Resolutions

Source: Paul the Counsellor

2011 has ended and 2012 is already well underway. It is time to take a tally. 

Did you make any resolutions this year? Are any of them green? 

We checked the Internet for New Year's resolutions and present you with some of them. Hopefully we can inspire you!

1. Possibly the most common theme in the last couple of year's resolutions is weight. This is hardly surprising in a world in which obesity is steadily on the rise (a study in The Lancet indicates that in 2030 half of all Americans would be obese). So people resolve to lose weight, to eat healthier, to get fitter, to eat less meat, to eat more vegetables, etc..

Source: Acai Berry

 2. A close second is the "social" resolution. People believe they should spend more time with family and friends, to invest more into friendships and get back in touch with (formerly) loved ones. This is often combined with a desire to find a better balance between the professional and the personal life.

3. Related to the first resolution - though possibly conflicting with the second - is the (future) decision to quit or reduce drinking and/or smoking.

4. Another all-time "favourite" resolution is Money. Whether it concerns paying of debts, saving up enough to buy that one big thing, or just generally being more careful with money, this resolution usually pops up.

5. Next to those "big" ones, there are tons of other resolutions, some of them more recognisable than others:

• Eat / Drink / Try / Learn Something New.
• Volunteer.
• Read more / # books.
• Embrace your Personal Style and Beauty
• Sing a song at the top of your lungs at least once a week
• Finish home improvement projects
• Teach new tricks to the pets
• ...

6. But our favourite has to be the very general yet very profound resolution to "Enjoy life" and "Have more Fun".

Calvin and Hobbes (Via: The Inquisitr)

None of these resolutions are obviously linked with sustainable living, but with a little creativity, most of them can be combined and interpreted in a Green way, benefiting you And the planet.

• Eat Less Meat:
  Livestock (as discussed in a previous post) is responsible for "28% of global methane emissions from human-related activities". Even a slight reduction in your daily/weekly meat intake will go a long way to reduce GHGs, not to mention the reduction in transport related emissions (where do you think your juicy T-Bone comes from?). And meat isn't just costly to the environment, it will also take a big bite out of your food-budget!
  This does not mean that you have to become a vegetarian over night, however. Just make sure that, the times you do eat meat, you know where it comes from and what has happened to it on the way to your plate; buying (as) locally (as possible) ensures that you can make sure no animal cruelty was involved, that no (growth or other) hormones were used and that the carbon footprint of your little extravagance is as limited as possible.
  Will help you achieve Resolutions 1 and 4
• Take a Walk (on the Wild Side):
  Instead of immediately setting off to that expensive gym on the other side of the city, consider just going for a walk, run or bike ride. It's free, can be done everywhere and does not require any advanced equipment or preparation. And though it is perfectly feasibly to do this by yourself, immersing yourself in an exhausting run with blasting ACDC in the headphones, most people find it the perfect way to catch up with friends - both literally and figuratively! Why not take your family for a walk in the nearest park or forest, or go hiking with your friends?
  And why not walk, run or bike somewhere where you would normally go by car? Instead of taking that ol' SUV to the Hypermart, give it a day's rest and walk to the shop around the corner; what they don't provide in bulk they will surely make up in customer-friendliness and reduced ambiguity about the origin of their products. Don't forget to bring your own shopping bag though!
  Will help you achieve Resolutions 1, 2 and 4
• Use Public Transport
  If you do not live in an area where walking or running is possible (due to heavy traffic, lack of side walks or heavy pollution) consider leaving that SUV in the garage a while longer still and use public transport. In most big cities there is a decent form of public transportation available, ranging from bus over metro to train. They allow you to doze off while reaching your destination, without having to worry about parking spaces or speeding tickets, not to mention soaring gas prices...
  Will help you achieve Resolutions 4, 5 and 6
• Prepare your Own Food:
  Instead of spending loads of money on pre-made food, filled with ingredients you don't know, let alone can pronounce the name off, you might enjoy just buying some veggies, some cheese and some pasta and whip up a fantastic Creamy Penne with Spinach and Tomatoes? Cooking at home is cheaper, healthier and a great opportunity to spend some time with family or friends! Who doesn't have fond memories of making batter in the family kitchen and secretly sneaking a taste when mom wasn't looking?
  Will help you achieve Resolutions 1, 2 and 4
• Quit Smoking
  There's not really any need to give this resolution a turn. The harmful effects of smoking (be it cigarettes, cigars, hookahs or cigarillo's) on both your own person and those around you have long been proven. It seems to be a little absurd to aspire to saving the planet when you can not even take care of your own body. So quit smoking and use the money you saved to treat yourself to some delicious fair-trade chocolate - which will taste better thanks to your restoring taste-buds - without worrying about the calories; you'll be able to run those of in no time when your lungs are up to their full capacity again. Quit smoking and you'll have to spend a lot less money on the laundry to get that pesky smell out of everything you touch.
  Will help you achieve Resolutions 1, 3 and 4
• Reduce / Reuse / Recycle
  The Trinity of Sustainable living. Reduce your waste; why buy bottled water when tap water works as well? And if it doesn't, consider investing in water purifier. Reuse as much as you can - who knew you could do so much with those old jam jars??. Recycle as much as possible.
  Take care not to fall in any traps though: Though separately packed fruit and vegetables seem a lot worse for the environment, the "loose" fruit - if imported from afar - often needs a lot more packaging to survive the transport. But if you buy locally grown fruit and vegetables, this should not be an issue.
  Will help you achieve Resolutions 4 and 5.

A Happy New Year 2012
(Source : Universiti Teknologi Malaysia)

 Please, share with us your resolutions for the New Year and brainstorm on how these can be combined with a greener lifestyle!


By the way, did you know that exactly 28 years ago (January 25, 1984) U.S. President Ronald Reagan, proposing increases in toxic waste cleanup budgets and acid rain research, says in his State of the Union address, "Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, it's common sense."? (Source : MNN Daily News)


Sources: The Inquisitr, MNN, USA.gov, Washington Post, Mlive.com, 43Things, MotherJones, PegasusNews, VeganReader, EnvironmentalEducationUK, TheLedger, TheHuffingtonPost, TheDailyGreen,...