Happy new year! (Well, a day late – we took the day off, and hope you did, too!)
There’s a powerful symbolism to the new year. It’s a time when I naturally want to make plans and get excited about the year ahead.
Here are four fun suggestions for how to get 2009 off to a great – and eco-friendly – start.
Instead of resolutions, think about goals. (They can be fun goals!) And you have until the end of the year to achieve them – it’s not all over in the first week if you slip and break your resolution to quit smoking / quit drinking / quit sugar. Think about what you have accomplished in 2008 and what you are most proud of? Pat yourself on the back! How do you feel you could have done better? What are the key things you learn from that? What would you like to achieve in 2009? I find the Best Year Yet method particularly effective, and like to use 43 Things to keep me on track and motivated.
For those of you who celebrate Christmas, think about how to dispose of festive leftovers (don’t forget it’s bad luck to leave your decorations up after Twelfth Night!). If you have a real tree, make sure that it is chipped and mulched rather than taken to the landfill – check with your local government or search for local collections by organizations such as the Scouts. Recycle – or for crafty types, reuse – your Christmas cards. Put away any wrapping paper that can be reused and store decorations carefully to use again. Box up unwanted gifts and unopened food either to sell on eBay or to give away, whether to a local charity store or via an organization such as Freecycle.
Calculate your 2008 carbon footprint and figure out how you can make reductions in 2009. If you still need to do simple things such as changing your electricity supplier or installing low-energy light bulbs, it’s a good time to take immediate action. Or you might try out a organic vegetable box delivery (UK link here) or giving up meat for a month.
Make a list of 20 things you enjoy doing – and go out and do them! You now have a blueprint for how to enjoy your weekends. If you tend to spend a lot of time online, consider trying to keep the Secular Sabbath. You’ll be using less electricity and helping restore balance in your life.
That’s just for starters – I would love to hear your tips in the comments. You can also see more of our tips for going green.
Image: Lincolnian