Earth Day Resolutions

Every year, January 1^st brings a desire to begin again, to wipe the slate clean; to improve our lives. Maybe this is brought on by embarrassment over our indulgences of the holiday season, or maybe it's simply because the first day of the new year seems like the right day for the first day of the new you. Very frequently, we start out with a list of promises (we'll eat healthier, drink less, exercise more, watch our language) that fizzle out after a few weeks or months.

I humbly suggest we start a new tradition. Earth Day is April 22^nd, right in the middle of the renewal of nature that is Spring. It feels like a good time to make a fresh start, just as flowers rise from the earth and buds unfurl on the trees, so what say we make some Earth Day Resolutions? There isn't yet a set way to celebrate Earth Day, even though there are usually cool, environmental programs like stream clean-ups and tree-plantings, and TV specials that give green information and conservation tips. But why not have a tradition in which everyone can participate, one that might help keep the environmental awareness going all year long?

Enter the Earth Day Resolutions. What ways can you change for the better, both for you and the planet? Here are some good ones:

Resolve to eat less (or no) beef. Beef is a notorious resource-sucker; the energy needed to raise, house, feed, slaughter and process beef is many times greater than the energy to raise, harvest and process any plant-based foods, and hundreds of times greater than the energy that your body can get from it as food.

Resolve to buy more organic and/or locally-grown food. Maybe you can fit a once-a-month trip to the local farmer's market into your schedule; if not, try to buy at least one organic product every time you go to the grocery store. Just one! I'll bet you can keep that resolution all year. If you don't see a decent choice of organics, ask the manager if they can carry some. When I did this at my local grocery, the manager told me nobody had asked before, so ask if you want it; otherwise, they'll never know.

Resolve to save water, but don't make your resolution that general. Resolve to take specific steps or make new habits, such as always making sure the dishwasher or clothes washer is full before running, or never letting the water run while you brush your teeth. Click here for more water-saving tips.

Resolve to recycle. Use you city's, work's or school's recycling program. Think about the packaging when you buy groceries and other goods-is it recyclable? Is there too much packaging? You can save money shopping in bulk, and you can also cut down on the amount of packaging you have to deal with, as well!

Resolve to reuse. Shop thrift stores, yard sales, or make a toy-, book-, or clothing-swap with your friends or community group. There are so many things around your house that you have lost interest in that might prove useful to someone else, and that's likely to be true for every person you know. Get together and have a swapping party, or check out www.freecycle.org to see what people are giving away in your city!

So, let's celebrate Earth Day all year long with resolutions that keep the day going. You might make one big resolution, or several smaller ones. You might make one you are afraid you can't keep for an entire year, but you want to see how long you can take it. It's all valid, as long as you make a serious effort at it, because every time we are mindful of what we do, we can make a conscious choice to improve our lives and our world!