We love to start off a new year with ideas for self-improvement. It feels right to begin a fresh calendar with positive goals for our bodies, minds, and hearts. To get your new year going right, here are a few ideas for eco-friendly resolutions that can benefit both you and the earth.

1. Reduce Food Waste

Many new year’s resolutions have to do with diet and exercise. Meal planning might be a good way to reach your dieting goals, but it also works wonders for food waste reduction. By preparing the precise amount of food needed for you and your family, you’ll save hard-earned money and do good for the earth. Although most food waste is biodegradable, there is still heavy environmental cost due to our agricultural/food production and distribution systems.

2. Donate Things You No Longer Use

This one is a win-win. Not only do you have a chance to get rid of old items that clutter up your home, but you also have the opportunity to find those items a new home in which they’ll be used and treasured. This is an excellent way to give back to your community and make a dent in the harmful cycle of consumer culture so many of us participate in. Things like dishes, electronics, clothes, and more will be greatly appreciated by your local church or thrift store.

3. Phase Out Single-Use Plastics

The overwhelming use of plastic to create and contain products is awful for the earth. Although it’s nearly impossible to eliminate the use of all plastics in your household, cutting down on single use plastics is absolutely attainable. Some examples of single-use plastics include plastic straws, disposable cutlery, coffee stirrers, and food wrappers/containers. There are often reusable or eco-friendly alternatives for these items in the very same section of the store.

4. Invest in Reusable Grocery Bags

These days, reusable grocery bags are pretty popular. They have a lot of positives! Firstly, they are an example of an alternative to single-use plastics. They are usually bigger than your typical plastic bag, meaning it’s easier to carry more groceries in one trip when going to and from the car. Many grocery stores are now charging between ten and thirty cents per bag, so something reusable will be cost-effective in the long run as well.

5. Purchase Secondhand

Just as donating your own items is a great goal for 2025, purchasing secondhand items from the same thrift stores and organizations is a lovely way to both help the environment and show your support of those places in your community. Breaking the lingering social stigma around thrifting is important.

The Importance of Smart Goals

It’s stressful to be environmentally conscious in a society that values money more than the earth we live on. That’s why it’s important to remember to set reasonable goals for an attainable timeline. No one is living a perfectly sustainable life, but we can all handle taking small steps forward in unison. That’s how we’ll make an exceptional difference on a societal level.