It’s not too late to start a Green 2017. In fact, Green Resolutions can provide the extra motivation to keep you focused on your goals all year round. Green living is a commitment that not only makes your life better but benefits your community, your family, and the Earth.
With positive effects that are immediate and long term, Green Resolutions will help you save money, improve your health and protect the environment.
Keeping that in mind, why not try implementing these six easy to achieve Green Resolutions for 2017:
1. Ditch the disposable water. This one is a no-brainer for those with financial resolutions in 2017. If you drank your recommended amount of daily water, eight glasses per day, in bottled water, you would be spending about $1,400. Out of the 50 billion bottles of water being bought each year, 80% end up in a landfill, even though recycling programs exist. Switching to an in-home filter and using a reusable bottle can save you money and save the planet from pollution and excessive use of fossil fuels.
2. Bring that bag. It’s 2017. Americans use and throw away 100 billion plastic bags every year, which requires 12 million barrels of oil per year to manufacture. Do we really have an excuse not to use reusable bags? Admittedly, it can be hard to remember. If possible, have enough on hand to keep them in convenient spots like your car, near the front door, in your gym bag, near the front door, and so on. Always, always, put them back after you unpack your groceries.
3. Green Your Eating. Healthier eating consistently ranks among the top New Year’s resolutions. In addition to eating better foods, make sure that they are healthy for the environment, too. Buying organic will eliminate the amount of pesticides used to grow and produce your food. Buying local will eliminate the carbon dioxide that adds up with the transportation of your food. Ordering from your local CSA can be an excellent way to save money on organic food while supporting local farmers.
4. Compost. Toss your tossing habits out in 2017. Reduce household waste by composting organic food and yard matter. The average American family throws away about $600 worth of food every year. Composting your kitchen waste is easy and will help you become more mindful about what you are creating in excess.
5. Put the breaks on fast fashion. Make a resolution to wear your heart on your sleeve in 2017. Avoid fast fashion, which is the cycle of cheap clothing production and consumption. It’s driven by our demands for the latest fashion trends and environmentally destructive. This practice is causing environmental damage as farmers are forced grow GMO cotton at increasingly faster rates. Additionally, it requires the usage of tons of fossil fuels from the farming to manufacturing to shipping, and it increases the amount of toxins needed to create synthetic fabric and dyes. If you need any new clothes this year, make sure it’s only what you really need and look for quality materials, made ethically. Before tossing out the clothes you no longer need, give them new life by recycling. At USAgain, we help to divert the 12 million tons of textiles that are sent to landfills every year. You can get started by finding a local drop box near you. Feeling inspired? You can bring a textile recycling bin to your community or school, too.
6. Recycle even more and recycle the right way. Just like with textile recycling, there’s a new wave of items that can be recycled. But first, make sure you know what you can recycle and where. Often wrong things are put incorrectly into the wrong bins. Even if it is recyclable, it doesn’t mean that the provider who collects it will be able to process it. Use websites like Earth911 to search for what is recyclable in your city and seek out other businesses that provide alternative forms of recycling. Many stores will have recycling containers for your batteries, light bulbs, and will even take your old plastic bags back.
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