Speaking of starting to look ahead in 2019: an inevitable consideration would be your list of resolutions. What are you looking to do differently this year when compared to the last? Especially when it comes to sustainable living, there are quite a few helpful tips and tricks that will help you to get started. Most of these are relatively painless and swift, yet will lead to great results. We are happy to share some with you.
1. Start small and eco-friendlier
The most important thing is to start off small. Most of us are dreading the idea of radically changing our way of living. You might even identify eco-friendlier living as a tough goal that requires a lot of unpleasant changes. This is why you should start off slow. Look at your life, at your home, your family - and try to identify quick wins. Make sure to hit one domino at a time, do not try to cram all the changes that you’d like to make in the upcoming weeks. Master one change at a time before moving on to the next. And as the first dominos fall, they will trigger others to fall as well. Before you know it, you will be on the road to a more sustainable life.
The concept of starting small may be too abstract for some. After all, something that constitutes only a small change for one person, might be a huge life changer for the other. This is why it pays off to work with smart goals. Or, SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Make sure that the intended changes are specific enough to not leave any doubt as to what you are trying to do. Attach fixed values to it so that you can easily measure the impact. Verify whether it is a reasonable goal that you can actually achieve, and that is relevant to you and your life. Finally, set a timeline to get some sense of urgency.
3. Stay critical
Perhaps the most important tip in this list. You have got to stay critical in order to make a change. Figure out where your lifestyle is in direct conflict with the environment at large. Get a clear picture of your own carbon footprint, and that of your family, of your workplace, of your community. There are some handy tools for you to use in doing so, such as a carbon footprint calculator or a water usage calculator. These will confront you with cold, hard numbers. Combine those with information on your daily habits, and the tools will present you with suggestions that could drastically cut back your impact. Be critical in looking at your own life. Do not cut yourself any slack. It will catch up with you anyhow.
4. Keep learning
A one-time Google search on how to improve your personal sustainability just won’t cut it. Research and continuous learning are some of the most valuable tools in becoming eco-friendlier. Launch your own study in food stuffs that are most polluting to produce. For instance, you might quickly find that the environmental footprint of beef is much greater than that of chicken or pork. While this does not mean that you have to forego your beloved hamburger altogether, you might be more mindful in choosing your diet. Figure out which meat sources have a relatively low impact. Similarly, educate yourself on the fruits and veggies in the supermarket. Which are naturally occurring in your area this time of the year? Those have a much smaller footprint than imported tropical fruits or exotic vegetables.
5. Take responsibility
One curious part of our human mind is that we are much more likely to succeed if we feel that others depend on it, that others are counting on us to do well. We enjoy being held accountable for our actions, as it prompts us to push ourselves just that little bit further. This is exactly where many new year resolutions go awry: if you do not explicitly state your intentions to someone, you are much more likely to let them slide. On the other hand, if you confide in someone and ask them to regularly check in with you on your progress, you are setting yourself up for success.
Summarised
The simple act of committing to your smart goal, small yet sensible, and having someone who is ready to hold you accountable should be enough to get started. Ready to make 2019 your most eco-friendly year as of yet? Then make your pledge today!
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