The List: 5 Ways Your New Year’s Resolutions Can Help the Earth

It’s a few days into the new year… have you kept up with your resolutions so far? I’m working on my annual “get fit” resolution… I’m sure I’ll see results just as soon as all these Christmas cookies are out of my house.

From an eco standpoint, the cool thing about many new year’s resolutions is that by practicing the new habits, you may be helping the environment at the same time. Take a look at how some of the most popular new year’s resolutions can have a positive effect on the planet.

1. Eat Healthier: If one of your resolutions is to eat better, one way of doing so is to eat fresh, unprocessed, organic foods and less meat. One easy way to choose healthier foods at the store is by shopping the perimeter of your supermarket, rather than the center aisles: the outer parts of the store are typically where you’ll find fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, cheese, and other simple foods. Make a detour down the grains aisle to stock up on whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, and barley, and you’ll have the makings for some healthy, nourishing meals. Processed foods often use more energy for production and packaging, and they could potentially contain genetically modified ingredients, so avoiding them makes sense from an eco standpoint.

Read about four more earth-healthy resolutions at Recyclebank.