Dec 31 - New Year's Resolution

If being more green is on your list of New Year's resolution, start now by ensuring all those holiday preparations and decorations do not go to the landfill. You can reuse, donate, sell or recycle outdated or unwanted items to get ready for the New Year!

Donate unwanted, lightly used clothes and books to Goodwill. Give your old electronics such as cellphones, cameras, MP3s a second life by offering it to your little cousins or siblings. For convenient electronic waste recycling locations and events:

Do the environment a favor and recycle those gift wraps. Or, if they are in good shape, save them for future gift-wrapping. You can also recycle your Christmas tree: http://earth911.com/

For more questions on where to recycle materials, check out CAW’s webpage on Where to Recycle.

Here are other ways to reduce your impacts on the environment and save a little bit of money:

  • Using rechargeable batteries - Batteries are such a common part of our everyday lives that we don't realize how quickly we can accumulate them.
  • Bring reusable bags to the store- you can even get a nickel credit at certain grocery stores
  • Use your own Reusable water bottle - you save on purchasing individual water bottles.
  • Take the public transit, walk or bike to work
  • Eat less meat - even if its a few days a week
  • Make composting and recycling a part of your everyday life
  • Switch out those incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient and long lasting Fluorescent lights
  • Read up on how others are reducing their carbon footprint such as No Impact Man or 365 Days of Trash.
  • Fix those leaky faucets
  • Insulate your home and save on your energy bill
  • Get Creative! Come up with different ways of being green!

Lanh Nguyen