Starting 2018 with a brand new set of resolutions? Perhaps you’ve made goals to budget better, or visit the gym more often, or maybe you’re aspiring to take on a new hobby. Whatever you’ve decided on, don’t put the pen down yet! We’ve got six more super-simple green resolutions for you to add to your list that are going to be beneficial for the planet.
1.#RefusetoUse Styrofoam. This single-use plastic takes up 30% of landfill space and takes over 500 years to break down! Though labeled with a #6 and accompanied by the friendly-but-deceptive recycling symbol, Styrofoam can’t actually be recycled. You can avoid this polystyrene trash by bringing your own tupperware container with you when you go out to eat, OR dine out at any of our GDA-certified restaurants and rest assured knowing you’ll never leave with leftovers in Styrofoam.
2. Purchase a reusable water bottle and coffee mug. Plastic single-use bottles, while recyclable, use a lot of resources to manufacture, ship, and recycle. Reusable bottles and mugs won’t just reduce your waste footprint – they’ll save you money! You won’t have to buy bottled water anymore and many establishments (especially our GDA-certified coffee shops) will actually give you a drink discount if you decide to bring in your own cup.
3. Skip the plastic cutlery. Plastic forks, sporks, spoons, and knives are NEVER recyclable. A great alternative to plastic silverware is a reusable set, like the bamboo cutlery you can purchase from the GDA, or even a set of metal utensils you can keep in a desk drawer at work. Keep this single-use item out of the landfills, and don’t forget to tell restaurants that you don’t need a set with your takeout.
4. Always keep a reusable bag on-hand. Did you know the average American family takes home about 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year, and only returns roughly 1% of those to be recycled? A simple switch to reusable bags would keep those leftover 1,485 plastic bags out of landfills. That’s a huge difference! Lots of grocery stores now sell reusable bags you can pick up as you checkout OR purchase one from St. Louis Earth Day right here.
5. Order drinks without a straw! Over 500,000,000 plastics straws are used in the United States each day. That’s a lot of waste. If you’re ordering a drink at a restaurant, ask your server to skip the straw. If you feel like you can’t go without one, purchase a reusable steel straw and just keep it in a bag or your car – then you’ll always have it when you need it!
6. Practice #MeatlessMondays! An estimated 1,800 gallons of water go into producing just a single pound of beef. By reducing your meat consumption (even just on Mondays), you reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuels that go into producing the meat you eat. Shifting to a more plant-based diet is essential to combating climate change, soil, air and water pollution, and a handful of other problems caused by industrial livestock production.
With these simple resolutions you can make a real difference for the environment! Make 2018 the year YOU help save the planet.
