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My Green Goals for the New Year

The start of the new year is a great time to reflect on what you value. What goodness do you want to call out in your life this year? Where do you know you could improve if you could only get your head on straight?

Do you have any green goals?

I don’t think enough people realize just how much potential they have to make a difference in the world. Are you worried about the health of our oceans? Eat only sustainably-sourced seafood or enjoy it only on special occasions. Are you concerned about global warming? Start taking public transportation or riding your bike to work, or start eating a plant-based diet

You have the good fortune of being able to change your life, however and whenever you want to. You don’t even have to wait for January 1st! I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately as we head into the new year. Josh and I started going zero waste this past year, but there’s so much more I want to do to make my life as compassionate and as eco-friendly as possible. Here are the ten green goals I hope to meet in this year!

My Green Goals

1. Buy a commuter bike, name it Dolly, and take it everywhere

I have always wanted to be a “bike person” – like that total badass you see zipping to work through the rain like it’s nothing.

I will probably never be that hardcore, but I still want to purchase a great commuter bike, get a cute helmet like the one listed below, and start using my bike as my primary mode of transportation. There’s just no sense wasting large amounts of fuel just to get me to the coffee shop or the farmers market.

Biking or walking more (slash, at all) means I will personally reduce my carbon emissions, keep my car off the road, and get buns of steel, so…

2. Go shopping for clothes only once per season

I will never, ever be the type of girl who can function with two shirts and a single pair of shoes. I like shopping. Besides, I think that supporting ethical brands or shopping secondhand is one of the best things I can do to demonstrate my personal values.

That said, I will freely admit that I have a tendency to buy clothes in excess, which is why I’m going to start shopping season-by-season with a whole lot more intentionality. Eventually, I’d love to have a good-sized capsule wardrobe that inspires me!

3. Start air drying our household laundry

Air drying your clothes is a great way to help them last longer and save energy – all great reasons why I’ll be exclusively air-drying our household laundry, starting now. It’s one of those things that I have never tried, because – let’s be real – I’m a little lazy. 

To help make everything a little easier, I’ll be getting a bamboo drying rack as well as a retractable clothesline for the backyard. Do you hang dry your clothes?

4. Go vegan and stay vegan

I have been tiptoeing my way toward a plant-based diet for about a year now – since last January actually! – and I think it’s about time I went full vegan. There are a million and one reasons to eat a vegan diet, including the prevention of cancer and heart disease, animal cruelty, deforestation and other forms of environmental destruction. Here are my top ten reasons for eating less meat!

This year, I’m going to cut the final, straggling forms of animal byproducts out of my diet. And yes, this includes cheese. 

5. Conserve more water at home

Water scarcity really scares me. I’m just not interested in living in a world where access to clean drinking water – a basic human right – is a luxury, not an assumption. I’d also love to cut down on our utility bill; so there’s that. In order to help conserve more water at home, I will be installing a water-saving showerhead and tank bank in our bathroom, will get a washing basin for rinsing dishes in the kitchen, and will also start transitioning to bucket baths in between washes. So hippie of me, I know.

Interested in cutting down on water use, too? Earth Easy has a great roundup of water-saving tips to inspire you!


What are your green goals? I would love to hear what you’re up to in the comments section!

Mandy

Monday 15th of January 2018

Riding my bike for short trips has improved my happiness immensely. I started riding my bike to the train while commuting for a short freelance job, and I loved it so much I haven't stopped. My boyfriend and I go the Farmers' Market on our bikes every weekend, but I also ride to do all of my errands like going to the library or the post office. The investment is a bit painful, but you won't regret it. (I was able to find a great used bike on Craigslist, but I went to a local bike shop to get fitted for the right size frame. I can't recommend getting fitted and trying out a couple different styles of bikes enough.)

I also hang up almost all of our clothes inside our 275 square foot apartment. They dry in a day or so, and it's so much better for them. My mom can dry her clothes outside in a few hours, so I would highly recommend hanging them outside when you can.

Lauren

Tuesday 16th of January 2018

I'm so happy to hear that! I really look forward to getting started biking around town. Craigslist is a great recommendation! What style do you ride? Is it a road bike? Hybrid?

That's awesome – do you line dry or use a rack?

Melanie

Sunday 14th of January 2018

I've decided this year to replace disposable items with reusuable ones, one a month because...budget. I need to air dry my washing more too! But I always make excuses for that one. And im attempting to grow my own food too!

Lauren

Sunday 14th of January 2018

Those are great goals! I don't think I'm ready to start growing my own food yet, but it's something I definitely want to try in the future! So glad to have you as a reader :)