At conscious change we love any opportunity to start afresh and learn some new micro habits. So here are 8 New Years Resolutions which encourage a more eco friendly lifestyle!
Vegan weekdays - have you been thinking about going vegan for a while, or just wanting to reduce the amount of meat and dairy you buy and consume? Why not try to start off with dedicating a few days a week to eating vegan? Or choose certain meals to be vegan every day, small changes are the way to go if you want a habit to stick!
Reduce parcels - If you're a shopaholic and those Amazon and Zara parcels seem to be the only part of your weekly routine which is consistent at the moment what about promising yourself to limit orders from shops to once a month. I know we want things immediately, but try waiting a few weeks to create a list of things you need before ordering. There are also alternatives to amazon, check out KnowTheOrigin, Ethical Superstore and Bower Collective for everyday low waste items, products and homeware!
Dress responsibly - rewear your outfits, up-cycle your clothes, buy clothes from Depop or charity shops. Have you heard of conscious clothing our new swap shop? It can be accessed on instagram here.
Reuse reuse reuse - try reusable bottles, cutlery, tupperware. FYI you don't have to buy new ones, consider what items you already have which would serve the same purpose! Soup containers are great :)
Sign up to Pawprint! - a great new website which calculates your carbon footprint and suggests personalised steps you can take to reduce this.
Relax with the Deliveroos! - look, if you're challenged in the kitchen I'm not forcing you to cook yourself every single meal, but those of you who order more than once a week try and reduce how often you get delivery food. Not only is the transportation bad for the environment , but deliveries are often packaged in styrofoam and other non recyclable materials.
Use up old plastic things you have - yes we love people with bamboo toothbrushes but buying a whole new set of utensils to match your new eco warrior life makes no sense! Use up old toothbrushes and items first before you invest in better alternatives. Plastic ziplock bags CAN be washed and reused!
Read more - this may already be your New Years resolution so why not check out some books or podcasts about sustainability to further your engagement with sustainability and who knows? Maybe you'll find one you love and can recommend it to others! Lighthouse is a queer-owned, female led independent bookstore in Edinburgh (they do deliveries too!). They are politically and socially conscious and stock non-mainstream authors to help empower marginalised voices. We also recommend the 'How to Save a Planet' Podcast which touches on a range of topics from relations between BLM and the environment to the debate on Nuclear energy.
Remember, you're human, you can't do everything! So pick just one thing to attempt this year and if it works for you in January, then you can always build on that next month. We want to encourage REALISTIC sustainable changes to your life, so give yourself credit where credit is due!