12 Days of Green New Year's Resolutions

It’s that time of year again, when the holidays are over and we all turn our attention to the New Year. Most of us will try to start the year off right with a resolution – whether we want to lose weight, save money, find love, or switch careers, everybody will be looking to improve in 2013. But this year, in addition to your personal goals, we want to help you with another New Year’s resolution: to make 2013 the year you go green.

We live in an interconnected world, and everything from the food you eat to the car you drive will have an impact on the environment and the people around you. Here at Greenhome, we know all those choices can seem overwhelming, so we want to make it easy for you to stay educated and to experience the benefits of making eco-friendly choices. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of twelve things you can do to keep both you and the environment safe and healthy in 2012.

Our 12 Green New Year’s Resolutions

1. Exercise More

Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day to boost your energy and to keep your body healthy. It’s as easy as hopping on a bike or taking a walk.

2. Eat Organic and Local

You can improve your health and support sustainable farms by shopping at farmers’ markets and grocery stores that carry organic, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and meats.

3. Boycott Plastic Water Bottles

Americans throw away 29 billion disposable plastic water bottles every year – help reduce all that waste by opting for reusable water bottles instead.

4. Recycle

In 2010, only 34% of the garbage produced by Americans was recycled. Do your part to bring that number up by recycling in your home and office

5. Compost

Americans throw away 29 million tons of food every year – that’s 17% of the waste that ends up in landfills. So this year, instead of throwing those leftovers in the trash, start composting.

6. Be Green at Work

Don’t just go green at home – the office is full of opportunities to conserve resources and make a difference.

7. Reduce Your Use of Chlorine

Chlorine is one of the most damaging pollutants and also one of the most common. It can be found everywhere from plastics to cleaning solvents, so learn which products to avoid to help decrease the environmental impact of chlorine.

8. Get More Sleep

Between work, friends, and family, most of us have learned to get by with less sleep than we really need. This year, help keep yourself happy and healthy by making the time to get your full eight hours a night.

9. Learn Something New

Take a class, read a book, or just chat with a friend: you never know what you might learn.

10. Stop Wasting Water

There are lots of small steps you can take to reduce the amount of water you use in your home, which in turn helps to reduce your impact on natural water systems.

11. Conserve Energy

Reduce the environmental impact of energy production and cut down on your own utility bills by making sure your home is energy efficient.

12. Spend More Time With Friends and Family

It can often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit in everything you need to do, but this year make a resolution to spend more of that time with the ones you love.

Pick one or try them all – just remember that making eco-friendly choices a part of your everyday routine is the easiest way to keep up your green habits all year long. When we all do our part, even the smallest changes can add up to a big difference!