Eco resolutions for 2011

With Christmas done and dusted and the New Year upon us, its time to start thinking about how to live in a more sustainable way. So I have listed below my top 5 eco resolutions for 2011.

1. Start growing your own vegetables – As we all hide away for the cold winter months use the time to look into how you could start your own vegetable garden. Whether you live in a flat with a balcony or have a house with some garden space, growing your own vegetables doesn’t just help the planet, but is also a lot of fun! Start by thinking about which ones you like to eat the most and then take a trip to a gardening centre and load up on seeds, pots, soil and plant food. March and April are usually the times to sow the seeds but if you have never done it before, it is definitely worth using the time now to fully prepare and read up on what you need to do!

2. Switch to recycled paper – There is now an abundance of selection when it comes to paper, loo roll, or paper towels and within this selection for all these categories is recycled paper. If everyone started using recycled paper, imagine the number of tree’s we would save. There really is no need for buying new paper of any sort when the recycled stuff is just as good!

3. Unless you are going far, ditch the car! – 70% of all car journeys are less than 5 miles! That really is an incredible statistic! For those that don’t like the obvious choice of public transport, I would strongly recommend adding a bicycle to the top of your Christmas wish list, as it really is the best way to get around! It keeps you fit, is extremely quick and of course saves energy! There are also some very cool bikes about these days, some look more and more like fashion items than exercise tools…!

4. Switch your bulbs already! – For those of you that might have switched your bulbs to energy saving light bulbs this time last year, you will already be honing in on your full payback as this really is a no brainer, when it comes to saving money and energy! Payback is normally at around 1-2 years and what’s even better, is that energy saving lighting can last over ten years so you wont be changing them again for a long time! So, be smart and switch your bulbs already!

5. Buy Vintage – Thinking about getting a new piece of furniture? A stand out piece for the living room maybe… then buy vintage! With a little bit of effort and a savvy mind, you can find some incredible old pieces of furniture that still either look great or with a bit of love and some new upholstering, can be restored to its former glory! The best thing about this is that you will have created your own original piece that no one else will have and will no doubt bring some envious eyes from your friends and family!

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