70 New Year Resolutions To Change The World

If you, like me, were unsettled by watching 'Don't Look Up' on Netflix as an analogy of the world's response to the climate emergency...

If you're freaked out by the unseasonably warm weather today...

If you too have seen the buds on the trees and thought that something's not right...

If you feel something has got to change...

If you feel you need to do something...

If you see the start of a new year as a new start...

If you love a challenge/resolution...

If you've answered yes to any or all of the above, then this list of 70 New Year resolutions is for you.

This is not a definitive list. Some will seem obvious, others less so. None will be explained or justified. Each one is simply a suggestion.

Feel free to use the list as you choose - maybe pick one from each category; maybe commit to picking a new one each week or month; maybe tick off the ones you have already adopted as lifestyle choices and start work on the rest; maybe add some of your own.....

So here goes...in no particular order (well, yes, OK, divided in categories to make it easier)...are you ready? Let's dive right in...

What I eat...

1. I will sign up to Veganuary
2. I will only order one takeaway a week/a month
3. I will never eat at or order from a McDonalds again
4. I will eat no beef all year
5. I will commit to Meat Free Mondays
6. I will only buy seasonal fresh fruit and veg that can be shipped from Europe and not flown in from Africa and South America. The exception is bananas - and maybe sweet potatoes (that come by boat from USA but in temperature controlled containers..you decide).
7. I will grown my own fruit and veg or buy locally from allotments or local growers
8. I will order an organic fruit and veg box each week
9. I will commit to a vegetarian or vegan diet
10. Other.............................................................

What I wear...

1. I will buy no new clothes this year apart from underwear and swimwear
2. I will wear the same dress/outfit at least ten times before I pass it on
3. I will learn to sew on a button and make minor repairs to lengthen the life of my clothes (and research visible mending)
4. I will never set foot in Primark, New Look, H&M, Matalan (make your own choice from any of the fast fashion brands) again
5. I will buy one item of quality clothing a month that I absolutely love rather than ten items of throwaway fashion (that's the slow fashion model)
6. I will buy secondhand clothing online rather than buying new from Boohoo and ASOS etc
7. I will only wash an item of clothing when it needs it and not after wearing it only once
8. I will wear what I love and not slavishly follow fashion trends
9. I will never throw any clothing in the bin, but will pass it on responsibly (find a charity shop that will take bags of damaged clothing as rags)
10. Other.................................................................

What I buy...

1. I will always choose to buy fairly traded (look for the fair trade mark) where possible (including chocolate)
2. I will never buy items that have been tested on animals
3. I will only buy what I need and not what I want
4. I will not indulge in shopping as a leisure activity or for retail therapy
5. I will buy preloved gifts for everyone this year (or experiences)
6. I will never again order anything from Amazon and I will cancel my Amazon subscription
7. I will get a subscription to Ethical Consumer Magazine and be influenced by their findings
8. When I buy something, I will always have a plan of what to do with it at the end of its life
9. I will always buy from small (local and independent) businesses where possible
10. Other.........................................................................................

Reducing plastic waste....

1. I will always use reusable coffee cups and water bottles and refuse single use
2. I will always take lunch to work in a box and never buy a sandwich etc
3. I will always buy loose unpackaged fruit and vegetables where possible
4. I will buy clothes made from natural fibres that do not contain plastic microfibres that end up in our oceans
5. I will find a refilling station for cleaning products and refill the bottles I have
6. I will reuse bread bags etc and then take them to a recycling point
7. I will never accept a new plastic bag in a shop and will always have a bag with me
8. I will limit how often I visit a fast food restaurant or order a takeaway to once a month
9. I will have an array of plastic boxes to store food in the fridge and freezer, rather than using cling film and freezer bags
10. Other...................................................................................................

How I get from A to B

1. I will get a bike - and ride it!
2. I will plan journeys ahead of time and use public transport as much as possible
3. I will pledge to not fly in 2024
4. I will allow more time to get to work and walk/run/cycle some days a week
5. I will reduce the number of unnecessary journeys I take in the car to two a week
6. I will join a Cowheels car club and hire an electric car 
7. I will research if now is the time to swap to an electric car
8. I will holiday in the UK this year
9. I will reduce the number of short car journeys I take by doing all my tasks/errands in one journey
10. Other.........................................................................

 Lifestyle

1. I will get out in nature every single day
2. I will enjoy people more than things
3. I will write down five things a day I'm grateful for in a gratitude journal
4. I will look after the one precious body I have in the best way possible
5. I will limit the time I spend on my phone or computer each day
6. I will seek to be actively anti-racist
7. I will embrace compassion for all living things
8. I will take the climate emergency seriously
9. I will make someone smile every day
10. Other........................................................................

Saving energy

1. I will get my home properly insulated
2. I will have the heating on one less hour a day or turned down by 1 degree - and wear a thicker jumper!
3. I will have a shower every other day rather than every day
4. I will replace all my lightbulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs
5. I will buy electrical goods that have the best energy efficiency rating
6. I will sign up to a renewable energy company such as Ecotricity
7. I will heat the room I am in rather than the whole house
8. I will switch off the light when I leave the room
9. I will wash my clothes at a lower temperature
10. Other:.......................................................................

So there you have it - 70 New Year Resolutions to change the world. OK, so technically only 63 because we've left space for you to add your own. And yes, we know, singlehandedly, none of us is going to change the world on our own, but if we each step up and play our part, we really can make a difference.

We'd love to hear from you about which resolutions you've picked to commit to this year and about any others you could suggest. 

Remember, we can do hard things.

All the best and a very Happy New Year to you all!