Green Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

Many of us form resolutions at the beginning of each New Year, whether we intend to keep them or not. We make them with the best of intentions and as cliché as it may be, it gives us something to work toward as the days, weeks and months unfold.

This year, we hope you have some green resolutions of your own, no matter how large or small, and make changes that you can adhere to in the future. Many of us would love to install solar panels on our houses or buy only organic foods, but some of these options just aren’t in our budgets. So here are some suggestions on how to make some changes in your daily life that won’t cost a lot (actually some may save you money) and will help the planet at the same time.

Natural Cleaners
The everyday household cleaners we buy don’t seem as helpful when you stop to consider all of the chemicals they could be adding to your indoor environment. If you have children or pets, these chemicals could be especially harmful.

Baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice are natural ways to clean and if you haven’t discovered their power yet, now is a great time to do so! (Though we don’t recommend using them together, they each have their own benefits!)

Sometimes red wine can stain countertops but add a little baking soda, rub gently, and it’s gone! Dirty windows? All you need is some vinegar, newspaper and some elbow grease and your windows will sparkle better than using Windex (and the smell will be better too). Next time you’re cleaning, reach for one of these natural ingredients instead. As an added bonus, they are much cheaper than the bottles of harmful chemicals.

Organic or Local Produce
We know that organic or local produce can sometimes cost more and we understand everyone has budget constraints, especially when feeding a family. But with a little research, you may discover places to get local produce at reasonable prices. The towns around us in the seacoast of New Hampshire hold several farmers’ markets in the summer and even a few in the winter. This is a great way to not only support local farmers, but get healthier alternatives to foods that may be grown with chemicals.

Have some room to grow vegetables or herbs? Even growing a few items yourself will save money at the grocery store and provide fresh produce. If you’re not an experienced gardener, choose items that will grow easily in your environment or in limited space if you live in an apartment.

Reusable Bags
We’ll never get sick of talking about how important it is to cut down on the amount of plastic we use. One way to do this is by using less plastic bags. They are downright toxic to our environment and are made using petroleum. They don’t fare well when recycled and they litter our oceans by the thousands. So if you do nothing else this year, bring reusable bags with you to the store EVERY time you shop.

For some more green resolution ideas, see Terri’s Top 5 Green Resolutions for a Healthier You at DoYourPart.com.

Share your green resolutions with us by submitting a comment at http://greencabinetworks.com/blog or follow us on Twitter @grncabinetworks.