New Years Resolutions- Take The One Thing Challenge

My New Years Resolution is to stop being angry and frustrated at people that litter, at my friends and family that continue to buy bottled water and don’t use their reusable bags (that I gave them) at people (especially my neighbors) that don’t recycle.. well the list goes on and on.  I have come to the realization that people are not going to change.. either because they are ignorant or they just don’t care. The only thing I can change is myself and the things that I do.

Over the last 4 years of blogging on green, this site started out as a green building (I was remodeling) and litter site. (My pet peeve).. and through blogging, I have learned so much about being eco-friendly… going green and saving green. It has been a process and I have to realize that if it has been a process for me and I am blogging about it, so I have no excuse for being ignorant. Others.. well lets just say we are all ignorant in many areas..

My first act of contrition is to apologize to all of the strangers, friends and family I have been angry at. The strangers on the beach that thank me for picking up beach trash, (why aren’t they picking up trash?)  my friends that continue to use plastic bags, my aunt for buying bottled water, my niece, the ultimate consumer.. the list goes on and on.

After a few discussions with my niece (environmental policy student) a friend of mines son (rampant anti-consumerism), I came to the conclusion, that if each person did 1 thing good in 2013, we would be a better world. My friend Rena, who readily admits she could be greener, yet she is fighter for human rights, she constantly is giving back in some form or another, my friend Ginny, who picks up litter on her hikes, my neighbors who now leave their batteries and lightbulbs for me to recycle.. Just 1 thing.. that is all is takes.. Just one thing.

So if you have a New Years Resolution or want to add to your New Years Resolution.. Take The Just One Thing Challenge… I think you will be surprised how easy it is. My top 10 Green Things, that it is so easy to do..

1. Get in the habit of reusable Bags. Put the bags in the front seat of the car. I have a small fold up bag in my purse, have bags in the front seat. This is the easiest habit to make.
2. Reuse as much plastic as you can. Cereal plastic, plastic from the grocery store all can be used for trash can liners and animal poop.  Reuse, Reuse and Reduce
3. Stop buying bottled water, sodas, and drinks. You will be surprised at how much you can save just on this alone.
4. Shop local– Mom and Pop stores contribute more to your local economy and taxes that big box stores. Support them.
5. Buy at Farmers Markets– You can live without your cell phone.. but you can’t live without food. Supporting your local farmers insures that you will have a food supply and plus their tax dollars. The savings you have from not buying fast food, junk food and bottled drinks will more than make up the extra cost.
6. Walk More– Get a Bike- I made a commitment to bike as much as possible if within a 5 mile radius. (Weather permitting) This is a perfect Green and Save. Fresh air, exercise and reducing our dependence on oil.
7. Recycle More– I can almost guarantee you that things go in your trash that can be recycled. I see it in my neighbors trash.. cardboard, cans, aluminum all in their trash with a recycle bin next to it.
8. Reduce– This is the biggest Green thing that anyone can do. No more cookies, chips.. think of not only reducing the amount of trash, you will feel better and save money. One of the top things I pick up on the beach is candy and chips wrappers. The One Thing Challenge- if you just eliminated Fast Food.. how much healthier you would be and how much money you would save.
9. Pick up litter around your house– This takes about 5 minutes a day. Do it with your kids, with other family members or even your neighborhood. Your house will look better and you will be saving tax dollars from litter pickup, plus the added benefit of getting a little exercise. As a personal rant.. I have never understood runners or dog walkers that are already walking running, why they don’t take an extra bag to pick up a few pieces of trash.. how easy would that be?
10. Save Water- Take a 3 minute shower, wash in cold water, stop running water, brush your teeth with less water. Not only would you be saving on your water bill, you would be saving water in general. Remember Clean Water is a global crisis.

I hope that next year, you adopt one of the above habits and continue to add into them over the year. Happy New Year to all