I hate most New Year’s resolutions. They are corny and inevitably put so much pressure on your shoulders that you fail them after a few days. I’ve been there, and I’m not keen on following the same pattern again.
But there are some things I want to change in my life. I have decided to steer clear from the much overused ‘lose X amount of weight’ and ‘be a better daughter/sister/student/girlfriend/slave to society’ because they are pointless. There is nothing wrong with any of us and we do not need to conform to anyone’s standard of perfection. Instead I chose to focus on how my habits impact the environment I live in. I am fortunate enough to live in the most beautiful country in the world – I will brook no argument on this point – so naturally, I am keen to preserve its natural beauty. I firmly believe in karma; what goes around comes around, so logically, if I treat my environment right, it will look after me, too.
So I am going to make an effort to be more environmentally friendly. No more excuses – ‘It’s not my fault I can’t recycle, the council hasn’t provided me with the right bins’ – no more turning a blind eye. I am going to educate myself and practice my new knowledge daily.
If you’re interested in joining me in this challenge (woohoo!), below are some links to help you and me on this new journey:
Food, cooking and wastage
Reducing food waste
Getting the most out of your vegetables – This post was tremendously helpful for me. I waste practically nothing in the food department any more!
Food preservation
Disneyfication of our food – a very interesting blog from A Thrifty Mrs about supermarkets only selling food that looks ‘perfect’.
Around the house
DIY laundry detergent
Alternatives to wasteful objects in our lives
Eco-friendly home transformation
Fashion & beauty
A fashion manifesto by Sayward Rebhal
Homemade coconut oil repair shampoo
Going shampoo-free
Natural beauty – baking soda
Re-washable make-up remover pads
Vegan make-up
Money
5 ways buying less helps you live more
And the rest
The thing about palm oil
I find Bonzai Aphrodite, The Pursuit of Hippieness and A Thrifty Mrs are extremely helpful blogs for thriftiness and eco-friendly tips. If you have any good blogs, books or documentaries to recommend, do leave me a comment below!
Are you making a different kind of resolution this year? Do you have any tips for me?
Since reading the book “not on the label” Ive certainly shopped more locally and supported more local produce business than I ever have before, and its a resolution of mine to buy most if not all of my produce from markets or independent traders. Love your blog, by the way!
http://www.journeysthroughmeadows.blogspot.com
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Mmm fabulous picture of Stirling and you of course………..
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Thank you! I'll add this to my list of books to read. Any other good recommendations? I'm a big bookworm and love learning, so the more recommendations, the better! Your blog is lovely, too xoxo
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Thanks, mummy xoxo
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I love this! Nice to make a resolution which isn't “all about me” if you know what I mean. I'm pretty good about always using a reusable bag, not wasting food and recycling but I'd like to reduce my use of disposables in the home (cling film, paper towels etc.) Wishing you a wonderful 2014!
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Exactly! All the resolutions I have made in the past just put unnecessary pressure on my shoulders. What's wrong with me as a person that I need to change my personality or my body? I tried to think instead what I could change in my attitude, and I decided to tackle my environmental impact, because that has been weighing on my conscience. Hopefully I'll be able to post my progress here and share some helpful tips with my readers. Thanks for your lovely comment, happy new year to you too!
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