Climate Resolutions 2020

Here we are. The very last day of 2019.

I thought this post would be important to have out there before the start of the new year so everyone can really start to think about making environmentally conscious changes for the coming decade! 

The hardest part about going zero waste is literally just starting! For that reason, I think starting your zero waste journey at the beginning of a new year is great motivation because a new year is all about new beginnings and making new changes. Once you do start, you will be amazed at how far you can go in a short amount of time. 

Let me tell you about where I am in my zero waste journey: in less than a year, we have switched to...  
  • cloth diapering or using biodegradable diapers from Dyper (https://getdyper.com/)
  • we WILL have cloth wipes from Marley's Monsters (https://www.marleysmonsters.com/ ) to replace regular packaged baby wipes for our son 
  • bringing resuable bags to every single store I ever go to
  • I started using cloth pads during my "time of the month" and that has been one of my FAVORITE switches I have ever made! 
  • bamboo toothbrushes (for the whole family, including our toddler!) from Brush With Bamboo (https://www.brushwithbamboo.com/)
  • David's Natural Toothpaste (https://davids-usa.com/)
    • It comes in a metal tube that is infinitely recyclable! 
  • shampoo and conditioner bars from the Zero Waste Store (https://zerowastestore.com/)
    • My hair has honestly never felt better after making this switch!
  • replaced our body wash and hand soap with bar soaps 
  • switched to zero waste laundry soap and dish washer pods by Dropps (https://www.dropps.com/)!
  • zero waste cleaning products from Plastic Free Pursuit (https://plasticfreepursuit.com/) and Zefiro Waste (https://zefirowaste.com/) 
    • all purpose cleaner 
    • toilet bowel cleaner 
    • dish wash soap block 
    • brushes for cleaning and washing dishes 
There is so much more, but I will talk about those changes in other posts! You get the picture though. Once you start you will go so far so fast! 

What are climate resolutions that you can make for 2020? We are in the defining decade for fighting climate change. This decade could define the future of our planet for generations that are alive TODAY. This may seem overwhelming, but if everyone works together to make these changes (and our world leaders start kicking their butts into gear) we CAN make a significant impact. 

I thought I would help you out by breaking down some climate resolutions depending on how much effort and money it may cost. 

  • Free/No Effort Resolutions 
    • Follow climate scientists/climate groups on social media
      • I know this may seem boring, but they put all their posts in lay terms and make the information interesting! I feel like I have learned a lot regarding issues AND solutions that are going on in America that I may have otherwise not. Here are some of the accounts I follow:
        • @nrdc_org (one of my favorites!)
        •  @ayanaeliza (another favorite!)
        • @epagov
        • @cnnclimate
    • Start talking more openly with friends and family (possibly strangers) about climate change 
      • You would be surprised how many people actually do share your views and have the same fears as you do. Just talking about it can make you feel less alone and less scared that undoubtedly comes with the idea of climate change 
    • Start to re-frame your mind set when it comes to your purchases 
      • Do I REALLY need this? 
      • Where will it end up after I'm done? 
      • Can it be reused? Or will it go straight to a landfill? 
      • What kind of company am I supporting by making this purchase? 
        • Are they ethical? Sustainable? 
    • Buy less, use more of what you have 
      • This seems pretty straight forward 
  • Still Free/Little Effort 
    • Start reading more articles about the effects of climate change 
      • I would not recommend doing a deep dive into this because honestly it is kind of terrifying, but it is easier to defeat an enemy that is known than unknown! 
      • Once you are more aware of the issues and solutions, you may find it easier to start making changes of your own! 
    • MEAL PLAN 
      • This really does help cut down on food waste when you are being conscious about what kinds of food you are buying and how much
  • Still Free/Some Effort 
    • Volunteer with community projects that benefit the environment if you can! 
    • Be involved with protests 
    • Call your state senators! 
  • Some Money/Some Effort 
    • Buy secondhand for literally everything that you possibly can
      • This saves you money! 
    • Cook at home more 
      • I know people say this all the time and honestly I didn't really get how it saved you money until I started to look at it differently. What I mean by that is you really have to start making everything from scratch 
      • For example, in our house we make these food items from scratch instead of buying prepackaged:
        • bread 
        • bagels (I guess this is also bread?)
        • mac and cheese 
        • tomato sauce for pasta 
        • any kind of dessert 
        • pancakes 
      • This helps cuts down on food waste, saves you money, and cuts down on food packaging 
    • Buy food in bulk when you can! 
    • Buy reusable bags and remember to bring them EVERYWHERE 
    • Be mindful and make more zero waste purchases that will affect your daily life 
    • COMPOST. Do it. Do. It.
  • Lots of Money/Lots of Effort 
    • If you are in a good place financially to make these changes, PLEASE do it! 
    • If you are in the market for a new car, research an electric car! 
      • Tesla has great options and so does Nissan! Ford is not far behind them 
    • If you need new appliances (washer and dryer for example) try to purchase the most energy efficient ones possible
    • If you own your house, look into getting solar panels! 
      • Also Telsa is making solar panel roof tiles that could be a good investment if you need a new roof entirely 
  • Lots of Money (possibly)/Little to No Effort 
    • Again if you are in a good place financially, please do this! 
    • DONATE to organizations that are fighting the good fight for the planet! This is hugely important. Scientific research cost money. We really do have the technology to efficiently curb climate change, but there is lots of untapped potential due to funding issues 
    • I put "possibly" in parenthesis because even if you donate $5 throughout the whole year, that is still awesome!
I hope this post helped give you some ideas of changes you could make in your life in this coming year, decade, and hopefully forever! I am still learning, making mistakes, making changes, but most importantly, improving! I have decided to not look at the future with "hope." This word is vague, so it really isn't able to give me an appropriate outlook on the future of our planet. Instead, I am just going to focus on living as sustainably as I possibly can. This includes the values and lessons I instill in my son, my own choices, and how hard I work in school right now that will ultimately lead me into a career where I can have a bigger impact.  

I do *hope* that our administration and other world leaders start to make the fierce and needed changes that need to happen to secure a less screwed version of our future. While we cannot always control what someone else does, we can control what we do with our own lives. I am deeply holding on to the small amount of control I have over the climate crisis. I also hope that whatever was holding you back in 2019, you can let go of that and work towards something better in 2020. 

Happy New Year!! Hello 2020! 

~Sadie~

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