The beginning of the year always brings with it new resolutions.

“2021 must be the year to reconcile humanity with nature” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at One Planet Summit held on 11th January 2021.

“Until now, we have been destroying our planet. We have been abusing it as if we had a spare one. Our current resource use requires almost two planets but we only have one” the Secretary-General warned, urging everyone to do much more.

From reducing and recycling waste to driving less and using less water to choosing zero-waste fashion, all of us can join take climate action every day.

We begin a new year under the sign of hope. Together, let us seize the opportunity to build a safer, fairer and more sustainable world.

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General at One Planet Summit (January 11th 2021)

Save our planet is the main resolution for this year. And here there are a few ways to do so (read the full article).

Having more sustainable daily habits

How to have a more sustainable lifestyle

• Avoid single-use plastic
• Eat less meat and dairy
• Support regenerative agriculture
• Reduce waste
• Use less hot water 
• Fly less
• Use public transport 
• Go electic
• Switch to renewable energy
• Change your bank account

How to be a climate activist

• Educate yourself 
• Join a local campaign group
• Write to your politicians
• Vote for green policies
• Donate to environmental charities
• Plant trees
• Stand up for climate justice

How to shop sustainable fashion

• Buy responsibly
• Shop secondhand
• Try renting
• Opt for organic cotton
• Shop for eco-friendly denim
• Look for sustainable viscose
• Eliminate microplastics
• Avoid greenwashing
• Ask who made your clothes
• Take care of your garments properly
• Clean out your closet consciously

How to build a eco-beauty and wellness regime

• Cut down on packaging
• Opt for cruelty-free beauty
• Look for blue-beauty products
• Try waterless beauty
• Go for an eco-friendly deodorant
• Consider a plastic-free period

Moreover, some further additions to the above resolutions:

• Properly dispose of the one-use masks that people are massively using during the COVID-19 era. This can be a huge problem in the immediate future with long-lasting consequences on the environment
• Don’t waste food. This is something where people can really make a difference. We covered already the subject extensively several times, first speaking about how sustainability actions and behaviors can help the environment (link 1), then showing how a Californian start-up is trying to solve the food-wasting problem (link 2), finally celebrating the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (link 3)
• Invest your money better, trying to look for ESG funds or funds that have a better ESG rating. Sometimes these financial instruments can even have a better return in terms of profits
• Let’s take into account even the small things at home, especially now people are spending more times in our apartments because of the pandemic: switch off lights when it does not need it (i.e. flip the light switch off when you leave the room), conserve water (i.e. while brushing teeth), use tap water whereas possible (also using filters), switch off the domestic appliances avoiding leaving them with the standby red light, do not send chemicals into the waterways
• Drive less, walk or bike more: in order to reduce pollution or the use of fossil fuel
• Use long-lasting light bulbs: energy-efficient light bulbs reduce GHG emissions.
  
  

Featured image by Thomas Staub from Pixabay