New Year, Same You

Resolutions are… a mixed bag.

Some of us keep up with them. Some of us like the idea of keeping up with them. And still others of us fall into that same-old-same-old once spring has sprung and patio happy hours are back on the menu.

The way we see it from an ecological perspective, the goal isn’t revamping your entire personality. Nor sticking to sweeping resolutions one hundred and eighty degrees away from your current way of life. Instead, work with the grain.

Love your coffee run?

You know it, we know it, we all know it—it’s better, cheaper and more responsible to make your own coffee in the morning. But rituals are important, and there’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of once you’ve built a sense of community at your local coffee haunt. Instead of ditching the routine altogether, consider bringing your own mug and seeking out roasteries that harvest responsibly and know their farmers. Our friends at Night Swim, Not Just Coffee, Giddy Goat and HEX have the right idea!

Can’t bear the gym?

All the better! Many traditional gyms are fairly resource-demanding, given the multitude of HVAC units, heavy-duty cleaning materials, lighting requirements and more. A set of decent resistance bands shouldn’t run you more than $100, and decent dumbbells shouldn’t run more than a couple hundred beyond that. If you do prefer to hit the gym (like some of us do), be sure to bring the reusable water bottle and washable towel.

Bulking up that GoodReads account?

Books are about as cheap and responsibly procured as they come. Check your local little libraries—or start one of your own!—shop exclusively used and take to websites like Project Gutenberg that can fill your kindle for free without wasting the paper. 

Struggling to pick a hobby?

Bird watching is an easy, fulfilling and sustaining one. There are dozens of resources for finding native plant mixes that’ll draw different species to your very own yard. It’s good for your brain, good for the earth and a great conversation starter in the right company. (Read: people like us.)

Still craving dessert?

It’s not as easy as swapping the ice cream for iceberg. No one should have to deprive themselves of a treat to signal the day’s end—the key is doing it sustainably. Avoid single use packages, and eat real desserts rather than highly processed and artificially concocted junk. We can’t say chocolate chip cookies are good for you, per se, but made with cage-free eggs and organic butter, they’re certainly better for the environment than whatever comes out of the bag.

These small edits aren’t simply a January thing, either. Our founder’s musings, available here, often focus on the pocket-sized changes you can make in your day to day. Put together, they can make a detectable difference in both your immediate and greater environments.