Every year, people make New Year’s resolutions to improve in one area of their lives. Statista reported that the most common New Years resolutions for 2021 were:
- Exercise more (50%)
- Lose weight (48%)
- Save more money (44%)
These are all great ways to make positive changes in your life. But, why not take it one step further and do something for the environment and yourself? We have a few unique New Years resolutions that you can make for 2022 if you are looking for a sustainable New Years resolution. These New Years resolutions are great both for your health as well as the environment.
1. Buy Less, Reuse More
Western consumer culture encourages people renovate their homes, buy new household goods, and redecorate their wardrobes as often as possible. These renovations can have a devastating impact on the environment. The construction industry is polluting. The heavy environmental impact of the fashion industry has been long criticized. It uses a lot of water and relies on petrochemical-derived dyes, which are polluting to produce and dispose of. It literally fills our trashcans. Each person, woman and child disposes of around 12.8 million tons of textiles every year. According to studies, the average American consumer produces twice the amount of household, hazardous and industrial waste each day. A further half-ton per month is produced by gaseous wastes such carbon dioxide. The average American consumes 36 pounds of resources per week, according to studies.
2. Explore More Plant-Based Foods
It’s not surprising that the world’s meat industry is in decline. Industrial livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It also consumes a lot more land and resources and creates a waste-disposal problem. Consuming a lot of meat is unhealthy. Medical studies have shown that eating a lot of meat, especially red and processed meats, can increase your risk of developing colon, breast, heart disease, atherosclerosis, and other cancers. These issues will only increase once the planet’s population exceeds 10 billion. Moreover, a diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and legumes leads to longer and healthier lives. Experts recommend that people eat more plant-based foods.
3. Consider composting
Is it impossible to start composting in a city? It’s not difficult. It is a natural process of organic matter decay; Mother Nature does most the work.
If you have a large yard, a compost heap in the corner could help to decompose grass clippings. Compost bins are best for smaller yards. In order to improve the quality of compost, adding worms can be a great way to repurpose food waste that would otherwise go to landfills. Worms will eat almost any organic material, including coffee grounds, vegetable scraps and tea bags. They also love crushed eggshells and vacuum cleaner dust. They also love moistened cardboard. They will even eat dogs’ droppingsand they seem to consider it a treat!
Have you made your New Year’s resolutions? These are some of the things you should be focusing on. You’re not far away from January 1, 2022. I would love to know what resolutions you have made to help yourself and the environment. Happy New Year!