7 Resolutions for a Green New Year

Every Christmas my mom gives me the current edition of a magazine titled Mary Janes Farm: The Everyday Organic Lifestyle. (For some reason the holidays are the only time she can get it. I really need to subscribe, 'cause it's that good!) My next few blog entries will be taken word for word from the December/January edition with any thoughts from me written in red.



7 Resolutions for a Green New Year
by Michael Guilfoil, The Spokesman-Review

There's something about a new year that emboldens us to reinvent our lives. So with 2010 fast approaching, it's the perfect time to muster good intentions and gear up for the opportunity to "go green".

1. Use a Reusable Bag
"I will store one reusable tote bag in my vehicle and bring it into the store the next time I go shopping."
Those plastic bags that stores dole out by the zillions are made from petroleum, and only about 1 percent of them are recycled throughout the world each year. Most end up in landfills or in the oceans, where they wreak havoc on sea life. I've talked about this before...but I'll say it again. This is one of the easiest changes to make. Plus, I know that you're as annoyed with the plastic bags hanging out under your kitchen sink or in your pantry as I am . So stop bringing them home!

2. Eat Organic
"I will replace one non-organic food on my weekly grocery list with an organic alternative."
The trick is to focus on non-organic foods that have the biggest negative impact on your health. Meat, eggs, and dairy products are a good place to start because there's a double-whammy that takes place in their production. Not only are cows injected with growth hormones and fed antibiotics, they also ingest hay and feed that contain pesticide residues.
What do we do in my home? We try to buy meat and milk locally whenever we can. We gave up buying pop from the grocery store so we could afford to by milk from the dairy farm down the road. A year ago we purchased half of a cow from a local farmer. There was definitely a cost up front, but it was SO worth it. Broken down cost wise, the meat was so much cheaper then if purchased from the grocery store, we just purchased it all at once. And we have the assurance that no icky stuff was put into the meat (listen to me..."icky stuff". Do I have a 2 year old or what?!) I will never not buy meat this way. We keep talking about buying a pig this way too. And we talk about getting chickens...until then, I must confess that I buy my eggs from the grocery store.

*When purchasing organic produce, the priority goes to (a). foods in which you eat the peel and/or (b). foods that have a soft peel. These usually are one in the same: peaches, tomatoes, berries, etc. And always, always wash produce with some sort of produce cleaner before you consume.

Does your list of new year's resolutions include implementing some sort environmentally friendly choice? If so, what is it? The more specific you are, the better the chance of it becoming a permanent lifestyle change!