As the new year approaches, I’m always considering eco friendly New Years challenge ideas to make my year greener! For some reason, the new year is so inspiring to start fresh. It’s a new year to begin new traditions and new habits.
This year, I’ve compiled some eco friendly new years challenges that will help you save money, lower your carbon footprint, show Mother Nature some love, and even bring you some peace. Always keep in mind that sustainability is not about being perfect. Although there is a zero waste movement, please note we live in a society that makes it nearly impossible to be 100% waste and plastic free. However, it is our responsibility to try the best we can every single day to reduce our impact on the planet. Every day may look different and that is okay, but it doesn’t remove our responsibility for doing our best.
As busy moms striving to live an eco-conscious lifestyle we have to continue to educate ourselves and our children on the way our actions impact the environment while always making the best environmental decisions we can for our family at any given time. This year, in addition to trying at least some of these eco friendly New Years challenge ideas, release yourself from any eco-anxiety or environmental perfectionism.
This blog post is all about 28 eco friendly New Years challenge ideas to make your year more green!
1. Delete 10 emails
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Did you know there is a carbon footprint associated with your e-mails? Yup, the average spam email has about 0.3g or CO2. CO2 is the most abundant greenhouse gas in our atmosphere. You can read more about the impact of greenhouse gases on the environment here.
The Good Planet does a great job of breaking down the impact of emails on the environment by putting this into specific facts and figures. Here are a few notable facts about your emails and the environment:
- There are roughly 107 billion spam emails sent a day (source).
- The typical office worker receives enough emails over the course of the year to equal flying 1,430 miles (source).
- if every adult in the UK sent one fewer “thank you” email a day we would save more than 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year – equivalent to 81,152 flights to Madrid or taking 3,334 diesel cars off the road (source).
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the thousands (tens of thousands?) of emails you have, start by just deleting 10 emails a day! According to Good Planet, if everyone around the world deleted 10 emails (spam or not spam), that has the power of deleting 1,725,00 GB.
Interested in calculating your environmental impact? Try out this Email CO2 Calculator.
Depending on how many e-mails you have, this challenge may take a while, but the level of difficulty is still small.
2. Unsubscribe to emails
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Take back control of your inbox and keep only emails you really want to receive. The most effective way to keep your inbox from continuously accumulating thousands of e-mails and generating more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is to unsubscribe.
I’ve found the easiest time to do this is when I’m deleting spam emails from my inbox. Before you press delete, simply scroll down to the bottom of the e-mail and hit “unsubscribe”. Pay attention to this screen because depending on the email service provider there may be one or two additional steps to ensure you’re actually taken off the list.
By unsubscribing, you are not only limiting the number of emails you receive in the future, but you are also slowing the rate at which your inbox will clog back up and you’re helping to decrease the temptation of purchasing.
3. Make sure your bills are paperless
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
I know we just talked about e-mails, but receiving your bills via e-mail is one of those important e-mails, not spam.
If you haven’t already, take the eco friendly new years challenge of going paperless by making sure each bill you receive in the mail on a regular basis, you can receive electronically instead.
This will not only reduce the amount of paper being used, but it will also save water, and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) being released into the atmosphere. Trees create their own food through a process called photosynthesis. Trees take in carbon dioxide and sunlight and release oxygen. When trees are cut down, that carbon dioxide is no longer absorbed by the trees and the carbon that was stored in the trees is released. In addition, it takes 6 pounds of water to make 1 pound of paper (source).
Search your billing website and be sure to switch your bills to paperless for the new year.
4. Instead of buying a package of paper towels buy a package of reusable hand towels
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
The difficulty level increases with this eco friendly resolution because choosing reusable hand towels instead of paper towels can be difficult for those who are used to the quick and convenient ease of disposing of the paper towel as soon as they finished using them.
With reusable paper towels, there are a few more steps involved because instead of disposing of the towels in the trashcan, you will need to place those towels in a bin or basket to wash before placing them back out for use.
Although this task may seem daunting at first, it really does become normal over time. With many eco friendly challenges, most of the challenge comes from retraining our minds to choose options that are better for the planet.
Reusing paper towels not only significantly decreases single-use waste, but it also saves money! While there is an upfront cost to reusable paper towels, they are significantly cheaper over time than buying paper towels on a regular basis.
If you are skeptical to start, try slowly decreasing the number of paper towels you buy and incorporating reusable towels. Eco friendly living does not have to be all or nothing! Another eco alternative: compost your paper towels!
5. Pick up at least one piece of trash a day
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
We see trash everywhere we go – our front yard, our cars, the store, in our neighborhood. Take a moment each day and pick up a piece of trash and place it where it belongs – in the trash.
To incorporate new year sustainability, think about the impact of trash on the environment. Our planet is mostly made of water, which means trash on the ground will almost always end up in the waterway, polluting our oceans.
Have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? The Great Pacific Garbage patch is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world and is located between Hawaii and California (source). The litter that we throw on the ground is contaminating our oceans. Since we are a part of an ecosystem (a system of interconnected organisms and their physical environment), what happens in the oceans ultimately has an impact on us as well. Everything we do has an impact on the environment.
All year-round, challenge yourself to pick up trash on the ground. If possible, pick up at least one piece of trash every single day. Even if the trash is not yours, it will still have an impact on you because we all live on this planet together.
6. Switch out at least one toxic cleaning product for a sustainable one
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Cleaning is important to me! I often dedicate much of my Sundays to a Sunday reset where I tackle cleaning parts of my home to get me set for the rest of the week. It took me a while to make the connection between the cleaning products I was using and their impact on my health and the planet.
Most cleaning products are made with harsh chemicals that not only cause damage to our environment but also our own health. Many of these chemicals are hormone disrupters and can cause issues like headaches, respiratory issues, and allergic reactions. In addition, most of these chemicals are sprayed in the air or washed down the drain or toilet, negatively impacting air quality and water quality.
Try making the switch to more non-toxic and/or sustainable cleaning products. Here are some of my favorite safer cleaning products:
Seventh Generation Disinfectant
Don’t forget about DIY cleaning solutions with baking soda and vinegar!
7. Switch out dryer sheets for dryer balls
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
This is an easy and inexpensive challenge to add to your eco friendly new years resolutions! Growing up we used dryer sheets on every load of laundry to keep laundry fresh and avoid static. As I got older and further along my eco journey, I realized dryer sheets are completely unnecessary for fresh and clean, static-free laundry.
Here are some reasons to skip your dryer sheets and try dryer balls instead:
- Dryer sheets are single-use and are thrown away after just one use
- Dryer sheets contain chemicals that can be toxic to the skin and your respiratory system.
- 12.5% of adults reported adverse health effects from the fragrance of laundry products coming from a dryer vent (source).
8. Minimize your coffee waste
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
If you’re like me, at least one cup of coffee is mandatory for the day. This is one of the green resolutions that are a bit more difficult because the process of making your coffee and serving it can be incredibly wasteful, but it doesn’t have to be. Taking conscious steps to minimize your coffee waste can reduce your impact on the Earth and repurpose coffee grounds for another use. Here are some tips to minimize your coffee waste. Feel free to add any (or all!) of these to your eco-friendly new years challenge:
- Use reusable cups at home and on-the-go
- Choose zero-waste coffee options like an espresso machine, a french press, Moka pot, pour-over coffee, reusable coffee filters, or reusable k-cups pods.
- If you can, try to get coffee beans in bulk. This one is a struggle for me so I make sure to purchase fair trade organic coffee as often as possible.
- Bring your own cup when you get coffee out.
- Skip the stirrers, stoppers, and straws.
- If you use a Nespresso machine, be sure to mail in your Nespresso pods for recycling.
9. Unplug appliances, not in use.
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
Did you know that even if you turn an appliance off, but leave it plugged it is still using energy? Formally called vampire power, this is the standby power generated by appliances that have been turned off. According to Harvard University, this can count for 5% – 10% of household electricity.
Here are some tips to help you follow through with the eco-friendly new years challenge of unplugging appliances you’re not using:
- Use a surge protector so you can easily unplug
- Unplug small appliances as soon as you’re done (coffee pot, toaster, air fryer, Xbox, etc.)
- As soon as you remove your phone from the charger in the morning, unplug it from the wall
10. Change to bar soap
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Instead of liquid soap bottles, choose bar soap! Bar soaps are still incredibly effective to clean with and smell so good! Growing up we always used soap bars. As we got older we made the switch to body wash in plastic bottles. At the time, I didn’t truly understand the difference in waste over time between the two. Bar soap often comes in zero-waste packaging or significantly less packaging than body wash. In addition, bar soap is cheaper! I find that I also appreciate how small and compact it is, compared to body wash. This is especially true when traveling. Choosing bar soap can help to decrease plastic waste.
Once you make the switch to bar soap, be sure to grab a soap-saver bag to help you use up every bit of soap! You may also want to make sure you have a soap bar holder for your tub/shower so the water residue doesn’t waste away your soap.
Here are some of my favorite bar soaps:
11. Instead of buying ziplock bags buy a package of reusable storage bags
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
This eco friendly new years challenge is rated a bit more difficult because reusable storage bags are an investment. However, over time reusable storage bags will save you hundreds of dollars! Instead of just using plastic bags once and throwing them away, you’re able to use these storage bags over and over again.
These stasher bags are my favorite! They’re durable and have a leak-free seal. My favorite part about these bags is that they’re microwave-friendly, dishwasher-friendly, and oven friendly! There are so many recipes you can make in your stasher bag! Yup, you can cook in this reusable storage bag as well!
In order to build my stash, I purchased my bags slowly and over time. I also added them to my gift lists for Christmas and my birthday!
12. Ask for no receipt
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Did you know receipts are not recyclable? Although yes, receipts are made from paper, they’re also covered in a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA), making them unrecyclable. If you’ve never heard of BPA, think about the last item you may have purchased something plastic. You may have noticed the tag “BPA FREE”. This is because BPA has been identified as an industrial chemical found in plastics.
Some of the harmful impacts of BPA include Exposure to BPA is a concern because of the possible health effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children. It can also affect children’s behavior (source).
The next time you’re at the store, be sure to ask for no receipt or get your receipt emailed to you!
13. Have a no-spend week
Level of Difficulty: 4/5
Overconsumption is one of the major environmental issues facing our planet. When we consume excessive amounts of “stuff” we are most often using non-renewable resources that have to be extracted from the Earth. This extraction often has negative impacts on our environment contributing to problems such as pollution, deforestation, and harming our ecosystem. Please do not confuse the concept of overconsumption with purchasing things we need. The way our society is designed makes it almost impossible not to purchase anything. This challenge is to get you to spend less so you can take notice of the overconsumption or unnecessary consumption in your life.
Here are some books to help inspire you to think minimally and spend less!
Challenge the Challenge: try to go longer than a week! Can you have a no-spend month? Jen Gale talks in this University of New York article about the lessons learned from her no-spend year!
14. Read an eco-living book
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
People often ask me how I stay motivated. One of my first responses is usually keeping myself informed! Not only do I try to stay up to date with eco news and findings, but I also love to read eco-living books that inspire me to continue my eco-conscious living journey. These books cover new perspectives, and advice, and explain the importance of how our actions impact the planet.
The difficulty of this challenge was based on the fact that as busy moms, time is scarce. I recognize it takes a conscious effort to pick up a book and read it. If you’re struggling for time, try listening to an audiobook! I just got into audiobooks this year and it has completely changed the game for me! I listen while doing chores, breastfeeding, going on walks, and when I’m driving without the kids in the car.
Here are a few of my favorite eco-living books, and a few on my list to read as well!
- The Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living With Less
- The Intersectional Environmentalist
- All We Can Save
- 101 Ways To Go Zero Waste
- The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide
- Consumed
15. Watch an eco-living documentary
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Watching eco-living documentaries gives me so much inspiration and fuels my passion for the environment. The combination of hearing about our impact on the environment while seeing ways to make a change or the effects of our actions is often astonishing!
Take the eco friendly new years challenge of watching an eco-living documentary this year and note how it impacts the way you see the world! Here are a few suggestions you can find on Netflix:
- Minimalism
- Cowspiracy
- Before the Flood
- Kiss the Ground
- Down to Earth with Zac Efron
- Don’t Look Up (Satire)
16. Try a vegetarian or vegan meal
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
If you are a meat-lover, this eco friendly new years challenge may be a bit more difficult for you! And I don’t say that because vegetarian or vegan meals are gross or difficult to eat, I say that because trying a new style of eating requires a bit of a mental shift and some bravery!
Our food is associated with culture, memories, comfort, and joy. Shifting the way we eat may prove more challenging for some than others which is why this eco friendly new years challenge encourages you to at least try a vegetarian or vegan meal.
While some believe that it is impossible to live an eco-conscious lifestyle without being vegan, I personally believe that being conscious about your meat consumption (what kind of meat you eat and how much of it you consume) is paramount. If you want to learn more about this, check out some of my flexitarian blog posts!
Related Posts: What is a flexitarian? Discovering 5 benefits of eating less meat; 11 Crazy Helpful Flexitarian Tips To Make Eating Less Meat Way Easier
17. Visit a Farmer’s Market
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
If you live near a farmer’s market, take a visit! Some farmer’s markets are offered year-round. For us, the closest farmer’s market is offered mid-summer through mid-fall. They have the best and most fresh fruits and vegetables. During these months I typically buy all my fresh fruits and veggies from local farmers instead of the grocery store. It inspires me to try new things and eat healthier. In addition, here are a few other benefits of shopping at the farmer’s market:
- Supports local businesses
- Supports your local economy
- Reduces the number of miles your food travels
- Fruits and veggies contain fewer pesticides
- Reduces the amount of plastic used (to wrap fruits and veggies/transport them)
18. Minimize buying single-use plastic water bottles
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Bottled water is tap water in convenient, expensive packaging. One of the things that I’ve learned as an environmental educator and through my eco-conscious journey is that we often don’t like to think about where things come from or how they’re made. Bottled water is one of those things. If you think about it, all the water on the planet is all the water we have ever had. No one is inventing more water. There is no separate water source for bottled water and city water. In fact, bottled water companies, such as Coke and Pepsi, take their water from city water. Bottled water is then marked up 133 times what it costs to buy the water (source).
In addition to this fact, bottled water is stored in plastic. Plastic is not only one of the most polluted materials on Earth, but it is also not highly recycled, is made from oil, and creates microplastics that pollute our oceans and body.
As often as possible, bring your own water bottle. If you are skeptical of your city water, use a filter. I recognize some cities’ water may vary and may not be up to standards to drink, this is why this eco friendly challenge specifically suggests minimizing single-use plastic water bottles. If you need to buy water for public health reasons, try buying water in bulk.
19. Switch your print settings to double sided
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
This is an easy eco friendly new years challenge idea! Save some paper by switching your printer settings to print double-sided. This is a small, but mighty action as it takes trees and water to make paper. 23% of municipal solid waste in 2018 was paper/paperboard (source). When you’re done with paper, be sure to recycle it! Paper is 100% recyclable.
20. Check your home for leaks
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Save some water and check your home for leaks regularly! According to the EPA the average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry (source).
Take a look around your home and check your pipes for leaks. Check your toilet, and your faucets, and pay attention to your water bill. Fixing leaves save money and water.
21. Declutter one space in your home and donate items
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
If you’re looking for inspiration to declutter. Check out some of these books to help inspire you to live a more simple and clutter-free life.
Living with less stuff is a sustainable lifestyle action that will have positive impacts for generations. Retraining our minds that “stuff” does not make us happy and that there is no such thing as “the more the merrier” when it comes to consumption, would have a significant impact on our ecological footprint.
Once you’ve collected items that no longer serve you and your space, donate them for others to be able to use in their space.
22. Research what you can recycle in your area
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
Complete this eco friendly new years challenge by taking the extra step to do the research! Everything is not recyclable everywhere. For example, the area that I live in versus the area that I work in accepts different types of recyclables! While I know we would like to believe that recycling is the answer to our climate crisis, it sadly is not. However, it is a step in the right direction, if we do it right. Make sure you know what can and cannot go into your recycling bin to prevent contamination and make sure your items actually get recycled.
Related Post: 6 Painful Recycling Truths You Need To Know About
23. Spend time outside in nature weekly
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Spending time in nature can be so simple! It is incredibly important to spend time in nature because it helps you generate love and appreciation for our environment.
Here are some ways (of varying difficulty) to spend time in nature:
- Step outside on your porch/balcony
- Enjoy a beverage outside
- Eat outside at a restaurant
- Take a walk or run outside
- Open your window and let a breeze in
- Go on a hike
- Park your car as far as you can away from the store so extend your walk inside
- While outside do a 5 senses test: ask yourself “What do I see? What do I hear? What do I smell? What do I taste? What can I touch?”
- Can’t get outside? Sit by a window and open the blinds or play nature sounds in the house
24. Go thrifting for something you need
Level of Difficulty: 2/5
One of my favorite eco friendly new year challenges! Going thrifting has become a hobby for a lot of people lately. Next time you go thrifting, however, be on the lookout for something you need and therefore will not have to purchase new! This helps to create a more circular economy where items can be reused instead of constantly buying new ones.
Thrifting, especially when looking for something specific, can take time and patience so be sure to be in the right mindset before you go!
25. Add plants to your space
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Plants are natural air purifiers and mood lifters! Adding plants to your space can be inexpensive and elevate your space. Whether you add plants to your home or office, it makes a difference. You can choose easy-to-care-for house plants such as pathos or snake plants. You can even choose to make a terrarium! Terrariums are usually filled with easy-to-care-for plants that do not require a lot of sunlight.
26. Take the extra weight out of the trunk of your car
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Did you know that weighing down your car has an impact on the fuel efficiency of your vehicle? Not only does removing excess weight from your car help save you money, it also helps decrease greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change!
According to the United States Department of Energy, an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce
your MPG by up to 2 percent! To complete this eco friendly new years challenge, take a few minutes and clean out and organize your car. This is a perfect example of how small actions do make a difference.
27. Vote
Level of Difficulty: 3/5
Not only does your vote matter, but it’s also needed. Now more than ever just hundreds of votes are making the difference in who gets elected. Close campaigns and tight races can make a difference in major policy decisions that have an impact on you and the environment.
It is not just important to vote but to do the proper research on candidates and make a vote choosing the best options given the choices presented to you.
28. Join my newsletter for more tips
Level of Difficulty: 1/5
Saved one of the best for last! Join my newsletter for more eco-friendly tips, eco news, and updates from me! I send out the e-mail every other week as to not clog your inbox and make sure what I’m providing is valuable and helpful to you!
You can sign up here.
I hope you loved this blog post about eco friendly New Years challenge ideas to make your year greener!
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