Why Becoming More Eco Friendly Should Be One of Your 2023 Goals

January is the time where many of us reflect on the past year and start thinking of what we want to accomplish/do in the new year. There's usually categories that I make goals in; spiritual, emotional, physical, etc. What if we added another category of becoming more eco friendly?

If you're on the fence or just haven't even considered it yet, here are some reasons why you should have becoming more eco friendly as one of your goals for 2023:

We need to keep the environment livable

Have you ever seen Wall-E or The Lorax?

Those are NOT worlds that I would like to live in - and I'm grateful that I don't. However, while people in first world countries don't always feel the effects of all our waste, those in poorer countries and communities aren't as 'lucky'. Helena Varkkey discusses in her article "By exporting trash, rich countries put their waste out of sight and out of mind", that garbage is often transported to other countries since disposing of it in the original country produces harmful toxins. YUCK! And sad that we know the negative effects and instead of dealing with it, we're making others suffer the consequences :(

That is a little scary and overwhelming to think about, but the good thing is there IS something we can do about it! Imagine if everyone in the world made a conscious effort to be better at, for example, recycling. You can't control what others do, but you CAN decide what you're going to do. We can make the world a better place for humankind, animals, nature... and all it takes is the motivation to start and taking action :)

It’s easier than you think

It is overwhelming when you think about all the different sides/focuses of sustainability. There’s plastic waste, textile waste, preserving nature, and more that you can choose to focus on. However, you don’t have to try to do it all to make a difference for the environment. You shouldn’t try to do it all.

I am here to tell you (from my experience) that being sustainable can be SO EASY if you break it down to one cause or one area of your life at a time. I started by focusing on how to be eco with my clothes, and now that I feel more confident, I’ve started working on other areas of my life! The past year especially, I've slowly been researching, making mindset changes, and creating new habits. I'm no where near perfect, but I know that even my little, easy efforts are making a difference.

If you need ideas of where to start, stick around! My goal this year is to give you specific ideas that are easy, affordable, and realistic to start becoming more ecofriendly.

You get to be apart of something bigger

Another reason to set eco-friendly goals for 2023 is you get to be apart of a cause and find purpose. There is a big shift happening where businesses are starting to be held more accountable for how their processes and products affect the environment. You can be apart of this change! Even if you aren't a business person, we can buy from businesses who are truly trying to make a difference. You can vote for people who believe in the same causes you believe in. Change happens because of people. WE ARE the leaders, scientists, teachers, etc. that can make a difference. We can be good examples to other and create ripple effects. We ALL make an impact, one way or another. Choose this year to be intentional with the impact you are making and decide now that you will start being more eco friendly.

You save money and develop other positive habits by being more eco friendly

Maybe you're still on the fence of making eco friendly habits. It's a good thing to do, but maybe you have other priorities that you want to focus on.

The nice thing about habits is that so often, you develop other habits as a byproduct. If you have a goal to start exercising, you will likely naturally start drinking more water and sleeping better. Its the same thing with eco friendly habits. By choosing to be more sustainable, I've actually been able to save a lot of money! I've also started to be more aware of and less overwhelmed by knowing about government/news updates. Tyler & I have made a bigger effort to learn to cook, meal prep, and eat healthier. These are just a few examples, but I know that you will start seeing this in your own lives as well if you choose to start developing eco habits.

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Being eco friendly doesn't just affect the world, but it affects you. I hope you've realized some of the the reasons to start becoming eco friendly in 2023 and gotten a glimpse of what some of those effects are. And don't forget: Progress > perfection. All that matters is that you're making an effort, even if it's not as much as you're hoping for (that goes for any goal!!).

If you need specific ideas of how to work towards becoming more eco friendly, don't worry... I have something perfect for you coming soon so keep an eye out!