5 New Years Resolutions that you can do right now to save the planet

 Do you still make a new years resolution?

ME TOO!!!!

I love these boho suggestions for new years resolutions that will make the world a better place. The truth is that although it's easy to blame companies for polluting the planet, we are just as much to blame if we continue to buy and/or use their products. There is a way to force change if we stick together and make conscientious decisions as consumers. Here are some ideas for new years resolutions to get us started.

 Go paperless as often as you can. This can include bills (pay your bills online), paper towels (use cloth ones), magazines (go online, most magazines and catalogs now have an online version), paper bags at the grocery ( yes, even those. Use cloth ones or reusable grocery bags instead that you can use over and over again, even the plastic ones are ok for this because many stores now contain recycle bins for these and they are upcycled to new products).  

Thrift

Shop secondhand and thrift stores as often as you can (or when you need something). This is a kind of recycling and if you've never gone into a thrift shop, it can be more fun than you can imagine. The prices are better. You can pretty much find anything you need and are looking for. A lot of the organizations that are associated with thrift shops have amazing community and outreach programs that help community members who are in need of support so you're supporting your community by shopping there also.

Jorisobohodesigns

Recycled mayo jar

Collect your trash with recycling in mind.  As a teacher back in the old days we didn't have big budgets to buy great science kits, I was constantly collecting 'garbage' with the intent of repurposing it as usable stuff in my classroom. Here are some ideas: If you still get those newspaper adds for the stores nearby, and I still do in my mailbox even though I've gone paperless with my bills and other items, the thrift stores always welcome boxes and newspaper for their customers purchases. /When I go to the grocery store, I make a point to buy products packaged in glass containers instead of plastic containers because glass jars can be reused for so many things. For example,  I use my kombucha bottles as water bottles and my jars for my homemade products including food and personal products like my bath stuff. Glass jars have countless uses for crafting and art.

Soap Nuts

Make your own cleaning products. If you haven't discovered soap nuts, let me introduce you: https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/soap-nuts.aspx . This is just one vendor, there are many. I learned about these a while ago and I am amazed at how many products they have replaced in my life. You can actually say goodbye to chemicals for everything that you would use soap or detergents: clothing detergents, dish detergents, shampoo, body products, household cleaners and more, These are just the things I have replaced in the last year, I'm sure there are many more uses. They are all natural and don't hurt the groundwater. They do not even have to be manufactured!! They are a gift from mother nature herself. You can learn about them from this vendor as well as others. They are becoming more and more readily accessible.

Here's a recipe I use for my household cleaner.

32 oz. spray bottle (you can get these at the $store)

3 to 5 soap nuts

3/4 cup of vinegar

3/4 cup of bleach

1 1/2 cups of water

optional: few drops of essential oil for scent.

Make your own bath and beauty products. So many of the hobby shops have everything you need to make your own soap now and it's a really fun project. Now, the melt and pour soaps are readily available and you don't have to wait for your soaps to go through the saponification process because the melt and pour soap has already been through that process. If you prefer to make your soaps by using the cold or hot processes, there are lots of companies that sell those ingredients as well. My favorite is brambleberry.com, they have everything you would need to make your own products, as well as tutorials, recipes, a lye calculator, and lots of other cool stuff to get you started.

If you're already doing all these then please share with us and give us more ideas!!!! It will take a critical mass of us to make the changes that need to be made to help our beautiful planet recover from our inconsiderate missuses of her. In the meantime, HAPPY NEW YEAR!! you beautiful soul you!!

Love and Peace,

Jorisoboho