Simple Sustainable New Years Resolutions for 2018

Whether you’ve already decided on a New Year’s resolution, or you’re still conjuring one up, this year we’re encouraging others to make sustainable changes in 2018, improving both their lives and the life of the Earth. Creating a sustainable New Year’s resolution is good for our minds, bodies, and the environment, and they come in more forms than you may realize - in other words, they aren’t limited to recycling. For example, if you’re an animal lover who can’t seem to commit to vegetarian- or veganism, you may choose to eat less meat this year! By incorporating more protein-filled superfoods such as plant protein powders into your diet, you can get the nutrients you need from sources other than meat, reducing your footprint on the lives of animals.

Speaking of superfoods, another sustainable New Year’s resolution that can help both you and the environment is to reduce the toxins that you let into your household as well as those produce while you’re outside. Creating a toxin-free household won’t necessarily happen overnight, but with some research and dedication to changes in your lifestyle and the products you buy, you can make your house - and body - a healthier place to live. Plus, by choosing to take public transportation or carpool to work, you can make the world outside your home a healthier place as well.

Another way to clean your house while helping the environment is by adapting a minimalistic approach to the “stuff” in your home. Perhaps you choose one item each day that no longer serves you, or maybe you do some spring cleaning multiple times in the year. Or, adapt the 90/90 rule: If you haven’t used an item in your home in the last 90 days, and don’t think you’ll use in the next 90 days, get rid of it! But here’s the key: Be sure to donate or consign the things you choose to dispose of. In the end, you’ll decrease your consumption of “stuff” while keeping that “stuff” out of landfills.

Looking for other ways to clean out landfills? It may be time to adapt changes that utilize the “reuse” portion of the slogan “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Our favorite ways to reuse? We love bringing reusable bags to the grocery store to avoid consuming more plastic or paper than necessary. Plus, we’ve chosen to bring reusable water bottles to the gym, which helps save us from consuming at least five plastic bottles of water each week. This year, promise yourself that you’ll keep those reusable bags in your trunk - as to not forget them during your shopping trips - and splurge on one of those fancy reusable bottles that you’ll feel great about carrying around with you.

Finally, when you do go out shopping, it’s always a great idea to make more sustainable choices in the products you purchase. By vowing to purchase only cruelty-free cosmetic products, you can help those furry friends we mentioned earlier. Also, when you cleanse your closet, be sure to replace those pieces with only good quality ones - they’ll last longer and won’t end up in that landfill.

Regardless of what resolution you choose to start out 2018, we hope you also adapt a new lifestyle change or two that will help out our wonderful planet - you’ll be surprised how much it actually helps your mind and body as well.