Congratulations, you have made it to 2011, and you know what that means - New Years Resolutions. Making them, breaking them, and forgetting about them right. But the New Year really is a great opportunity to actually start doing some of those things you always said you would - a fresh new start. Now forget about the gym membership and the new fad diet - these things are all well and good but unlikely you will stick with them, and you'll probably spend a lot of money in the process. Instead, pick a few easy, manageable goals you know you'll be able to stick to. Here's a few ideas that will be good for your health and your pocket book, and good for the planet too.
- Home Cooked Meals: They may take time and forethought, but home cooking is much healthier and cheaper than eating out. If you don't have much time, just pick one day a week and cook a big batch of things you can reheat and recombine throughout the week. That way, you can eat multiple home cooked meals without having to cook ever night, and you even save energy as well as time by cooking all at once.
-Eat More Vegetable: You don't have to go vegetarian, but just substituting a few more veggies for meat will help boost your energy and immune system, cut down on your grocery bill, and reduce your environmental footprint since meat is so resource intensive to produce. Just add a side salad to every meal, or eat one meal a week that's entirely veggie - you might find you actually like it.
-Take a Hike: To the store, to work, to the bank. Try and find at least one trip you usually take by car each week and walk or bike it instead. It's free exercise, will reduce your stress from driving and parking hassles, will save gas money, and cut down on your emissions.
-Grow Something: Even if you don't have a yard, having a few potted plants around the house can add a little color and cheer, purify the air, and are enjoyable to care for. For those with more space, a small vegetable garden can provide a healthy hobby and a surprising amount of fresh delicious produce straight to your table. Even if you only have space for a small window box herb garden you will be well rewarded - you have not lived until you've had really fresh basil.
-Read a Book: Get out from behind your computer or television, take a walk to the local library and check out a book. It's free, you might even save a little on your electric bill (those huge flat screens are heavy users), and it's a good way to take some time out and relax, and maybe even learn something.
There are lots of other little things you can do, especially to save energy and consume a little less. Be creative, have fun, and share it with your friends.
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