10 Eco-Friendly New Year's Resolutions You'll Actually Stick To

10 Eco-Friendly New Year's Resolutions You'll Actually Stick To

We've all been there. You set a whole list of resolutions for the new year and forget all about them by March. People don't stick to New Year's resolutions for many reasons. One of the most common is because they lack a strong reason for choosing that resolution.

Here's a common example. Weight loss is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. People often begin the year strong with a good diet and exercise routine. After a few weeks, they lose motivation and go back to their couch potato ways.

This year, try to make green New Year's resolutions. After all, we only have one planet. If everyone started making little changes now, we could all make a big difference. When you keep that sense of purpose in mind, you're sure to succeed.

10 Eco-Friendly New Year's Resolution Ideas for 2023

Do you need help coming up with environmentally friendly New Year's resolutions? Use this New Year's resolutions list to start 2023 on the right foot.

Avoid Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is a new concept. It's cheap, trendy clothing that goes out of style faster than traditional fashion.

1. Avoid Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is a new concept. It's cheap, trendy clothing that goes out of style faster than traditional fashion. Most fast fashion comes from super affordable stores like Forever 21, SHEIN and Zara. These brands create clothes that fall apart in only a few washes. Combine that poor quality with how fast it goes out of style, and you have a very wasteful cycle.

Luxury fashion companies do the same thing. Every year, fashion companies dump 92 million tons of textile waste into landfills.

Up to 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from the fashion industry. That's more than shipping and international flights combined. Experts expect this figure to rise.

If you need new clothes this year, practice sustainable shopping. One popular option is to buy secondhand clothes at thrift stores. Thrifting keeps clothing out of landfills longer. Buying clothes secondhand is also cheaper than buying new outfits.

You could also do a clothing swap with some of your friends. Clothing swap parties are a fun, free way to update your wardrobe and spend time with friends. Here's what you'll need:

  • Location: Choose where to hold the party. You'll want a large, open space where everyone can display their clothes.
  • Guests: Call your friends and set the guest list.
  • Racks: Before the party starts, set up clothing racks and hangers for guests to use.
  • Snacks: Every party needs some food and drinks! Give your guests some fun snacks.

When it's time for the party to start, you all walk around the room and "shop" each others' closets.

If you need to buy something new, shop for sustainable brands. While these stores tend to be more expensive, they design clothes that will last years. You'll save money because you can wear them for longer.

2. Use Greener Household Products

Most people assume cleaning products are completely safe. But the number of products with toxic chemicals might surprise you. These chemicals can damage your health and the environment if used wrong. Plus, most products come in single-use plastic packaging that ends up in landfills.

One possible new year goal could be using only green products. When you go to the store in 2023, look at each cleaning product's label closely. Look for products with certification from reliable environmental organizations, like:

  • Cradle to Cradle (C2C)
  • Green Seal
  • ECOLOGO
  • EPA Safer Choice
  • GreenGuard
  • USDA Organic

While green products often cost a little more, they're much better for the planet. You could also use ingredients from your pantry to make your own green products.

3. Reduce Online Shopping

Shopping online is easy. All you do is fill your cart, click a button and wait for your items to show up at your door. But that convenience comes at a steep cost to the environment:

  • Emissions: Express shipping and free mail returns put more delivery trucks on the road. More drivers mean more greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere.
  • Packaging waste: In a 2020 study from Green Sense, the average product used 2.18 pieces of packaging. Online purchases use even more by adding boxes and packaging to protect items.

That's why a good New Year's resolution is to shop locally whenever possible. Most of the time, you can find the things you need right in your neighborhood.

That goes for food as well. Shopping at local markets or small grocery stores can help reduce emissions. It also supports your neighbors and helps keep farmers in business.

Shopping online less is a simple new year's resolution, but it's also tough when you can't find what you need in person. Make a resolution to practice green online shopping. Here are some sustainable online shopping tips:

  • Group your purchases: Buy everything you need in one order instead of making lots of small purchases. Your delivery service will make fewer trips, resulting in fewer emissions.
  • Be patient with delivery: Unless you need something right away, you don't need express shipping. No-rush shipping lets stores completely fill trucks before leaving the warehouse.
  • Try to reduce returns: Although many online shops let you return items by mail, this creates a lot of emissions. Know what you're buying before you order so you don't have to return anything.

4. Use Reusable Containers

While plastic bags and water bottles are convenient, they hurt the environment. Plastic breaks down but the process can take hundreds of years. Plastic breaks down into microplastics that can spread disease and harm nature and animals.

Reducing your use of single-use plastics is a great goal for the new year. Here are some great options to try:

  • Reusable shopping bags: While plastic bags are easy to grab at the grocery store, most people only use them once. Reusable shopping bags are cheap and last years. If you tend to forget things, buy a foldable bag that fits in your pocket to make sure you've always got it.
  • Reusable water bottles: Metal or glass water bottles are great for people on the go. Reusable water bottles can be costly at first but save you money in the long term. When you have a metal bottle, you don't need to buy disposable water bottles while out of the house. You also have many colors and styles to choose from, so you can find one that matches your style.
  • Reusable food storage: Plastic-free food containers are great options for saving leftovers or packing lunches. Look for containers made from glass, stainless steel or recycled composite materials. You can also use silicone zip bags instead of single-use plastic bags.

Cutting back on processed food is a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Processed food is anything that looks different from its original state.

5. Cook More Meals From Scratch

One of the best New Year's resolutions for eco-conscious people is to cook more meals from scratch. Cooking with whole, fresh foods is better for your health and wallet.

Cutting back on processed food is a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Processed food is anything that looks different from its original state. Many foods fall under this category. Processed foods include most items in the grocery store.

Here are some examples:

  • Frozen fruits and vegetables
  • Ingredients like oils and sugar
  • Canned foods
  • Dairy products
  • Bread

The more processed the food, the worse it is for you and the environment. Ultra-processed foods harm the environment because they use lots of resources to produce. Making ultra-processed foods also damages biodiversity. It also pollutes the earth with harmful chemicals.

How can you clean up your diet this year? The answer is simple. Focus on fresh, whole, plant-based foods — for your health and the planet's.

6. Upcycle, Recycle or Donate Old Items

The standard product life cycle has three steps:

  1. Buy
  2. Use
  3. Throw away

And the cycle begins again. People often throw away an item too soon because they lose interest in it. As part of your New Year's resolutions and goals, keep as much stuff out of landfills as possible. Here are three ways you can do that:

  1. Upcycle: Upcycling is taking something you don't use and giving it a new purpose. For example, you could repurpose empty egg cartons into fun crafts.
  2. Recycle: Recycling turns trash made from certain materials into new items. Make sure you know recycling rules. If a material is not recyclable, the item will go to a landfill.
  3. Donate: You can donate items in good condition to charities or secondhand stores. Make sure the organization accepts what you're donating.

7. Cut Down on Vehicle Emissions

The average car produces about 4.6 tons of carbon dioxide every year. This number varies from car to car, but driving less will always benefit the environment.

Set a sustainable New Year's resolution this year to walk or bike whenever possible. Walking or riding your bike are great ways to help your body and the environment. Adults need at least 150 minutes of exercise every week to stay healthy. Choosing to walk or bike instead of driving helps you get those minutes in and cuts down on emissions.

If walking isn't an option, carpooling and public buses or taxis are great options. Taking a bus instead of driving can reduce carbon emissions by 45%. It also gets more cars off the roads, which means less noise and cleaner air.

8. Choose Better Animal Products

Eating green is living green. But so many animal farms use unsustainable farming methods.

Here's an example. Most animals raised for food eat corn and soy, which is bad for them. Farmers plant these crops in fields with only one crop. This practice raises the carbon level in the atmosphere, which warms the earth. It also causes other problems, like soil erosion and chemical pollution.

Make a New Year's resolution to buy cleaner animal products. Look for these labels:

  • Grass-fed
  • Organic
  • Cage-free
  • Free range
  • Pasture-raised
  • Raised without hormones
  • Raised without antibiotics
  • Certified humane

It might cost a little more, but you'll support sustainable farming. And a little support can go a long way.

When you eat meat, use it all to reduce food waste. For example, if you cook a turkey, use the bones and leftover meat for turkey soup. You can also freeze meals for later. The more of the animal you use, the more sustainable your diet will be. Plus, you'll feed your household for longer.

Start a Garden

Growing your own produce is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Food is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. About 10 to 30% of the average family's carbon footprint comes from food production.

9. Start a Garden

Growing your own produce is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Food is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. About 10 to 30% of the average family's carbon footprint comes from food production.

Gardening is also easier on your wallet. In 2021, Americans spent between $4,875 to $13,973 on food. Food is also becoming more expensive. Even 600 square feet of soil can save you hundreds of dollars on fruits and veggies every year.

If you don't have enough space for a full garden, start a container garden. Container gardening is a great option for new gardeners. Find a pot you like and plant something small, like basil or cherry tomatoes.

With enough practice, you can grow all sorts of delicious food!

10. Buy More Low-Waste Products

Zero-waste and low-waste items are designed to limit how much you have to throw away while you use a product. One example is reusable food wrap instead of plastic wrap.

How do you know if a product is low or zero waste? Look for some of the following:

  • Plastic-free design: Since plastic can be tough to recycle, look for products using other materials.
  • Recyclable components: Most cardboard, glass and metal parts are recyclable. This cuts down on waste in landfills. Compostable packaging is another key feature.
  • Reusable packaging: Look for products that come in refillable containers, like soap and makeup.
  • Renewable materials: Renewable resources regenerate faster than we use them. This makes them more sustainable than materials like plastic.

Many stores label green products to make them easier to find. In 2023, make a resolution to look for clean options when you can.

Trade in Your Old Phone With ecoATM

Happy New Year from ecoATM! We hope these ideas help you make 2023 a green new year.

Trade in Your Old Phone With ecoATM

Happy New Year from ecoATM! We hope these ideas help you make 2023 a green new year. It might seem small, but doing your part to save the planet can make a huge difference. And when your friends see you saving the world, they'll want to join.

Here's one last tip. If you're thinking of upgrading your phone this year, bring it to your nearest ecoATM kiosk. We keep e-waste out of landfills by buying and recycling thousands of used phones every day.

Click here to learn more about our process, and feel free to contact us with any questions.