Goals for green living in 2019
January 1, 2019 by clackey#1: Go paperless
Opt for paperless delivery of magazines, bills, etc. Opt out of junk mail using these links:
- DMAChoice.org – For a $2 fee, you can unsubscribe from entire categories of mail.
- Catalogchoice.org – For free, unsubscribe from one catalog at a time.
#2: Buy local food
Buying fresh, locally grown produce is good for your health and your local economy. It is also good for our environment because it cuts down on the miles food has to travel from farm to plate. Find Kentucky Proud producers near you at this link:
#3: Make cleaning products
Cut down on chemicals in your home by making your own cleaning products. You will save money, and the natural ingredients are better for you and the environment. Typical ingredients in DIY cleaning products are vinegar, baking soda, soap flakes and lemon juice. Recipes are plentiful online. To start, try:
#4: Save our pollinators
Bee and butterfly populations are struggling due to such challenges as loss of habitat. These little guys are critical to pollinating our crops and beautiful flowers. You can make your garden or yard a safe haven for them with pollinator-friendly gardening and yard care. Below are some tips:
- Gardening for Pollinators (USDA Fores Service)
- How to build a butterfly and pollinator garden in seven steps (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest)
- Pollinator Gardens (National Garden Club)
#5: Freecycle
The Internet gives new life to the old adage, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” Before buying a new item, check your local online networks to see if someone near you is getting rid of that item. Before you throw away an item, post it through such a network, in case someone else would like to take it off your hands. The Freecycle Network is a good place to start:
- Freecycle Network – “It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and neighborhoods. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers (them’s good people). Membership is free.”
#6: Go outside
In Southern and Eastern Kentucky, we are blessed to be surrounded by trees, fields, creeks, lakes, hills, hollers, mountains, and wildlife. Other people drive hours to walk, hike, boat, or ride in the scenery in our backyards. In 2019, let’s soak it all in. It will be good for our health and spirits, and it will stir our desire to be good stewards. Here’s a great place to start planning a trip outdoors:
#7: Volunteer
Helping others or a good cause is a smart resolution. Volunteers make a difference with their efforts, and they gain personally from their volunteer experience, too. The links below list some of the benefits of volunteering. We hope to see you volunteering during the PRIDE Spring Cleanup in April!
- Giving Back Helps Others — And You, Create the Good – AARP’s Create the Good campaign connects senior citizens with volunteer opportunities to share their life experiences, skills and passions.
- 4 Personal Benefits of Volunteering in Your Community, United Way
- 5 Surprising Benefits Of Volunteering, Forbes