Resolutions?

Remember your green new year's resolutions? How are they going? Let me know if I can help!

If you've forgotten yours, or never got around to making one, read over this list from Ecofabulous. Of course, these lists are useful outside of just resolutions though. They help us analyze where we are in our sustainability journey and focus on how to go forward.

Eco Resolutions and Solutions

1. I will stop using plastic bottles and vow to carry my reusable bottle of choice at all times. The NRDC conducted 1,000 separate tests of over 100 bottled water brands and found that the bottled water was not cleaner, purer, or safer than tap water. There have been reports on certain companies simply bottling tap water. So kick the bad bottle habit once and for all. Sigg or Klean Kanteen are great, and lately we’re really loving Earthlust’s custom designs. As an added bonus you can wrap this resolution into the annual “I will save more” declaration and make a jar where each day you put the money you would have spent on bottled water – you’ll be surprised at how it adds up. In 2006, Americans bought 2.6 billion cases of bottled water, totaling $15 billion – a year of plastic bottle money and you may be able to treat yourself to an eco-vacation.

2. I resolve to make at least two small changes in order to use less energy. This year, while you may not be able to install solar panels on your roof, you can make small changes to your energy usage habits that will have a big impact. First, as inefficient incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs – they last much longer (8-10 times longer) and save money by reducing energy use (typically by 65 to 80 percent). And second, get ride of that haunting phantom load – the electricity wasted when electronics are plugged in but either aren’t on, or aren’t in use (this goes for that fully charged computer or cell phone that’s left plugged in as well). The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that American households use about 43 kWh of electricity each year to power electronics and appliances that are turned off. Plug all your electronics into a power strip and turn it off when the items are not in use – if every American eliminated their phantom load, it would save about $6 billion in electricity costs.

3. Waste: The light green resolution – I will recycle. If you want to take your green routine a shade deeper, then make 2009 the year you start to compost. Really, 2009 holds no excuses for not recycling. Cities and towns are making it easier and easier since most have curbside pick-up. If you are ever in question about whether an item can be recycled, or how to recycle it, check out earth911.com. Encourage your workplace to switch to recycled paper products wherever possible. Since 4 million tons of copy paper are used in the U.S. each year, buying paper with 100 percent recycled fibers uses less energy and water in production and will significantly reduce the number of trees cut down. As for the eco-devotees that are ready for the next step, start to compost your kitchen scraps. According to the EPA, 24 percent of the waste Americans send to landfills is organic waste. We love the Can-O-Worms in-house compost bin. It’s a great way to start reducing your landfill contributions by almost a quarter!

4. If I can schedule in time for the gym and happy hour drinks with friends, I can schedule in the extra time needed to walk or bike to work. Give the road rage a rest and try committing to an alternative form of transportation once a week. Ideally, the carbon-free route is best (with a little added endorphin boost for the traditional “exercise more” resolution) but taking the bus or train will still help to minimize your carbon footprint – according to the American Public Transportation Association, using public transportation saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline each year.

5. I will resolve to consider where my food comes from and how it is farmed. Ideally, supporting seasonal, local agriculture from organic, sustainably managed farms is best. This doesn’t have to mean a weekly trip to the farmer’s market – you can sign up for a CSA or simply make a conscious choice at the grocery store when looking at that apple from New Zealand. As you are committing to cut back on your carbon-emitting transportation, try to cut back on your food’s footprint as well. Where it is coming from and the amount of toxic pesticides used are both contributing factors to how much waste and carbon emissions are generated – one study by the Rodale Institute found that organic farming reduces carbon dioxide by using 37 percent fewer fossil fuels than conventional farming.

More green resolutions

Still haven't found the right new year's resolutions for you this year? Skim through this article from Low Impact Living. They've divided their list into two categories: light green "aspiring Jedi" (beginning steps) and green Jedi (slightly more challenging ones, to aim for after completing the light green ones). Yeah, it's nerdy. Gotta love it. Plus, it is full of links to tons of other resources to help you on your journey to sustainability.

Green New Year's Resolutions for 2009

Posted by Jessica Jensen

For the Light Green, Aspiring Jedi (May the Force be with you!)

1. Put your outdoor lights on motion sensors. Do you need to light the night and burn all of that electricity? No, but you do want safety. Motion sensors are the answer. You’ll save energy and money, too. And if you want to go a step beyond this, you can get LED lights—which are ultra-efficient. Check LED lighting out here.

2. Wash your laundry in cold water. We swear it works! Washing machines are major power hogs in our homes and using cold water is a great, easy way to reduce your energy use. (If you want to go a step beyond this you can even start to air dry your laundry. This will help your clothes last longer and save even more energy. Find great drying racks here.)

3. Take reusable grocery bags to the store. This one is so easy and I still can’t believe how few people do it! Reusable bags will cut down on the use of over 500 plastic bags per person per year (and don’t forget plastic is made from petroleum) or save a slightly lesser number of paper bags. One 15-year-old tree only yields 700 paper bags! You can find reusable bags here.

4. Start using renewable energy at home. There are several ways you can get on board with green power. Many utilities now offer green power alternatives for a nominal monthly fee. Check with your local utility to see if this is an option. Click here to learn more about buying green power from your utility.

5. Make sure you’ve swapped out all of your light bulbs for energy-efficient models. Most people don’t realize that lighting accounts for 15-20 percent of a home’s energy use. So there’s a major opportunity to save money and electricity with better bulbs. Compact fluorescents use 1/4 of the energy and last up to 10 times as long as normal bulbs. And LED lights are 2-3 times as efficient as compact fluorescents. And they come in all shapes, sizes and colors–find them here.

For the Green Jedi

1. Join a CSA or plant an organic vegetable garden. Why not make this the year that you decide to eat the freshest, healthiest, most local produce you can? You can either join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program and get your produce from a local farmer, or you can go a step further and grow your own! Planting a vegetable garden will fill your kitchen with yummy produce and cut down on the carbon emissions from transporting the vegetables you normally buy. Click here to read our useful guide to starting an organic garden of your own.

2. Read your newspapers online. Or just convert to online for your weekday editions and keep your weekend papers to enjoy with your Sunday coffee. You’ll save trees, energy, and money! If only 10 million people in the US cancelled their Monday-Friday newspapers, we’d save almost 50,000 trees each year.

3. Find a way to drive and fly less and cut your carbon emissions this year. Can you bike to the grocery store? Can you walk to the bank? Can you talk your boss into letting you telecommute once a week? Better yet perhaps you can talk your boss into creating a telecommuting plan for your whole department? Or propose that you have meetings via teleconference rather than flying. Remember that the emissions from flying are a major contributor to global warming. Click here to learn about other ways to spread the good green word at work– Learn more about how to green your office.

4. Install a programmable thermostat. These nifty devices allow you to micro-control your home’s heating and cooling. One of these can help you shave 15% off of your energy consumption (and save you money!). It’s really quite simple to install—will take you only 45 minutes. Find programmable thermostats here, and learn how to install them here.

5. Really investigate solar and wind energy options for your home. Many of us have told ourselves that we simply can’t afford solar or wind energy. (And this certainly may be true.) But incentives have gotten much better in some parts of the country and costs have also come down. If a full solar electric system is too expensive, consider a solar hot water system—which can be $4-6K to install and reduce your home energy use by 20-30%. Learn more about solar hot water here. And to get a quote on installation costs, you can find solar installers near you here and wind system installers here.