10 Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions

10 Simple And Practical Lifestyle Tips For A Greener Year

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If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to live more sustainably in 2023, then we’ve got some inspirational ideas for you!

While some people laugh at the thought (and even despise the idea) of New Year’s resolutions, you can view it as an opportunity to set attainable goals for living a more sustainable life.

With that said, we have put together a list of 10 very simple tips for greener living that will help you stick to your goals in 2023.

What Are The Benefits Of Sustainable Living

Sustainable living has a lot of advantages that are great for both people and the planet, and you don’t even need to go to extremes to be more eco-friendly. Here are some ways that living sustainably benefits you:

Living sustainably results in less waste

Living sustainably means that you’re avoiding plastic which saves wildlife and marine life

Sustainable living saves money both inside and outside of the home

10 New Year’s Resolutions For A More Sustainable 2023

1. Make Plastic Swaps Throughout The Year By Investing In Reusable Products

One of the easiest ways to ease into sustainable living is to make gradual plastic swaps throughout the year. Make a plan to swap an item or two out every month, and by the end of the year, you will have lowered your carbon footprint by a significant amount. Trying out a zero waste starter kit full of sustainable products is also a fun and easy way to start green living.

2. Purchase Refillable Cleaning Products

Refillable cleaning products save a ton of plastic from going to the landfill, and a majority of refillable cleaning products are plant based and non-toxic. One of our favorite refillable cleaning brands is Blueland, and it’s a great start to making your home more sustainable and non-toxic.

3. Welcome More Plants Into Your Home

The inside of your house is actually 3-5 times more polluted than the outdoors because there isn’t enough ventilation. And although studies show that houseplants don’t do much to filter toxins, they certainly do increase oxygen levels—which is very beneficial to have in bedrooms. If you’ve never owned a houseplant, start with a Pothos plant (those long vine looking plants). They’re easy to care for, and even easier to propagate!

4. Minimize Food Waste

A sustainable New Year’s resolution that should be on everyone’s list is learning how to minimize food waste. These days, fresh produce in the fridge often takes a back seat to fast food because we’re too tired to cook by the time we get home. As a result, whatever you have sitting around in your fridge eventually spoils and has to be tossed out. So make a goal to:

Learn how to meal prep

Freeze unused portions properly

Compost food scraps using outdoor or countertop composters

Use food scraps in recipes

5. Choose Sustainable Fashion Over And Build A Capsule Wardrobe

A good New Year’s resolution is to purge your closet and and create a minimalist wardrobe with healthy, organic and sustainable pieces. And if you have children, the same can be done for them as well—there are a lot of really great sustainable kids fashion brands.

Sustainable fashion is ethically made, hypoallergenic, and better quality. Likewise, creating a capsule wardrobe saves space in your closet, and allows you to save money in the long run because you’re investing in high quality clothing brands that will last longer.

6. Switch To Vegan Skincare And Beauty Products

Another great sustainable New Year’s resolution is swapping conventional beauty brands for vegan alternatives. A ton of beauty companies still resort to animal testing, which is cruel and unnecessary.

There are also many toxic chemicals used in creating certain beauty products that aren’t healthy for us to put onto our skin, hair and nails. You can also choose vegan skincare products for your child as well!

7. Use Less Water

Whether you’re single and living alone or are part of a large household, you can definitely make a few changes to conserve water and lower your water bill:

Do less laundry and when you do, wash full loads

Take shorter showers and invest in a water saving shower head

Use the dish washer instead of hand washing a large amount or dishes

8. Swap Disposable Period Products For Reusable Pads, Menstrual Cups or Period Underwear

You can greatly reduce your carbon footprint by swapping disposable menstrual products for reusable period products. By making this small swap, you’ll be able to save a ton of money, and you’ll keep a lot of hygiene products out of the landfill—not to mention, you’ll be improving your health since lots of menstrual products contain bleach and other chemicals.

9. Shop Local

By shopping locally, you can help to cut carbon emissions and air pollution—and you’ll be supporting a small business and the local economy. Local products, especially produce are fresher, tastier and in many cases, organic.

10. Declutter Your Home

Clutter affects our mental health—it overstimulates us, increases stress, makes it hard to focus, and makes us less productive. A cluttered home also forces us to spend more money because we can’t find items that we need; and that just leaves us with more junk because all we’re doing is buying duplicates.

So in 2023, make a goal to set a weekend aside each month, and focus on decluttering an area of your home that makes you feel overwhelmed. It’s a great way to reduce waste and stress! And if you don’t know where to begin, I recommend “Decluttering Your Life” by Sabrina Godwin.