Happy New Years!

from thedailygreen.com

Each year we inevitably reach December and before you know it a new year is rolling around.  We begin a new set of 365 days to be alive, to enjoy our time here on Earth.  As January 1st approaches we take stock of what we accomplished in the year that is ending, our goals and dreams for that year and what was realized.  We then look ahead to the New Year, an unending abyss of possibilities and opportunities, and make our resolutions. We resolve to walk the dog for at least x minutes each day; to be a better parent, a better friend; we resolve to shop less and save more; or something even as simple as resolving to compliment one person each day.

I’ve often wondered what would happen if everyone, every inhabitant of the modern world, included one conservation pledge in their list of New Year’s Resolutions.  Instead of making only resolutions that pertain to personal or professional goals (don’t get me wrong, those are definitely admirable), if we all made one resolution to do something good for the environment.  What if each one of us residents of this planet we call Earth resolved to no longer use plastic bags, or to finally implement some of those energy efficiency measures we’ve been thinking about doing, or to use natural cleaning products instead of chemical ones even half of the time? What would that look like?  Could you imagine how much we could accomplish?!

Here are some of the conservation resolutions of Alliance staff members:

• Removing as many processed foods from the house as possible.
• Paying attention to the items my family purchases to ensure they are made in eco-friendly ways by companies that have good environmental track records.
• Purchasing as many items as possible with plastic recyclable packaging instead of glass (glass isn’t recycled in Alaska but plastic is) and then being diligent about recycling those plastic items.
• Using not only reusable grocery bags (instead of paper or plastic) but also reusable produce bags and reusable sandwich and snack bags.
• Switching a majority of my cleaning products to the ‘green’ versions, i.e. vinegar, baking soda, and borax.
• Biking or walking to work and meetings whenever possible.
• Making half of my clothing purchases used from thrift or consignment stores instead of brand new from retail stores.