Green in 2013

It's hard to believe in a few hours it will be 2013 already. And of course with a new year comes new resolutions. This year, why not make a resolution to help the environment? A little effort can go a long way in this case, and you're helping more than yourself. Pick one or more of these ideas to add to your list of goals for 2013:

• Stop using plastic bags. Instead, bring reusable bags when you go shopping. If you haven't already, read my post about the environmental damage caused by plastic bags here. 
• Make sure to recycle if you don't already. It is really important and easy... you already take out the trash, so it's not hard to have a separate bin for recyclables.
• Switch to reusable water bottles and mugs. I also wrote a post about why plastic water bottles are so bad for the environment, which you can read here. If you do this one thing, you could have a major impact on helping the environment.
• Get healthy and lose weight! This is a typical New Year's resolution, but it can also help the environment. When you eat healthier, it often means cutting out processed foods and junk foods, which are usually produced in factories that use a lot of fossil fuels and put a lot of man-made chemicals into their products. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and natural foods also cuts down on packaging. Apples don't come in any packaging, but chips come in a bag that must be thrown away. Eating a more vegetarian based diet is also better for the environment, because a lot less energy is required to grow fruit and vegetables.
• Start a compost pile. For those of you that live in rural and suburban areas, you can do this in your yard or woods around your house. For people who live in more urban areas, they do sell indoor compost bins.
• Make sure to turn off lights, TV, and electronic devices when you are not using them. Being more conscious and making sure to do this can reduce CO2 and SO2 emissions from the coal burned to provide electricity. This can help slow global warming and prevent acid rain.
• Educate yourself! Learn about the environmental problems we are facing, what you can do to help, and teach others about them. Ask your friends and family to adopt some eco-friendly practices as well.

I hope you find these ideas helpful and give them a try. If you do, I'd love to hear about it, so send me an email or leave a comment! I hope you have fun celebrating tonight and that the new year is a happy one! AYJ\ü