Looking Forward to 2009

As we make new year's resolutions, it is important to think about the environment. Each of us has a hundred different steps we could take in this new year toward a more sustainable lifestyle. You should challenge yourself, of course. But the key is not to become overwhelmed. Pick a finite number of goals to get started with and add more later in the year when you feel able.

These, then, are my own three green resolutions to start the new year.

1. Get over my shyness: It's honestly been difficult enough for me over the past year to ask every single cashier I've interacted with to not put my purchases in plastic bags. (It's such a deep-seated habit for most of them.) I don't like drawing attention to myself if I don't have to! But I commit to going outside of my comfort zone and learn to live more sustainably outside of my own home. For example, we eat out a lot. I'm going to get started on this resolution by getting a steel carry-out container to bring with me to restaurants and use when I have leftovers to bring home (most every time!)

This is an important goal for two reasons. First, it's vital that I don't undo all the environmental progress I make at home. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, forcing ourselves out of the green closet can help others learn to live more sustainably. It can raise people's consciousness and give them concrete ideas about how to live more green themselves.

2. Get serious: I have a bad habit of avoiding things that stress me out whenever I can. The desperate situation the environment is in is one of those things. This year, I'd like to suck it up and watch some serious environmental documentaries and read some serious books about sustainability. I'm starting with the Omnivore's Dilemma and Peak Everything.

3. Eat better: Although the majority of the food we eat is organic, most is also processed and pre-packaged. I'd like to start cooking for myself more and eat more whole foods. This one is going to be really hard for me, since I don't currently do any of the cooking in our house. Hopefully Ben will help me! If Ben'll let me in the kitchen with him, I'll make up the difference in effort that it takes to prepare whole foods versus the processed stuff.

Right now, all of these goals seem very challenging for me. But we each must look at where we are today in our journey toward sustainability and recognize that we have "miles to go before [we] sleep." Let's make a genuine effort to be leaps and bounds further by this time next year.

What are your eco-resolutions for 2009? Please tell us about them in the comments!

For here or to go?

Let's face it. Sometimes we're all just too lazy or too tired to cook a legitimate meal for ourselves. Take-out, of course, is an excellent option. However, the waste that comes along with carrying out food is NOT such an excellent option. No Impact Man gives his advice on the take-out question. [Find the original article here.]

"Take out tubs, individual action, and changing minds"

Yesterday I posted about the trash I'd generated through eating takeout when I got too busy to cook for myself. Someone commented that eating takeout--in itself--is no problem. Cooking at scale may save energy. The problem is the plastic or cardboard containers that get generated.

Commenters left two suggestions behind for ways to get take-out without making trash. One is to take your own reusable containers to the take-out place yourself. I've done this before and the server liked it so much, he gave me extra food.

Another option is to ask the manager of your favorite food place if they would mind keeping a reusuable container belonging to you on hand. That way, they can deliver to you and you don't have to pick it up. When the delivery man drops off your food, you give him back a second, clean container to take back and store until next time.

Here's what's neat about this kind of idea. When you do it, it generates buzz, because other people are forced to get involved. It's like the glass jar I carry for coffee. Everyone wants to talk about it. Same with the reusable takeout tubs. Everyone will want to talk and it's chance to change a few more minds.

Image from reuseablebags.com