check out the links and think about the others!
Great post! I also have my new year resolution.I've been thinking about trying something green out for a while now... I definitely need to start doing at least 5 of the things you recommended. I think its important to be green and do our part.
These are some wonderful ideas. If yo drive less, you will save a lot of money because you wont be tempted to spend more while you are out and about!
I have been involved and interested with living a greener life. I have purchased boston red sox reusable shopping bags and i love them. I'm trying to get my parents into doing this as well, sometimes they listen and sometimes they dont
This is so informative! I definately need to start doing at least 5 of the things you recomended. I think its important to be green and do our part.
Thank you for your ideas. I've not considered green exercise before, nor greening up my work area. I think it's always worth mentioning that green ideas not only benefit our enviornment, but also our bottom lines!
That is great list of green ideas for the New Year. i am going to implement those tips for myself .thanks for sharing those nice tips
Yes, drive less! I recently started walking more and not only am I helping the environment, but I feel so much better. Now, walking is one of the best parts of my day. It does help that I don't live in Texas where its super hot all the time...
I love these resolutions- they're so positive. I've already been working on getting in touch/staying in touch with my extended family, and I'd like to do more of that in the New Year.
These are some really great ideas. Not only do they benefit the environment, but many of them benefit our wallets. And in these times every little bit helps. It is so true that small steps can make a big difference.
Thanks for sharing these! I've been thinking about trying something green out for a while now... and these steps are a great push in the right direction. Thanks!
A very interesting article.at times like these we all hav to start thinking green and these are some easy ways to achieve this!tnx for the info.!
This is a great list of easily attainable goals. If everyone could try their hardest to do just three or four of these ideas, we would all be better off.
I like how you added links to lots of great resources. This post is excellent!
This is a fantastic post. I think a lot of people overwhelm and psych themselves out when it comes to "going green", thinking they need to throw everything out and adopt all new habits all at once. I feel that it's the little things that have the biggest impact because it's easy to stick with a small adjustment (and make more in the future) and it all adds up, naturally.
Great resolutions! If more people would think green in 2009, the world would be in much better shape!
Now THIS is what I call a blog!!! All those links to the information I needed to know packed into a very informative and thoughful few paragraphs! I'm impressed and inspired. What if we all did these things??
Most appropriate blog post for the present environment condition which is deteriorating by our greedy activities.The ten resolutions given in the post are very useful suggestions to protect our environment which will ultimately provide us a great place to live. I hope if every one of us make new year resolutions like this and practice them,then we will be doing a great service to the coming generations by protecting our environment from environment disasters.I am very happy to recommend this blog.
Thank you for a wonderful list for this brand new year.I will follow this list from today.
Great advice! I especially love the advice about the re-usable shopping bags! I've collected quite a few, now I just have to remember to bring them when I shop!
Very nice. I didnt know that a computer still uses energy even if it is plugged in but turned off. I have had a garden in the past and plan on doing it again. I really need to check in to the reusable shopping bags. Thanks for the info.
Good ideas for a step in the right direction as far as being Eco-friendly. I live in a townhouse in the city, but last year I started my own garden. In a very small amount of space we grew a tonne of tomatoes, onion, 3 different peppers, lettuce and kohlrabi. So nice to be able to run out the front door to get some fresh food to cook up!
Awesome ideas! Anyone can use reusable bags for shopping or carrying things around. With a little planning and determination, we can all drive less. Do you really need 3 cars, or can you get by with 2, or even 1? My husband and I have been sharing a car for 4 months now, and while we've had to make some adjustments, we've found it really wasn't as hard as we thought it would be. Our gas and car maintenance costs have dropped drastically, and we're not damaging the environment as much. I plan on planting a small garden this year also. I think one key thing to stress is that anyone can do this. It doesn't take a lot of extra time or money, and it really does make a difference!
This is a great list for those of us who know we want to do something green but are afraid it might be difficult.
This is a really great article! I never thought about the computer thing. I typically find myself a pretty eco-friendly person in the standard ways: turn off the lights if you're not using them, put on a sweater rather than turn the heat on, etc. but I bet there are a lot of different smaller things that everyone can do to help. Next time I'm at the grocery store I'll get my reusable bags! Thanks for the blog!
Wow! There are so many great ideas here. I really liked the resolution about driving less. My city is a great walking/biking city so I am going to adopt that resolution as my own this year. It will also help get rid of that extra holiday weight.
As a greenie myself, I am so incredibly supportive of this blog posting! This is a genius way to help oneself out and the environment at the same time! I give you 2 thumbs up and I would definately recommend this blog!
These are some great suggestions to start the new year out right. So of course I will be following them because I love to live as green as I can.
Very nice suggestions!!! I had never thought about going more green at work but what a terrific idea! I love the e card idea!
I think that these are great ideas. I have decided that my resolution this year is to use reusable bags and get better about my recycling. What a great inspiration to stay up on our resolutions and really finish them for once!!
Wow - thanks for a great list. These are all great ideas!
I think that these are all great ideas! Sometimes I get too caught up in daily work, bills, and drama to really just take some time to relax and smell the roses. I think these suggestions will help me do just that!
These are all excellent ideas. I think that it's important for as many people as possible to become aware of and active in the green movement. It is an integral part of living life as a responsible person.
Great suggestions! I also would like to add switching out your lightbulbs to LEDs or CFLs, switching from buying CDs to buying your music digitally via iTunes or Rhapsody, turning your thermostat down or up a few degrees seasonally, and switching your foods you buy to organic or local or both! If everyone would do the things you listed and the things I've listed, what a great planet we would have!!
Great ideas for a New Years Resolution. If we all would agree to do these for New Years the world would be a better place. especially since there ot htat hard.
This is a great article. I think that the importance of the New Year's Resolution is understated. Especially by naysayers and people who don't actively pursue them. In the middle of winter, when everyone is kind of bummed out, having a project can be a great way to improve your attitude. Mine is small, simply to write everyday, but it gives me something to do and look forward to that I enjoy. So pick something that is a passion, not an obligation. And consider volunteering, I volunteer in a school theatre and it's a very rewarding experience. I highly recommend it.
These are good ideas; I wouldn't have thought of some of them. However, I feel like these resolutions would end up the same way any other resolution would: forgotten.
I loved this post! I love that going green is a new trend and I support any attempts to make it widespread and easy for ordinary people to contribute to the health of our environment.
These are some really good and practical ideas to reduce and reuse! Thanks for sharing. Our family has been recycling and re-purposing for years.The garden idea is one I've done in the past & have vowed to go beyond my current patch of berries this year. There is no reason not to grow a large portion of my own produce - I have a garden plot & it's time to use it!
great ideas! I've actually considered a garden!
Great post! I also have my new year resolution. I was really amazed that we have a little similarity in making our self a new one by making our resolutions for this year. I hope you all the best so that you can achieve your resolution so as with me.
As someone who spent the new year unable to think of a resolution, I find this blog very helpful (if only I saw it a week earlier, but I suppose a January 5th resolution is pretty good). A lot of these ideas are things everyone should do, but so often forget about. If we each took one or two of these and made it our resolution I'm sure we could make a difference!
Great list of green ideas for the New Year! I was so excited at Christmas when I got several cute reusable shopping bags that I vowed then and there not to use plastic again. I'm also looking into getting a big power strip to plug all my electronics into. That way all I have to do is flip one switch and everything's off for the night. Again, great list and good luck going green this year!
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