New Year’s resolutions are a great way to set goals for the year ahead, but our enthusiasm as we say goodbye to the old and welcome in the new can lead to over-ambition and failed promises. In our first blog of the new year, Hayley Collings, IAATO Director of Communications, Antarctic Ambassador, and self-confessed former resolution falterer, offers her five fail-safe pledges sure to get your 2024 off to an environmentally mindful start.
I don’t know about you but come New Year’s Eve I am awash with hope, ambition, and enthusiasm for the year ahead, and this is reflected in the resolutions I set myself. Eventually the often-unrealistic expectations I set myself result in a weakening resolve before the spring buds have made an appearance, and – ultimately – I fail.
I’ve been on this merry-go-round for a few years now. Last year’s resolution casualties were a meat-free 2023 and only buying plastic-free groceries. While I achieved the lesser accomplishment of significantly reducing both, my mistake was that I went all-in from the start and didn’t build up to better practices throughout the year, making it too hard to adjust to drastic change and all too easy to fall off the waggon.
I decided that what I need this time around are some quick wins to kickstart the new year and get me past the mid-February resolution slump before getting stuck-in to my bigger goals. These little achievable things are the bare minimum I can do to make an environmental difference on a singular level, but when done regularly, routinely by more of us can have a real impact on the world. Tiny, but mighty, you might say.
So here are my five ‘quick win’ New Year’s resolutions for greener start to 2024. Care to join me?
Clear out that inbox!
With all our digital data stored in the cloud, via huge data hubs, even our emails now have a carbon footprint. To my shame, On January 1 I had 7,321 emails in my Gmail account, the majority of which were marketing mailouts trying to sell me things I don’t need.
When our emails are deleted, it reduces the need for data storage and processing, leading to lower energy usage in the vast data centres that host the servers. This, in turn, contributes to a more sustainable and eco-friendlier digital footprint.
So, whether it’s 70, 700 or – like me – over 7,000 how about making it a January task to double-delete those emails? Oh, and you need to clear out that trash folder too or it doesn’t count.
Let’s start the new year with a clearer inbox, and a greener conscience.
Recycle your tech.
Recycling our gadgets helps the planet by reducing electronic waste (e-waste). When our gadgets are recycled, valuable materials like metals and plastics can be recovered and reused, minimising the need for raw materials.
Proper recycling also prevents hazardous substances in electronic devices from contaminating the environment. This sustainable practice not only conserves resources but also mitigates the negative environmental impact associated with improper disposal of electronic waste. So, this month, I’m handing in my broken old mobile phone at the phone shop, gifting an underused Alexa, and recycling my obsolete eight-year-old iPads. Will you join me?
PS: It’s not just gadgets! How many pairs of out-of-date prescription glasses do you have lying around? Mine has gone into the recycling bin at my local optician where they’ll repurpose the elements to make recycled plastic boards used for construction, shopfitting, joinery and more.
Make do and mend.
Do you need a new pair of shoes, or will a new sole or heel replacement help them live on? Repairing your items extends the lifespan of products, reducing the demand for new resource extraction and manufacturing. This helps conserve raw materials, energy, and reduces the environmental impact associated with the production and disposal of new items.
Repairing also minimises the amount of waste entering landfills, promoting a more sustainable and circular approach to consumption. In addition, fixing items often requires less energy than manufacturing new ones, contributing to lower carbon emissions and overall environmental preservation.
I have a much-loved padded jacket, gifted to me six years ago when I began work with IAATO, that has been snagged by one-to-many branches on woodland dog walks. It’s warm has a cosy hood and is a vibrant teal which lifts the mood on dreary grey days, so I’m loathed to part with it. My task this month is to repair – or have repaired – the damaged sleeve. Wish me luck!
Will you be reaching for the needle and thread instead of your wallet this year?
Choose package-free toiletries.
According to Canadian organisation Life Unpacked, it’s estimated that over 552 million shampoo bottles end up in Canada’s landfills yearly. These bottles are enough to fill 1,164 football fields and once in landfill, will take an average of 450 years to decompose.
Package-free toiletries, such as shampoo bars and soap without packaging, eliminate the need for single-use plastic containers. This reduces the amount of plastic pollution in oceans and landfills. The production of package-free toiletries also often involves fewer resources and less energy compared to traditional packaged products, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendlier lifestyle.
The Collings family are switching from hand-pumped soap to bars this month, and refillable shampoo and soap dispensers in the shower – topped up at our nearest low-waste shop. What products can you switch to package-free in your home?
Buy a bamboo toothbrush.
Bamboo’s versatility and biodegradability contribute to reduced pollution and waste – so a bamboo toothbrush is an excellent compostable alternative to the one billion plastic ones thrown away each year in the United States (enough to stretch around the world four times)!
Bamboo is a highly renewable resource as it grows rapidly, requiring minimal water and no pesticides. Harvesting bamboo also doesn’t require replanting, making it sustainable.
Bamboo products, such as utensils, furniture, and clothing, have a lower environmental impact compared to materials like plastic or hardwood. So next time you need to replace that toothbrush, comb, lunchbox etc… pick bamboo!
There you have it – my five ‘quick wins’ for a greener start to the year and a great place to begin a more environmentally aware 2024. If you don’t do anything else this month by way of a New Year’s resolution, please consider these.
Have any of your own green quick wins? Share them with Antarctic Ambassadors on Facebook!
About the Author – Hayley Collings
A former journalist and communicator specialising in ethical practice and transparency, Hayley joined IAATO in 2017 to support and strengthen it’s mission of promoting the practice of safe and environmentally responsible travel to the Antarctic.
Leading the Antarctic Ambassador Project, Hayley works with the Antarctic Ambassadorship Committee to create resources to support and inspire visitors to the region to act for Antarctica on their return home.