People's New Year's resolutions are always the same. They want to lose weight, stop smoking, or take up some hobby or business venture that they have been considering for a while. These are all great goals, but they have one thing in common - they are all focused on the individual. It is a wonderful thing to want to better yourself and become a healthier and happier person, but it is also great to give back to the environment. That is why when 2011 begins, you should make it your goal to become more conscious of the environment.
This does not mean you have to give up your personal goal - in fact, the two will probably work better when they go hand-in-hand. Once you start to feel good about making progress on your New Year's resolution, you will be that much more willing to take the health of the planet into account. There are tons of ways that you can focus on becoming a more eco-friendly person next year, and we will take a look at a few of them below.
Recycle More. The number one thing that people can do to become more eco-friendly in 2011 is to recycle more. Though most towns throughout the country have a system put in place to collect recyclable items (usually in a yellow or green bin), not everyone contributes as much as they should. Any hard plastics, tins, newspapers, and more are considered recyclable materials, and they should never be thrown in the regular garbage pail. Remember to look for the triangular arrows symbol on the product that will denote whether the item is considered recyclable.
If you aren't sure, put the item in your recycling pail anyway. All of the collected items have to be sorted out at a central location, so if they feel the item is not acceptable, then they can throw it out themselves. If you really want to be proactive, trying convincing family members and co-workers to recycle more as well. The more people that get involved in the process, the bigger difference you can make.
Buy Eco-Friendly Products. Purchasing more eco-friendly products is another way to fulfill your "green" New Year's resolution. More and more of these types of products are appearing on shelves in supermarkets and in malls, and they usually have one of two defining characteristics: they are made from recycled materials, or they can be recycled (or biodegraded) after use. Some products are considered 100% eco-friendly, while others only use "green" production on a portion of their final product (green packaging, organic inks, etc.).
The most important thing to look out for when buying eco-friendly products is a thing called "greenwashing". For those of you who don't know, some companies have taken advantage of the "going green" movement by marketing their products as eco-friendly when they aren't. Technically, these companies find some way to incorporate eco-friendliness into their promotion. This might be the slightest bit of recycled material included in production, or a claim that a donation is made to environmental fundraisers for every item sold. Then they push the product hard as eco-friendly even though it is not making a difference for the planet. If you are reading this, then it is already obvious that your intentions are good. So make sure you do a little research on the product before you buy it.
Use Green Transportation. One of the most simple and effective ways to become a more eco-friendly person is to use transportation that conserves more energy. This can be done in a variety of ways, but it all depends on what your living situation is and how you commute to work. If you live in a city, you can be more environmentally responsible by walking or taking the bus. A large portion of city busses now run on natural gas, which is a more eco-friendly alternative to conventional fuels.
If you live in the suburbs and your job is far away, the best way to be eco-friendly is to carpool. By picking up your co-workers on the way to the office, you eliminate the carbon emissions that each person would be putting into the atmosphere if they had driven themselves. Not to mention, you will save both money and time (carpoolers are rewarded by being allowed access to the HOV lane). Carpooling is a really great way to be eco-friendly, and the difference will be huge.
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