10 New Year’s Resolutions That Help The Planet

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When setting your New Year’s resolutions, try to make those that help our planet and improve the environment. It will have a positive impact on everyone.

It doesn’t have to be difficult either. Simple steps to reduce, reuse and recycle can add up. Often times, many of these changes require little effort and can often save you money.

1. Love aluminum more

Did you know that recycling a single aluminum can save enough energy to power a TV for three hours? The current amount of energy saved in a year just by recycling aluminum cans in the United States could light up the entire city of Denver for more than 10 years, according to the Colorado Action Recycling Center.

This is because aluminum is infinitely recyclable, which makes it an ideal container. In fact, about 75% of all aluminum ever produced in the United States is still used today. Aluminum is one of the only materials in the consumer disposal stream that pays more than the cost of its own collection.

“Americans throw away over $ 700 million worth of aluminum cans every year,” according to the Aluminum Association.

Think about the impact it would have if we recycled more cans.

Action Recycling points out that the amount of aluminum Americans throw away every three months could rebuild our entire commercial airline fleet.

2. Say no to single-use plastics

No one wants to completely hate plastic. It has its purpose. In many cases, it is a vital material.

For example, bicycle helmets, child safety seats, medical equipment, and cell phones are all made with plastic parts. It is the single-use plastics such as plastic water bottles, straws and grocery bags that are of greatest concern.

  • Plastic water bottles. Try to use a reusable bottle instead, and only use single-use bottles in an emergency or when you do not have access to reusable bottles.
  • Plastic straws. When you go to a restaurant, unless you really need it, tell them you don’t want a straw. That alone can have an impact on reducing plastic in our oceans.
  • Shopping bags. Most stores now sell their own reusable grocery bags or you can request a paper bag that can easily be recycled or composted – we’ll get to composting a bit later.
Besides these options, you can help remove plastic from the ocean from the comfort of your sofa. When you answer a trivial question on the Free the Ocean website, the company will remove a piece of plastic from the ocean.

Advertising on the site funds the cause to remove plastic.

You can come back every day to answer a new question, and you might learn something new in the process.

3. Switch off the devices

We all love our devices. They help us when it comes to needing directions, keeping in touch with friends and family, and being able to work from home.

When you’re not using appliances, appliances, or you’re not in a room, just turn off lights and other electronics.

4. Do not pre-wash dishes

If everyone stopped rinsing their dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, America could save 150 billion gallons of water in just one year, according to Reckitt Benckiser, the parent company of the Finish brand. How much water is exactly 150 billion?

“This equates to roughly 230,000 Olympic swimming pools,” said Pedram Javaheri, a meteorologist at CNN. “Or it would take you 39,800 years of continuous shower operation to use that much water.”

The company believes in this so much that it has launched what it calls the Skip the Rinse Pledge. The campaign states that for every person making the pledge, Finish donates $ 1 to Nature Conservancy.
“The reason is that most dishwashers costing $ 500 or more, sold in the past five years or so, have a sensor that determines how accurate a wash is,” Consumer Reports explains on Efficient Use. of your dishwasher. “At the start of the cycle, it rinses the dishes, then checks the level of dirt in the water to determine the appropriate amount of time and water to keep everything clean. If you’ve rinsed off a lot of the mud, the sensor misinterprets the dishes because they are already clean enough. “

This means that pre-washed dishes only receive a light wash. So if you have a relatively new dishwasher, let it do its job.

5. Make your home more energy efficient

By simply adjusting your thermostat a few degrees, especially if you are away from home, you will not only lower your bill, but also help reduce energy use.

Another tip to make your home more energy efficient: replace old bulbs with more efficient ones.

While a little more expensive initially, swapping out old bulbs saves you money in the long run. Typically, more energy-efficient bulbs will shine brighter, so you won’t need to turn on as many lights. Plus, they can last up to five times longer than regular bulbs, so you don’t have to replace them as often.

Addition of insulation or double-glazed windows can also make your home more efficient since your heating and air conditioners will not need to run as often.

6. Opt for email receipts when available

You can reduce paper waste by requesting receipts via email. Many companies are now offering email receipts as a secondary option to paper receipts, including Apple, Macy’s, and Home Depot, to name a few.

Amazon just made it easier to buy eco-friendly products

It is also more convenient if you need to make returns. How many times have you had to go back and search office documents, or your purse or wallet to look for a receipt in order to return something? Now all you need to do is grab the email and you’re good to go!

Another easy way to cut down on wasted paper is to pay your bills online, if possible. Not only is it more convenient, but some companies even offer automatic payment so you don’t have to set a reminder to pay on time. Just make sure the company you’re paying always lists the full invoice they would normally send out so you can check it.

Another way to reduce paper waste is to refuse junk mail. Either way, a lot of people don’t like to receive spam.

The Federal Trade Commission provides information on its website on how to get removed from the lists.

7. Plant a garden

A good thing about planting a garden is that size doesn’t matter.

You can create a giant garden bed full of fruits and vegetables in your garden, or just have a few small potted plants inside your house. Either way, you benefit in several ways for the environment.

For starters, every time you plant a tree, flower, shrub, or place a potted houseplant in your home, you are adding a natural resource that reduces carbon and produces oxygen.

Planting a garden allows you to grow some of your own vegetables and fruits, rather than buying produce and it also reduces your overall carbon footprint.

8. Exchange your coffee filters and coffee pods

Coffee drinkers revel in this daily ritual. But it also means accumulating waste every day.

By simply replacing your coffee filters or disposable coffee mug or pods with more durable or reusable filters, you can help reduce frivolous waste.

9. Consider gift wrapping alternatives

Some gift wrap is recyclable when it does not use foil or glitter or any such additive that interferes with the recycling process. But there are so many other alternatives for gift wrapping.

Natural baskets are a great alternative, not only because they look pretty, but they’re easy to transport if you’re gifting heavier items.

Scraps of fabric and old scarves are nice alternatives and can add a bit of padding to more delicate gifts as well.

However, if you prefer the more traditional look of paper, try paper grocery bags, tissue paper, old calendar pages, or even newspapers. Not a fan of the black and white look of a newspaper? Comics work.

10. Create a household compost bin

Banana peels, eggshells, apple pits, coffee grounds, and leftover vegetables usually end up in your trash. But the offcuts can also be recycled into black gold or free compost for your garden.

Composting reduces the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill. It also creates nutrient-rich soil that can be used later in and around your home.

The biggest deterrent for many when composting is the smell. If you have room, move the composter outside. Also, when collecting compost from inside your home, use a container with a lid or gasket to keep your kitchen from smelling until you can place the items inside your composter.

If you don’t have room for composting in your space, try connecting to a compost collection service in your area, like CompostNow. These services – for a fee – will pick up your compost with a chance to earn compost later.

CNN meteorologist Haley Brink contributed to this story.

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