HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!
Hope everyone traveled safe and ate lots of delicious food. After having the holiday season, many people are making New Year resolutions. Why not make resolutions for 2019 to help make a positive impact on the Planet? Below are some ideas that you can take with you to make less of a ‘footprint’ on the Earth.
1.) When you are going shopping try to bring your own bags. This will cut down on the number of plastic bags that are used, eventually leading to a decrease in the number found in landfills or in nature. They are reusable, and most of them are machine washable. In addition, some stores give a small discount on your total purchase if you bring your own bag. Who wouldn’t want that?
2.) Buy local food. By purchasing local food grown by farmers, you are supporting them and providing your body with a better alternative than store bought food. You won’t have to worry about health side effects from the additives in the food, and you are protecting/enhancing the ecosystem through your purchase.
3.) If you do buy from a local store, buy Fair Trade products. What are Fair Trade products? Fair Trade is a foundation whose mission is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions by promoting greater equity in international trading partnerships through dialogue, transparency, and respect. These products offer sustainable development through trading conditions and to secure the rights of marginalized producers and workers in developing countries. Buying Fair Trade products from their original producers in developing countries, at a fair price, is a more efficient way of promoting sustainable development than traditional charity and aid.
4.) Cut back on paper towels! Paper towels are convenient and cheap, but they do have a high impact on environmental littering. Paper towels are biodegradable, but there are many that take a long time to decompose due to the additional chemicals in them. If you do want to continue using paper towels, we recommend using brands that say they are made from recycled fibers or sugar cane. These break down faster plus they are biodegradable and compostable. What is better than paper towels? Using cotton dish towels to eat and pick up spills. They absorb a lot more, and they are reusable because you can wash them in the washing machine.
5.) Purchase your own water bottle to reuse, instead of using plastic bottles. Plastic bottle are one of the top materials that are the cause of environmental littering. They can pose threat to plants and wildlife. Instead of buying plastic water bottles from the store, which you only use once, reuse a BPA free bottle.
6.) Creating your own garden is a great way to become ecofriendly in the new-year. Instead of having to travel to the store, you can pick fresh vegetables and herbs from the comfort of your home. If you are to make your own garden, make sure that you plant during the right season. If you’re not interested in planting a food producing garden, you can always create a beautiful pollinator garden. This type of gardens help to reduce the impact of pesticides, they conserve water, and help to provide an overall healthy habitat for plants and animals.
7.) Wanting to use cleaning products at home that are more ‘natural?’ Below are two interesting ways that you can use everyday products to clean without the harsh chemicals.
-Kitchen Stain Remover: make a past made from salt, lemon juice, and bicarbonate soda. Apply the paste to the stained around and rub in with a cloth in circular motions. This will leave a natural ‘lemon fresh’ scent in addition to removing the stain.
-Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Coca-Cola might not be the best to ingest, but it can be used to clean your toilet. If you don’t have Coca-Cola, vinegar can be used too. These two mixtures have acid in them that break down rust rings as well as stains. Once you pour the product around the bowl, let it sit for an hour, scrub with your toilet bowl brush, and then flush. Done!
8.) Cut down on water time. When you are using water, whether it is for brushing your teeth or taking a shower, turn off the water when you are not using it. This saves water and doesn’t go to waste.
9.) Try not to print your receipts. If you are given the choice to have a receipt sent to you through email, take advantage of this. By emailing your receipt, you are cutting down on paper that is being used. Also, in today’s day and age, everything is electronic. So by emailing your receipt, you don’t have to worry about it getting lost.
10.) Don’t use plastic straws! Plastic straws, and utensils, are a serious problem when it comes to wildlife danger. There are different types of plastics, each with their own decompose time. The average time is about 1,000 years! If you do like using straws, instead of a plastic one, buy reusable metal ones. They are more Earth friendly and are reusable.
We hope this give you some ideas about how to be more ‘Green’ conscious in 2019. Happy New Year! Till next time…
