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New year, new eco me. 

Happy New Year and welcome to what I hope to be a better year than 2021. Is it just me or are all the days, weeks and months kind of just a blur? I feel like it was such a long yet fast year with tremendous highs and devastating lows. I honestly felt the rollercoaster of 2021. Currently as I write this blog I’m starring out to torrential rain and my plants are absolutely loving this downpour despite the struggle they face to keep erect under the water weight. Something about the rain and the new year is therapeutic for me. Regardless of this blogs title I actually don’t believe in New Year Resolutions. I find rules are made to be broken, so instead I just try and be better than I was the previous year, month and day. 

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Habits I want to change in the new year.

The best part of changing habits instead of resolutions is that I find it more enjoyable as I want to do it, not because a calendar or a marketing strategy has told me so (Thats my stubborn side showing now haha).

I live a fairly clean and planet friendly lifestyle however there is always room for improvement and I mean always. This year I want to focus on having my reusable containers on hand more frequently for my grocery shops. I’m almost vegan so i’m never going to the deli for meats however I do for my dog and for the occasional salad. 

I have a habit of often forgetting my containers in a last minute dash to the store and hence why I use the store provided takeaway containers or even worse the plastic bags they use instead. Unfortunately the take away containers provided by stores are made to last for a very limited time and the deli plastic bags are designed for single use only.

My local deli doesn’t mind me using my own containers, they weigh them prior and adjust the scales accordingly. This is where I need to do more, make improvements and limit my plastic imprint by being more food container organised.

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Other than being more consistent with my reusable containers, I’m also focusing on plastic wrapped vegan/vegetarian options. Whilst I’m not contributing to CO2 gases with my meat consumption, I’m on the other hand adding with the amount of water, chemicals and plastic that contributes to meat substitutes. So a focus on less plastic wrapped meat alternatives and eating more organic and locally sourced produce.I like to eat organic, but again in my haste of being food unorganised (balancing home life and running businesses can sometimes get the better of me) and a last minute dash to the local grocer always dictates just how clean I’m consuming. By being more organised i'll improve my impact on the planet and consume less nasty chemicals by doing so. 

‍Your New Years Resolutions.

Whilst we’re all at different stages of our eco journey, I’ve noted some points that maybe will help you to have better environmental habits for 2022. 

• Upcycle or donate. From clothes, food and appliances almost everything can have another life instead of clogging up our landfills. 

• Reusable batteries. On average 3 million batteries are thrown away every year. Make the switch to reusable and not only will you reduce pollution but you’ll always save some cash!

• Less paper towel. I know it’s an easy trap to fall into but unfortunately paper is one of the biggest items getting discarded in landfill each year. Make the switch to cloth towel and simply wash and reuse.

• Eco friendly products. (Say it louder for the people at the back haha) I love genuine eco friendly products. We put so much down the drain which almost always ends up in our oceans and waterways which adds to acidification of aquatic life destroys our soil and creates an imbalance for biodiversity and natural habitats. Look at the back of any “green” product. If you can read majority of the ingredients then there is a good chance they are in fact a genuine eco company.

• Laundry. This ones simple. Stop. Using. The. Dryer. Need I say more?

• Reusable bags. I’m sure we’re all aware by now of the disadvantage’s from disposable bag’s. Bring your own, store them in the house, car and office and you’ll never get caught out. And in case you weren’t aware, for the first 100 purchases from my online store you get a free Green Catcher reusable tote bag *wink *wink. 

• Turn it off. By keeping household appliances running unnecessarily it chews through resources and money. Roughly 10% of every electricity bill is from appliances not being turned off.

• Meat consumption. I’m not a doctor so let me tell you i’m not giving you health advice but from an environmental perspective, consuming no red meat for one year is equivalent to an annual footprint reduction of over 400kgs carbon. 

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New Years Eve Verdict.

Creating eco goals or challenges for your new year to try and improve habits is refreshing for both you and mother earth. As simple as my this may sound to some, it’s challenging to be consistent when it’s been practice for such a long period of time. Take each week as it may come or if you’re feeling really overwhelmed with changes to your new year, take every day as it comes. Unfortunately I think we’re still on that turbulent rollercoaster and we may be for a while yet. But if anything this ride has taught us, it’s that getting back to basics and connecting with our authentic selves, finding solace in human interaction, and appreciating the soil and air that nurtures us gives us clarity to what is genuinely important. 

Welcome to 2022, it’s time to be a good human and do better for the environment. 

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