A lot of us are still setting our personal goals for the new year. The beauty of resolutions is they don’t cost a thing. Are there ways to make sustainable changes? To me, “green” means the effects on the earth, the atmosphere, human beings, animals, and all our surroundings. Let’s commit to make those choices we know are best for all that. You have heard much of this before. Resolve!
- To always take your own shopping bags to the store.
- To recycle everything our garbage services will take.
- To prevent food waste. Be aware of the expiration dates. Label the leftovers. Make Friday Night Soup.
- To compost non-meat food scraps.
- To line dry our laundry. A line outside when the weather allows. A rack inside to humidify the house in winter.
- To mend clothes instead of replacing them. Not be an average American who buys 50 new items of clothes a year.
- To avoid as much single use plastic as possible. No plastic straws! Bring your own leftover containers, coffee cup, and water bottle.
- To throw away less paper. Use the white envelopes sent for donations you won’t be making. Print on the blank side of pages that come that way in the mail or handouts you aren’t keeping. Make your own “post-it notes” from paper scraps. Use cloth napkins. Use rags instead of paper towels.
- When a server places a pile of napkins on your table, take them home – they will be thrown out.
- To pick up plastic trash on the beach and help keep it out of the ocean.
- To walk more. Possibly walking to places you usually drive.
- To buy used books. Think the thrifts shop or Powells’ – not Amazon. Think library.
- To kill unwanted vegetation with vinegar, salt and detergent not Round-Up and its cousins.
- To rent instead of buying tools used occasionally. Consult the ToolBox Project 2235 Adams Street for a variety of low rent, well maintained tools.
The New Year can be full of hope by making good choices.
Do you have Personal Green Choices to share with all of us? I will collect them for future segments. Contact Marilyn Flick.
