IT’S TIME TO TURN THESE GREEN RESOLUTIONS INTO HABITS

There are some stereotypically classic New Year’s resolutions that people set for themselves in January: eat better, make more money, travel more, etc. But there is another category of resolutions that often gets overlooked–many of which are so attainable and easy to adjust to that you won’t be setting yourself up for failure. These are the green resolutions!

I’m talking about commitments that revolve around reducing your personal and household’s environmental footprint by making small changes to your lifestyle. You might even find that many of these changes are simply habits you’ve been putting off for a long time. So in the spirit of January, what better time is there to get set up with the tools you need to green your routine?

Stop buying bottled water, and start using a reusable bottle.

We would all do well to eliminate as much plastic from our lives as possible, but pledging to stop buying bottled water is a very simple, easy step to make in the right direction.I find a good stainless steel or glass bottle to be the easiest reusable bottles to clean, and never have a hard time finding places that are willing to fill my bottle up for me.

Say bye to plastic bags, and start bringing your own reusable totes.

It’s incredibly easy to get into the habit of keeping an extra reusable bag on you, and you’ve probably already got a few options kicking around your house. Be diligent about this new commitment, especially in the beginning. If you forget your bags, buy only what you can carry. It’ll push you to be more conscientious in the future. Bye plastic bags!

Stop using the car for short trips, and take your bike instead.

Giving up your car might be more effort than you’re willing to put in this year. However when it comes to smaller trips that don’t require hauling a ton of stuff back, bike! If you can ride your bike for trips that are shorter than 5 km, you could cut down your carbon footprint significantly. You’ll also save gas, and get some exercise too!

Reduce your meat consumption, and become a part-time vegetarian.

If you aren’t interested in going all into a plant-based diet, no worries! You can still drastically reduce your footprint by going vegetarian part-time. Play around with a veggie schedule that suits your willingness. Put on the vegetarian hat for just the weekend, weekdays, before 6, or kick it oldschool with the classic meatless Mondays. With plant-based gourmet food and recipes on the rise, it’ll be easy to keep this healthy resolution on track.

Consume more local and seasonal produce.

Eating what’s locally in season means that your food hasn’t had to travel a long distance to get to you. As a result, it’s fresher, it has retained more vitamins and minerals, and it generally has a lower environmental footprint. SPUD makes it easy to support local by bringing the farmer’s market to you, showcasing all of our wonderful vendors and making it easy for you to make healthy and sustainable choices.

Choose organic produce.

Organic farmers avoid environmentally harmful practices and are able to keep soil healthy, promote biodiversity, and provide nutritious produce filled with vitamins and minerals without using antibiotics or growth hormones. When we choose organic, we are paying not only for the cost of the food, we are also paying for environmental protection, higher standards for animal welfare, avoidance of health risks for farmers due to pesticide exposure, and more. There are so many good things to feel good about when you take the organic plunge.

Lower your food waste at home.

There are a ton of ways you can reduce your food waste, and overall green your food routine at home. For starters, check out our tips for properly storing produce so that you can avoid produce food waste at home. Also get into the habit of cooking smarter by being realistic about how much your family will eat, or cook more so you can make the most out of leftovers. Last but not least, if you haven’t already started, get set up with composting this January!

‘Tis the season to set your intentions for the year, so get into it by picking up a few of these very-easy-to-follow habits. Cheers to a greener, healthier 2017!