Green New Year's resolutions (and how to make 'em stick)

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If you resolve to do all kinds of little frilly green things in 2011, you'll probably fail miserably — and even if you don't, you still won't make much of a difference. So let's talk about a few big things you can do, and how to actually accomplish them.

The single best thing you can do for your health and the planet is to drive less.

Flickr user Skippy 13

Here's how to do it: Calculate how many miles you drove in 2010. Now figure out how many miles you will drive in 2011 if you drive 15 percent less. Write down what your odometer will show when you've driven that many miles. Now, do not exceed that number. If you fail to pace yourself in the early part of the year, you'll be forced to go cold turkey later in the year. But either way, you'll have made real progress on your driving habit.

Individuals also make a substantial contribution to greenhouse gas emissions by wasting food. Americans waste 30 percent of the food they buy. Surely we can waste less than that, right?

Here's how to do it: Stock up on items that last longer, but buy only enough produce and milk to last half the week or so. Then make a second trip to a nearby store (or ride your bike) to buy the second half of what you need. It also helps if you plan what you'll cook and set aside the time to do it. Make sure not to forget ingredients, or the ones you did buy will languish in the drawer of your fridge. Finally, if all else fails and the food rots in your fridge, suck it up and compost it instead of tossing it in the trash.

You can also make a big difference by saving energy at home and work.

Here's how to do it: At home, the bulk of your energy use comes from your dryer, fridge and heat. Tighten any drafty door frames and windows. If you own the home, make sure you've got good insulation and windows. Invest in EnergyStar appliances, and you'll pay yourself back in PG&E; savings. If you're a renter, ask PG&E; if you qualify for a free energy audit: I got a new EnergyStar fridge for free! Also try air drying some or all of your clothes. If you can't manage that, run small dryer loads consecutively to reuse the heat.

At work, you can be a leader by asking for policies that require employees to shut down computers and turn off lights at night. Motion sensors for lights can be a good option for certain rarely used office spaces and for restrooms. Also leave fax machines or any equipment that's not in regular use off until they're needed.

Another environmental big problem for which we as individuals are largely responsible is plastic waste. Plastic takes eons to biodegrade, and tends to end up swirling around in giant trash gyres that kill wildlife who mistake the the colorful bits for food. Fear not, all you've got to do (this year) is stop buying bottled water.

Here's how to do it: Get yourself a couple of aluminum or BPA-free plastic water bottles and put them in useful places so you'll always have one with you — put one in your bag, say, and another in your glove compartment. You'll probably lose them periodically, but figure that whoever finds them will also be reducing their plastic use, so it's good karma. Of course, writing your name on them won't hurt, either.

As far as your own health goes, the first and most obvious step to take is to give up artificial fragrances, which are completely unregulated chemicals, including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.

Here's how to do it: First, use natural cleansers. You'll get rid of fragrances and a lot of other nasty stuff and save money, to boot. Here's a TGL primer on greener cleaning. Second, stop buying products whose ingredients include artificial fragrances. Trader Joe's carries natural deodorants, laundry detergents, soaps and shampoos that are reasonably priced, but you can also find artificial fragrance-free products at Rainbow, Whole Foods and even Safeway.

Good luck, and Happy New greener Year.

Posted By: Cameron Scott (Email, Twitter, Facebook) | December 30 2010 at 12:47 PM

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