New year's resolutions are an age-old tradition that most set every year in an effort to feel inspired, get hopeful for the year ahead and improve their life in some way.
This year we think you should look to change the norm just slightly and instead of setting resolutions based around self-improvement you should set them around having a greener future.
Here are our recommendations for a greener 2022
If you are looking for the perfect self-improvement / world-improvement combo, this is the green new year's resolution for you.
If everyone skipped meat for just one day a week, it would preserve precious land and water resources, and combat climate change. The use of cows, pigs and other animals for food, as well as livestock feed, is responsible for 57% of all food production emissions. This is double the amount that comes from the cultivation of plant-based foods.*
Going veggie for a day will not only help the environment but can also help towards getting a more balanced diet. Rather than relying on meat to be the focus of the meal you will find yourself branching out. This can lead to an increase in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes and nuts, which are rich in fiber, vitamins and other nutrients; helping to reduce preventable diseases due to stronger immune systems.
Not sure about doing it alone? Join the Meatless Monday campaign and start working towards a healthier lifestyle and planet during 2022.
If you're vegetarian already try a vegan Monday challenge instead!
Set yourself the challenge of going slow this year and buying as few new clothing items as possible. The fashion industry produces 20 percent of global wastewater and 10 percent of global carbon emissions. If we keep going at this rate, by 2050 the fashion industry will use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget!*
Now more than ever, we have an abundance of options to choose from before needing fast fashion.
Before you buy new this year make sure you have considered the following.
For more information on how to slow down your fashion habits check out our post on our top 5 books to help learn about fast fashion.
If you know anything about Oxwash you know cycling is the backbone of our business. With the use of our E-cargo Bikes we have managed to save 39,000 kg of CO2 to date, this year alone we have done enough pedalling to go around the world twice over. Imagine if everyone committed to finding transport other than driving for at least one day of the week!
During COP26 the UK set a plan to boost global access to cheap renewable energy by 2030. This received support from 40 countries, including the United States, India, Australia, Turkey, the European Union, and China.
Cheap options might seem a way off right now, but renewable energy innovations are being rolled out continuously and have never been more accessible. Therefore, if you can, you should try switching to renewable energy as your 2022 New Year’s Resolution.
How you can switch
The more we wash our clothes, the more microfibres are released into the environment! At Oxwash, our machines capture over 1 million plastic microfibers per each KG we wash. Unfortunately, machines most of us have at home don’t have filtration systems in place to prevent this plastic pollution so those fibres end up in our waterways.
Not only that, but when you over wash your clothing you drastically reduce the lifespan of that garment, meaning you are more likely to need to buy something new sooner than necessary. Therefore, this year you should set the goal to wash less and wash right.
Thanks for reading, we hope you have yourself a merry little Christmas and a greener New Year. If you need a greener way of getting your clothing dry cleaned, click here and sign up today!
* https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/meat-greenhouses-gases-food-production-study
* https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/putting-brakes-fast-fashion
