Lose weight! Save money! Be more productive!
Just how many times have you randomly thought of these goals at the start of a new year?
Everyone has considered at least one of these ideas in the year 2020 – thankfully, such initiatives were made not in vain. Plant stores struggled to catch up with soaring plant sales. One in five households adopted a cat and/or dog within the last year, and numerous mental health and financial services arose for many to lean on during hard times.
Now the big question is – are we still exercising those good habits today?!
Though too early to confirm the stats, many can relate that their goals have hindered or completely disappeared. If you’ve hit a roadblock for your last-year goals, consider these new and refreshing ideas as a way to sustainably improve your lifestyle.
Photo by Angèle Kamp on Unsplash
Achieve A Green Thumb
Bought a plant and watched it wilt away last year? Well, here’s your second chance! Don’t be discouraged if you lost your plant during the pandemic. With a plethora of plant tutorials online, you can research more on how to effectively take care of your happy, little plant.
Instead of looking for aesthetic-looking greenery, try starting with smaller, durable indoor plants that can easily be taken care of. And not just any plants – why not consider vegetation that can be eaten as well?
For example, green onions are simple yet extremely effective plant to grow. Buy a stalk, cut off the root end (where the green stalk begins to turn white), then place the root in a glass of water. Wait two weeks and then: Behold!! Not only do you have a continuous supply of green onions, but also some green in your household. Use this as inspiration to improve your green thumb.
Get Closer to Zero-Waste
Zero-waste sounds cool these days, but… “it’s so hard and expensive!” We'd like to breakdown that mindset. Zero waste is something anyone can do by starting where you are with what you have!
Plastic is EVERYWHERE. Polyester clothes and bedsheets, microplastics as a scouring agent in toothpaste, mascara, and chewing gum wrappers – can we ever get it out of our household? (Find more shocking facts about plastic here).
It’s almost impossible to completely avoid plastic, not to mention achieving a zero-waste lifestyle. Instead of committing to being completely zero waste, why not take small sustainable steps instead? Begin by using informative apps like CodeCheck and Good on You to find what products have environmentally harmful ingredients.
Once you identify those “no-no’s” in your household, replace them with eco-friendly products like Me Mother Earth’s kitchen and bathroom essentials. Remember to use up what you already HAVE first! Not only will you find that the transition is easier than you thought, but you’ll also find that reusable products last a LONG time and save you money in the long run!
If you’re too busy to research and would like to renew everything within your household, consider a zero-waste kit as an alternative option. One of the greatest things you can trust with Me Mother Earth is our 100% dedication to eco-friendly, reusable, and biodegradable items – we filter out those red flags so you don’t have to ;)
Photo by Pineapple Supply Co. on Unsplash
Create a Carbon Budget
As Greta Thunberg repeatedly says: “People are not aware that there is such a thing as a carbon budget, and just how incredibly small that remaining carbon budget is. That needs to change today.”
Now… how do you measure your own CO2 footprint, let alone create a budget for one? With free, sustainable apps like My Carbon Action, Carbn, and more, your worries can be simplified back to your sustainable lifestyle.
Carbon budget apps can only help so much. By tracking and recognizing the amount of CO2 emissions you produce, you can turn that knowledge into action! Identify your areas with the biggest carbon waste, research some sustainable alternatives, then make the changes gradually.
As we welcome 2022, take a second gaze over your New Year’s Resolution and ask yourself, “Will I be doing this for a year? More than a year?” Make sustainable goals that will work for you and congratulate yourself on the small daily successes.
Happy New Year’s to all!
