2020 is finally here! The start of a new year is the best time to look into the future and set personal goals to better improve your life and the lives of those around you.
This year make an impactful resolution and strive toward living a more green lifestyle.
Here are 6 ways you can make your life more eco-friendly this year.
- Avoid single-use items: Instead of buying single-use items, such as cups, plates, straws, plastic bags, and paper towels, invest in reusable or recyclable products. Items that can only be used once are not only costly, but they can create quite a bit of waste. Consider switching to reusable stainless steel straws and recycled grocery bags.
- Switch to LED lights: Fluorescent lights contain dangerous chemicals such as mercury that contaminate the environment when disposed of in landfills. However, LED lights contain no toxic elements, have a better quality of light distribution than other types of light, and have longer life spans which ultimately reduces the need for replacements and cuts down carbon emissions.
- Avoid fast fashion: Big chain stores with fashionable and cheap clothing often create destruction and pollution. In order to meet the demand of the latest fashion fads, products are mass produced and typically don’t contain the safest and healthiest materials. Heavy chemicals and synthetic fabrics and dyes are often used in the industry. This year, consider whether you need new clothes at all. If you do, try to choose timeless styles that won’t go out of fashion and higher quality pieces that are made with good materials.
- Start composting: Composting will prevent you from wasting food or tossing out old leftovers into your household garbage. Even if you don’t have a garden where the compost can be used, there are plenty of places that will benefit from nutrient rich compost. You’ll reduce costs of waste collection, decrease your carbon footprint and keep your leftovers out of landfills.
- Lower your carbon footprint: There are many ways you can reduce the amount of energy you consume. Did you know that when you fill up your gas tank at Stop & Shop, the Restore program invests in carbon reduction projects to reduce emissions? Stop & Shop also partners with Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees in our local communities.
Making everyday activities more sustainable doesn’t have to be a tedious or difficult task. This year, make simple lifestyle changes to have a big impact on the environment!