8 Easy Ways to Go Green in the New Year

It’s easier to be green this year than the famous song would have you believe! Try these eco-friendly tips to minimize your carbon footprint.

1. Cut back on single-use plastics and disposables. 

Carry a glass water bottle or reusable stainless steel bottle instead of using plastics. (Americans used roughly 50 billion plastic water bottles last year and only about 23% of them were recycled.) Use washable plates and cups, washable napkins instead of paper. Limit your paper towel use by employing a wash rag. Replace plastic wrap with beeswax wraps, use silicone bags for food storage, and choose bamboo or metal straws over disposable ones. When shopping, look for refillable options for items like soap, detergent, and personal care products.

2. Eliminate the paper trail. 

Use SignUp to organize your activities, from parent/teacher conferences to neighborhood potlucks to soccer snacks to charity fun-runs. Free sign up sheets allow access from your participants’ phones and computers around the clock, with real time eCalendar syncing and automated reminders. Eliminate the need for how-to notebooks documenting your activities for the year – keep it all on SignUp.

3. Reduce electricity usage. 

Unplug your appliances when not in use, vacuum your refrigerator coils, and turn the heat/AC off when you’re not at home. Ask your electric company if there are incentives for installing a smart-home thermostat, use compact fluorescent light bulbs, and put on a sweater to avoid turning up the heat.

4. Compost your food scraps.

Turn kitchen scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost for your garden instead of sending it to the landfill. Even apartment dwellers can compost with small indoor systems or drop off their scraps at local composting facilities or farmers’ markets.

5. Shop sustainably.

Support local farmers by shopping at farmers’ markets, or join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Choose products with minimal packaging, and opt for items made from recycled or upcycled materials whenever possible. Bring your own reusable bags to cut down on plastic waste.

6. Share or ditch the ride. 

Establish a carpool at work, or to get your kids to and from school or sports activities. “The US could save 33 million gallons of gas-each day-if the average commuting vehicle carried one additional person,” according to Rideshare.com. Whenever possible, ditch the car altogether and opt to walk or bike to run errands or make short trips.

7. Host green gatherings

When planning events, encourage guests to bring reusable utensils and dishes or rent instead of buying disposable items. Serve local, seasonal food, and set up clearly marked recycling and compost bins to minimize waste. Coordinate it all with SignUp to keep the planning eco-friendly!

8. Try a green focus when paying it forward. 

If your volunteer group is looking for new projects, try an eco-friendly activity like planting a community garden, hosting a community clean-up, or collecting gently used clothing, toys and books to be reused by families in need. Remember to coordinate the activity on SignUp for paperless, easy organization.

With just a few simple changes, you can go green and have an enormous impact on the planet!

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