ENVIRONMENTAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2022

Now is the time of year when people reflect on their habits and lifestyle choices. Many want to improve themselves and their impact on the world around them. Consider including some sustainable goals when setting your new year’s resolutions for 2022.

Everyone could benefit from making more environmentally conscious decisions. If you want to save money or give back to the planet, there are plenty of opportunities in your everyday life to lessen your carbon footprint and cut back on waste.

By making and sticking to environmental new year’s resolutions, we can shift our habits for a healthier future. 

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The Importance of Sustainable Resolutions

Everyone should make it a priority to have an eco-friendly new year in 2022. Our planet needs our attention and effort more than ever. In setting attainable goals for a more sustainable future, we can do our small part to create big change. 

Our responsibility is to change our daily habits to reflect a more environmentally aware outlook on life. While our planet offers bountiful gifts, it isn’t an endless resource. If we do not recognize the need to shift our behaviors, the effects could be disastrous. 

There are many opportunities to become more eco-friendly, from transportation to our homes. There is no quick fix for environmental repair. But, by shifting your lifestyle, you can reduce your negative impact on the planet and feel good about it!

Help the Environment With These 22 New Year’s Goal Ideas

1. Drive Less

One way of reducing your carbon footprint in the new year is driving less. As a traditional car runs, it burns fuel that emits carbon dioxide. This emission contributes to air pollution. Getting behind the wheel less often helps offset the environmental impacts.

Combat pollution by carpooling or using public transportation. You could also choose to ride a bike or walk when you need to travel shorter distances. Some communities even have bike-sharing programs, so you don’t have to spend money on a bicycle. 

2. Plant a Backyard Garden

Consider growing fruits and vegetables in the new year. As plants grow, they release oxygen into the air, fighting pollution. Home-grown produce also allows you to cut down on trips to the grocery store. 

When you grow your food, you know where it came from and any chemicals used in the process. Plus, you can enjoy fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables. 

3. Skip Single-Use Plastics

Did you know plastic does not fully decompose? All those straws and soda bottles you’ve tossed out could still be in a landfill or natural habitat. By skipping over single-use options, you can create less waste.

Opting for reusable options should be a priority among all your environmental goals. Using items like fabric grocery bags allows you to reduce your carbon footprint. Plus, you don’t have to keep buying new products. If you’re looking for a simple new year’s resolution, drink from a reusable water bottle. Disposable options take up too much room in landfills and can become microplastics over time. 

4. Shop Secondhand

A whopping 85% of textiles end up in landfills. Giving used clothes a new life reduces waste. Buying clothes from secondhand stores is good for the environment and, in many cases, your wallet. 

Buying secondhand also lessens the demand for new clothing items, which is crucial for creating lasting change. Instead of shopping for new items, find previously loved pieces to add to your closet in the new year.

5. Recycle Your Electronics

One eco-friendly goal for the new year is committing to recycling your electronics. If you have a phone nearing the end of its useful life, don’t toss it in a drawer or throw it away. Instead, find a local place where you can sell or recycle it to prevent e-waste from making its way to the landfill. 

Our electronics have dangerous heavy metals that can harm people and the environment. By giving devices a new life through recycling, you keep these elements from further polluting the planet. 

6. Turn off Your Lights 

It’s easy to forget to flip the switch when you leave a room. In the new year, make it a priority to turn off your lights whenever you don’t need them. This easy action reduces energy use and your electric bill. To keep this resolution going throughout the entire new year, you’ll need to make it a habit. Add small notes or set reminders to remember this goal. 

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Read Also : Biochar: A High Performance Organic Fertilizer Created From Biomass

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7. Buy Less Food 

Buying less food is an environmental resolution you may have never thought of before. But by doing so, you create less waste! No more tossing out expired items in the back of your cabinet or wilted vegetables from your fridge. 

Make a habit of sorting through your cupboards and using anything that’s near expiration. Only buy items you need when grocery shopping, which will reduce packaging waste and uneaten food! 

8. Use Rechargeable Batteries

Another money-saving eco-friendly new year’s resolution is to swap regular batteries for rechargeable ones.

Rechargeable batteries reduce waste and keep hazardous heavy metals out of landfills. Plus, you won’t have to keep purchasing new packs like you would with disposable options. 

9. Wash Your Clothes Less

If you’re looking for a new year’s goal idea, an easy choice is washing your clothes less frequently. Some people wear something once and then put it in the laundry hamper. Instead, wait for each piece to need washing. If it smells clean and doesn’t have stains, you can wear it again. 

Washing machines use a lot of energy and water. Some more sustainable tricks include using the following:

10. Skip the Dryer 

In addition to washing your clothes less, you could choose to skip the dryer in 2022. You can hang pieces to dry on a clothing line or rack. Some people like to keep their drying items outside for a fresh air smell. 

Dryers use a lot of energy. You can reduce your climate impact by 67% by choosing air-drying instead. 

11. Order Online Less

Online shopping is easy and super convenient. But, between packaging and delivery, shipping our orders may not be the most sustainable option. If you can make a trip to the store with reusable bags, that is preferable. 

For items that aren’t within a quick store visit, it’s best to shop sustainably and opt for items that are refurbished or secondhand. You can shop online for refurbished devices, secondhand clothes, used housewares and so much more. 

And if you don’t feel ready to kick your online shopping habit just yet, make sure you recycle cardboard shipping boxes properly. Every small effort makes a difference. 

12. Cut Back on Meat 

A little way to make a significant difference in the new year is cutting back on meat products. You can positively impact the environment by switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet or skipping meat once a week. Both of these options can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

13. Time Your Showers

The average shower in America uses about 20 gallons of water. If you enjoy bathing in hot water, this requires additional energy usage.

If you are looking to be more environmentally aware in the new year, you may want to start timing your showers. Setting a timer for five to 10 minutes should be enough to wash off the day.

Not interested in setting a timer? Choose a song or two to play during your shower. When the music finishes, it’s time to get out. 

14. Book a Staycation 

Consider ditching regular vacations if you are looking for sustainable new year’s resolution ideas for 2022. Instead of flying on an airplane or driving for hours to a hotel, consider booking a staycation this year! 

By choosing to stay somewhere close to home, you can reduce your carbon footprint. Plus, you can still mix up your daily routine and get the benefits of a vacation without flying to a new city.

15. Compost Organic Food Waste

Composting can enrich your backyard garden and help cut back on food waste going into the trash. If you want to do this indoors, you only need a compost bin to start. Toss organic food scraps like vegetable peels into a container. 

Keep your bin well balanced, and you won’t have to worry about any bad smells. By participating in organic food waste composting, you can save space in landfills. And composting recycles valuable resources. 

16. Boycott Fast Fashion

The fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also the second-biggest consumer of water internationally. Making environmentally aware decisions around clothing is paramount.

Trends come and go so quickly that some stores have started creating lower-quality pieces they can churn out faster. Instead of jumping on short-lived fads, find well-crafted alternatives that will last you for years on end. By avoiding buying fast fashion in the new year, you can offset some of this industry’s adverse effects. 

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Read Also : Gardening for Kids: 7 Reasons Planting Seeds Enriches Their Lives

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17. Unplug Energy Vampires

An energy vampire refers to an electronic device that uses energy even while no one actively engages with it. A few examples include:

Devices with a standby mode usually fall into this category. Energy from these vampire consumers can cause you to waste about $200 a year.

You can combat energy suckers by unplugging devices when you’re not using them. There are also power strips specifically designed to cut power to specific outlets and prevent unnecessary waste.  

Like turning off your lights, unplugging your electronics is a great habit to start in 2022.

18. Donate or Sell Used Clothes and Home Goods

When you no longer want a T-shirt or piece of home decor, don’t throw it out. Instead, donate these items to a local shelter or thrift shop. 

Giving away or selling clothes and home goods is an excellent way to give them a new life. Plus, you keep these pieces out of a landfill. Make it your 2022 mission to sustainably deal with unwanted items. 

Hosting a garage sale or dropping things off at a local charity will benefit the environment and the next person to enjoy your gently used pieces. 

19. Set Your Water Heater to 120 Degrees

Did you know water heating is often the second-largest energy expense from your home? Most standard water heater settings are around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Reducing this temperature by 20 degrees significantly decreases your home’s energy consumption.

Many people use hot water nearly every day for the following household tasks:

If your new year’s resolution is to cut back on your home’s carbon emissions, setting your water heater to 120 degrees can help! 

20. Choose Energy-Saving Thermostat Settings 

One of the easiest ways to save energy in the new year is by switching up your thermostat settings. There are some suggested temperatures for different seasons. Choosing 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer can reduce energy consumption by nearly 10% in one year.

If your thermostat has other energy-saving settings, take advantage of them. Consider changing temperatures to reflect more eco-friendly options before bed as well. Your wallet and the environment will thank you! 

21. Cut out Palm Oil

Palm oil is prevalent in all kinds of products, from skin care to pizza dough. Nearly 50% of packaged products use it. So, why should you cut it out of your life in 2022? 

Palm oil is one of the worst culprits of deforestation. These efforts disrupt millions of animals’ natural habitats and release tons of greenhouse gases.

Make it a goal to avoid using this oil as much as possible in the new year.

22. Repair and Repurpose Items Before Purchasing New Ones

In 2022, you can save money and reduce waste by repairing and repurposing items you already own. When something breaks, consider all the ways you could give it a new life. If you can fix it, do so! Or, think of any alternative purposes you can use it for.

By giving your items a second and sometimes third life, you can help the environment and get far more bang for your buck. 

ecoATM Can Help With Your New Year’s Resolutions

When setting your new year’s goals for 2022, consider ways to improve your sustainability efforts. The environment needs our care and attention now more than ever. Future generations rely on us to create small changes to our daily habits, like turning off lights or starting a backyard garden. 

If you’re looking to give your used phone or tablet an opportunity for a new life as part of your resolutions, an ecoATM kiosk can make it easy. 

As of 2021, ecoATM has collected over 28 million devices from landfills. Bring your used phone to one of our conveniently located kiosks, and you could get cash for it in minutes.  

NOTE – This article was originally published in Ecoatm and can be viewed here

 

 

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