While New Year’s resolutions can be a bit of a bind, they don’t have to be a big commitment or a declaration of a total change. For those who want to focus on being greener for the year ahead, it’s much better to look at simple changes that will be easier to stick to – small sustainable habits that won’t be a bind, but will make a big difference to the environment. We have five to think about…
1. Make sustainable bathroom swaps
It is easy to overlook the simple bathroom swaps that could reduce pressure on the planet. Plastic toothbrushes end up in landfill as they can’t break down, and the same is true of plastic coated floss and disposable razors. By choosing a bamboo toothbrush from BamWoo, biodegradable floss and a plastic-free razor, this will help to reduce non-recyclable or non-eco-friendly waste.
2. Leave the car at home
It is easy to slip into the habit of taking the car even on short journeys. This is particularly true when the weather is cold or rainy. Cutting out unnecessary car journeys is a great way to reduce environmental damage. To encourage heading out on foot, check out second-hand coats, gloves, scarves and hats from Rumage.com. This will make sure you’re warm, but without spending a huge amount to get you kitted out.
3. Take a reusable coffee cup and water bottle out with you
Takeaway coffee cups and plastic bottles of water are both bad for the environment. In many cases they can’t be recycled, so they end up in landfill. It also estimated that 16 billion paper cups are used for coffee each year, which leads to 6.5 million trees being cut down. This is a huge loss for our ecosystems. Get into the habit of packing a reusable coffee cup from Circular and Co and a refillable water bottles from Ocean Bottle with you when you head out.
4. Cut down on food waste
As a nation, we are more-attuned to the issue of food waste. But it still happens. You can find some great recipes online for using up leftovers to help cut down, and you can also make good use of your freezer if you have one. It’s surprising what you can freeze, including cheese, cooked mashed potato and milk. You can even freeze eggs if you break them into a bowl and beat the yolk and the white together.
5. Buy pre-loved where possible
Buying second hand no longer has the stigma it once did. It is now seen as a fabulous way to save money, reduce damage to the environment, and find unusual treasures rather than mass-produced goods. With Rumage, you needn’t spend hours scouring the shops, as you can search a host of pre-loved online retailers all in one go. Making Rumage your go-to is a great habit to get into for 2023.
If you are buying larger items second hand, especially for home and garden improvement, then you can also make them pay using someone like Rentmy.com who are always looking for renters and rentees!
Happy New Year and here’s to a green 12 months ahead!
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