The Green Room

Make resolutions for the New Year greener

By Walmart Green Room on December 27, 2012 2 comments

As we get ready for 2013, many of us are busy planning New Year’s Eve parties with our family and friends. After all, it’s a time for celebrating the past year, looking ahead to the New Year and a clean slate – and, for many of us, making New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions are our personal vows to do better for ourselves. But what about doing better for the environment?

We took a look at the top three New Year’s resolutions from a recent study released by the University of Scranton to show how you can add a little green to the new you in the New Year:

No. 1 Most Popular Resolution: Lose Weight

How to Green This Resolution: Make locally grown food choices. Most Americans vow to eat healthier and lose weight in the New Year, and one of the ways to do that is by eating more fruits and vegetables. Buying locally grown produce means you not only get fresher food, but by choosing food that hasn’t traveled hundreds of miles you’ll also be more sustainable. We’ve pledged to sell $1 billion in food sourced from one million small- and medium-sized farmers worldwide. Meet some of them here.  

No. 2 Most Popular Resolution: Get Organized

How to Green This Resolution: Recycle, recycle, recycle. As one of the simplest ways to be greener, recycling is something that the whole family can do together. Set up a recycling system  at home where certain color bins correlate to different materials – red for paper, blue for plastics, and green for metal, for example. It will teach your family how to be more sustainable and keep your home clutter-free. Recycling is something we take seriously, too. We compile disposal and recovery data for 50 separate waste categories, such as cardboard, paper, aluminum, plastic bags and more. 

No. 3 Most Popular Resolution: Spend Less, Save More

How to Green This Resolution: Conserve more energy. Of course saving money is a popular resolution and so we try to accomplish it by curbing our spending habits on things such as clothing, electronics, or even food. But think about it in a different way, reducing energy use to save money by using energy efficient incandescent, CFL, or LED light bulbs. There are many other ways to be even more energy efficient at home – from adjusting your thermostat to using energy efficient appliances. Even the smallest change can make a difference, saving you money – up to 75% of electricity costs – and helping the environment at the same time.

Have you made a resolution to make going green a bigger part of your life in 2013? If so, what have you pledged to do?