2020 is fast approaching and it is almost time for those New Year resolutions. A new year is always the perfect opportunity to change undesirable habits and create personal goals. Quite often these end up being about fitness, relationships or money… but how about making a resolution that helps our planet and in turn our future?

Here are 5 easy New Year’s resolutions that can help preserve the environment:

Carpooling/lift sharing

Not only does carpooling reduce the strain on our planet’s oil resources and greenhouse gas emissions, it can also save you money and ease traffic congestion. There are even social and emotional benefits to carpooling for those who need a morning pep talk or find driving stressful.

Change your washing machine settings

It may surprise many people to learn that when we wash our clothes, plastic microfibres from synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon are released, and end up making their way to our oceans. To limit the amount of microfibres released, you can change your washing machine to a cooler setting. This also saves energy!

Meat-Free Monday

Go meat free just one day a week and help the planet. By reducing our meat consumption, we can help decrease greenhouse gas emissions, ease pressure on land use and even reduce pollution running out into our rivers and oceans. Meat-Free Monday is part of a global movement that encourages people to go meat free one day a week. Visit the website for more information on meal plans, shopping guides, recipes and much more!

Avoid one day deliveries

When ordering an item online, try to avoid one day shipping where possible. For fast deliveries, companies may have to rush to meet the deadline by having more trips with less cargo, making a bigger environmental impact. However, for standard delivery, many companies will group parcels together according to the area/ route of the driver, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.

Composting

Instead of throwing your leftover food in the bin, just to end up on a landfill site to rot and release methane into the atmosphere…how about creating a compost pile or bin? As well as helping the environment, it can also be used to enrich soils and suppress plant diseases, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. For more information on ingredients and directions visit the Environmental Protection Agency website.

The New Year is just around the corner, presenting everyone the opportunity to renew a commitment to conserving our planet. Consider changing one of these small behaviours to help prevent further damage to the world and create a more sustainable future.

All of our individual actions can make a difference.

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