New Year, Better Choices: Small Steps Toward a More Sustainable 2025

Setting goals of any kind can feel overwhelming. Add in concerns about the state of the planet and you might begin to feel the panic set in. That’s why we prefer to think of New Year’s resolutions in terms of progress over perfection. Rather than restrict or assign yourself impossible tasks, allow the start of the new year to inspire you to make small, achievable lifestyle changes! A more sustainable future starts with daily, individual actions—and we’re all in it together!

Not sure where to start? Pick one of the following and try committing to it for the month of January. You might find it’s easier than you think—and by February you may even be ready to try another tip or two and keep them going throughout the year!

Switch to reusable and refillable.

From cleaning supplies to your grocery bags, there are so many opportunities to ditch single-use plastics in your day-to-day. We, of course, love using Blueland’s sustainable household essentials to keep our space spotless and planet-friendly, but even investing in a quality, plastic-free reusable water bottle is a great place to begin your plastic-free journey. Consider other areas where plastic is unnecessary (and sometimes downright silly). Do you really need a plastic bag for each individual bit of produce? Can you opt for glass tupperware instead of plastic sandwich bags? Items like plastic grocery bags can take more than 20 years to decompose. You can easily help keep them out of landfills.

Choose secondhand over new.

Whether you’re shopping for clothes or living room decor, shopping secondhand is one of the easiest (and most fun!) ways to reduce your impact. According to an article by Columbia, the fashion industry alone accounts for 10% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, 20% of global wastewater, and uses more energy than flying and shipping combined. Of course, the most sustainable option is to work with what you already own, but when you do need to buy something new, look to your local thrift store or online vintage retailers before going to a big name brand. Bonus: vintage or older pieces are usually higher quality and made with natural materials rather than plastics like polyester and nylon.

Give meatless Mondays a go.

The UN estimates that livestock makes up more than 14% of all man-made greenhouse gasses, including methane. A simple swap: eat more plant protein! On average, emissions from plant-based foods are 10 to 50 times less than those from animal products. Going entirely plant-based simply isn’t realistic or easy for most households, but making small swaps when possible—even once a week—is an easy-to-swallow contribution to greater change.

Unplug countertop appliances when you’re not using them.

According to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, about a quarter of all residential energy consumption is used on devices that are “off,” meaning devices that are “off” or in standby or sleep mode can use up to the equivalent of 50 large power plants’ worth of electricity and cost more than $19 billion in electricity bills every year. The simple solution? Only plug in appliances when you’re using them (i.e. coffee maker, toaster, blender, etc.), and for larger appliances you use more often, try plugging them into a power strip that you can simply switch off all at once at the end of each day!