Simple New Year’s resolutions to help our planet

Australian bushfires from space – Source: nasa.gov

Providing a quick list of simple solutions to help save our planet seems like an appropriate blogpost topic for the New Year, as we can all add some/all of these to our list of resolutions. Please feel free to pass along any others that may not have been included.

Adopt zero waste options at home
Recycle glass, metal, and paper
Avoid purchasing plastic packaging as mush as possible, as the extent of true plastic recycling is questionable
Shop with reusable bags NOT plastic
Skip the bottled water whenever tap water is safe to drink
Utilize reusable silicone bags or containers instead of plastic baggies for food storage.
Never use plastic straws – either skip the straw altogether or purchase reusable ones (see example below)
Limit your air and cruise travel whenever practical
Shave every other day
Use bar soap instead of bottled body wash
Buy repurposed and recycled products whenever possible
Shop at consignment or resale stores
Don’t wrap gifts
Buy bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic (see example below)
Air-dry your laundry whenever practical
Use a push or electric mower instead of a gas-powered mower
Drive an energy-efficient vehicle and not an SUV
Car and/or bike share
Bike or walk whenever possible for trips under two miles
Utilize transit or carpool options
Buy locally grown products whenever they are available
Grow some of your own vegetables
Rake your lawn instead of using a loud and wasteful leaf-blower
Buy products from companies that practice and support sustainability
Share a book with friends or through donations to the library
Get your financial and billing statements electronically (and pay them electronically)
Bring cloth bags for fruit and vegetables in the produce section
Use rewashable towels for cleaning and dusting instead of throw-away paper towels
Save your money at institutions who support sustainability
Speak up for the planet at public meetings and forums
Minimize your existing stuff and therefore your footprint
Make a donation or plant a tree, instead of giving a gift
Reduce your rate of consumption – buy less stuff!
Demand your local, state, and national representatives become leaders on protecting the planet
Never watch or listen to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, politicians beholden to corporations and consumption, and other similar naysayers