We all have that long list of resolutions like getting healthier, saving money, and reading more books. But what if we saved a little space on our goals list to implement new behaviors that can directly impact the world around us? There’s no better time than now to start the year by making the world a better place!
Try Out Composting
Composting your food scraps is a wonderful way to give our environment some love. Composting helps keep our oceans clean, controls erosion, helps filter local water and also regenerates our land. If you want to start composting, a great place to start is Black Earth Compost. They will pick your food scraps up at your door and bring them back as compost later on in the year. You can use this compost to bring your garden to life or even donate to your local community garden.
Reduce Single-Use Plastic Consumption
There are so many options out there that can reduce single-use consumption. You can ditch the plastic and use glass bottles, reusable containers, reusable shopping bags, and even shop at your local farmer’s market to avoid unnecessary plastic packaging. You can also reuse things around the house like stretchy plastic, plastic bags, and saran wrap. These days we don’t need to use plastic bags and bottles with so many functional reusable options available.
Recycle
Do you know what can and can’t be recycled? It’s important to know the proper way to recycle in order to create the biggest benefit to our planet. Here’s a helpful list to get you started:
Paper
Cardboard
Cartons
Metal cans
Lids
Foil
Glass Bottles
Jars
Plastic containers
*Avoid recycling things like plastic shopping bags, egg cartons, styrofoam, and plastic wrap.
*You can compost or recycle egg cartons if they are made of paper or plastic. Shopping bags can also be recycled at grocery stores with plastic wrap. You can call your local store to see if they participate in recycling old shopping bags.
Help Out Your Community
Find local community events like beach clean-ups, water sampling, and other volunteer opportunities. There’s nothing better than coming together with your neighbors and working together to improve the environment.
Other Helpful Ways You Can Help
Before we go, here are a few things to check out on your sustainable journey!
Straws on request: Food service establishments will no longer give out straws unless you request them! Try having reusable straws with you. There are tons of options and some are compact and designed for drinks on the go.
Prohibiting the release of balloons: The release of balloons into the environment was found to be bad for the environment and our furry friends. Some alternatives can be bubbles, plant seeds, or even flying kites!
RI state legislation passed environmental policies that will go into effect this month across the entire state. If you have questions, you can reach out to COA directly or email [email protected].
While this is not an extensive list, we covered the basics that will help you enter 2022 with more conscious practices. We also challenge you to find new and innovative ways to help our planet. It’s amazing what just a few small changes can accomplish over time!