5 Easy Sustainability Goals for the New Year
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 12:00:01 PM America/Los_Angeles
The new year is upon us, and it’s time to dream up lofty goals for the coming months. Why not plan some earth-friendly goals in addition to personal ones this year? Sustainability goals not only help the environment, they also help us to live more mindfully. Below are a few ideas to get your started!
Photo by Noah Buscher
Shop Mindfully
The holidays call for some of the biggest shopping moments of the year. It’s tempting to buy, buy, buy, when everyone is advertising their lowest prices. However, ask yourself if what you’re purchasing is actually something you’ll need going into the new year. There’s nothing wrong with buying something you’ll be using frequently or that brings you joy every time you look at it. But if it’s just going to sit in a drawer, think twice. You’ll not only be preventing clutter, you’ll also be keeping one more thing from possibly ending up in a landfill.
Compost Organic Waste
Alongside shopping, big meals are a hallmark of the holidays. This is the year to try out composting, if you haven’t yet! Composting has numerous benefits, including not having to buy industrially-made fertilizer and preventing food waste from lingering in a landfill. In a landfill, food waste emits methane into the atmosphere until it disintegrates.
Eat Less Meat
Meat farmed for human consumption is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions. Minimize your meat intake this year to do your part in reducing emissions. Making a sudden jump to a vegetarian or vegan diet can be challenging, so consider starting with a few meals or days a week.
Plant Frequently Used Veggies
Planting veggies and herbs that are in heavy rotation in your kitchen is an easy and fun way to become more sustainable at home. Not only does it minimize waste, it also reduces your carbon footprint since you won’t have to travel to the store or purchase products that require miles and miles of transportation. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to use some of that compost that you’ve got brewing in the yard! No gardening space at home? A window sill or a community garden can also do the trick.
Try a Zero Waste Challenge
Having completely zero waste may seem impossible in this day and age, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a try. You’re probably already practicing many zero waste habits anyway! Personal water bottles and silicon sandwich bags are some of the ways that many are reducing the amount of single use plastics in the world. Shopping and eating mindfully is just one way to get started on reaching your zero waste goals.
Bark Potty partners with 1% for the Planet to donate 1% of our sales to One Tree Planted. 1% for the Planet is a network of businesses that have committed to taking responsibility for the environmental impacts of their various industries. 1% for the Planet encourages businesses to practice corporate responsibility by facilitating donations to grassroots environmental organizations such as One Tree Planted. Each Bark Potty purchase you make further supports our collective efforts to reduce the ecological footprint that humans have left on the environment!