10 Green New Years Resolution Ideas

If you’re making a green new year’s resolution ready to start 2021 off with a bang but a bit lost on where to start then I’ve come up with a handful of ideas to get you on the right path.  Whether your New Years Resolutions are eco based, starting a new hobby/business or about getting fitter, just make sure they are goals that are within your control.  Only a quarter of Brits that set New Years resolutions actually stick to them so start small, be specific, be realistic and watch these changes start to become a part of your everyday lifestyle. 

• Go plastic-free in one room. I found my bathroom the easiest place to start when going plastic-free as there are so many brilliant plastic-free personal care products out there that I was actually stuck for choice.

• Buy fruit and vegetables that aren’t wrapped in plastic. I find this is easier to do when shopping at a local farm shop or zero waste shop, which will also mean you’re supporting a small local business in the process.

• Get composting!  Composting all your fruit and veg scraps now will mean you have lots of compost to use in come spring for your gardening, saving you having to buy any! Have a read of our guide to Composting here- Composting Do’s & Dont's – TheEcoFriendlyLivingCo

• Can you change your commute so that you can walk or cycle to work? Not just better for the environment but better for all round well being too.  Maybe you can save the commute and therefore the fumes altogether and just work from home.

• Switch to getting milk delivered in glass bottles rather than buying it in plastic and support your local milkman in the process!

• Purchase a reusable water bottle and refill that instead of buying bottled water. 90% of the price of a bottle of water is just the packaging cost so swapping to a refillable water bottle will not only save you money but will also mean much less plastic being wasted.

• Ditching disposable sanitary towels and tampons and switching to reusables, such as menstrual pads or cups, will save you money in the long run and save the environment from unnecessary plastic.

• Commit to not buying any new clothes for the year and buy second-hand instead of brand new, upcycle or attend clothes swaps instead!  You may have recently read about Deborah Meadon of Dragons Den fame who set this goal for 2020, stuck to it (bar a new pair of trainers) and has decided to roll it over in to 2021 too!

• Switch just one single use plastic product to a plastic-free version and see your plastic consumption dramatically reduce.  Just imagine how many plastic shampoo bottles you can drop out of your daily regime just by switching to a shampoo bar instead.  For more product based swap ideas that will also save you money, check out this blog I wrote a few months back.  Debunking The Myths That Going Eco Means More Expense – TheEcoFriendlyLivingCo

• One of my resolutions for 2021 will be to eat a more plant based diet.  If this also takes you fancy that you could consider taking part if Veganuary- an initiative that inspires and supports people to go vegan for January.

Whatever you set for your new years resolutions this year, good luck!