It’s a brand new year, so for most people that means dedicating themselves to their new year’s resolutions. But let’s face it, we all make a lot of resolutions that we don’t keep. We’re either too busy at work or too consumed with our personal lives to truly stick to our goals.

One way you can stick to your resolutions is to make some green resolutions that would benefit both you and the environment. Just think about your traditional resolutions and add a green twist to them!

Here are ten eco friendly resolutions that you can make this year to have a happy and green new year:

1. Green Exercise ‘ With all the extra weight put on from feasting over the holidays the start of the New Year is a great opportunity to get in shape. And you can do it in an earth-friendly way! Check out our post on How to Green Your Exercise Routine.
2. Recycle ‘ Whether you take your plastic bottles or aluminum soda cans to a recycling center or do something creative like Recycling Your Used Coffee Grinds, get rid of your waste in an eco friendly way and help reduce trash in your area by recycling.
3. Switch to Reusable Shopping Bags - Countries like Africa, Australia and China have already banned plastic bags in many areas, so why not jump on the green bandwagon and stop using plastic bags yourself? You can purchase organic and eco friendly reusable shopping bags from ReusableBags.com.
4. Drive Less ‘ You may not be able to afford a hybrid vehicle but you CAN afford to cut down on carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint by driving less. If you live on campus check to see if you can rent a bike like the students at these universities, or try walking to your destination. If you have to drive you should carpool or join a ride share program.
5. Green Your Work Area ‘ You spend about 40 hours a week at your place of employment, so how about making it a bit more eco friendly? Not only will you be more productive at work, but you’ll also be helping out the environment. Check out our 10 Ways to Make Your Work Area Green blog post.
6. Stay in Touch with Family and Friends ‘ Make it a point to get back in contact with the family and friends that you haven’t had a chance to talk to in the past year. You can reduce paper waste by sending them an email or a free e-card, or you can purchase recycled greeting cards and notebook paper.
7. Volunteer ‘ Websites like Idealist.org offer hundreds of opportunities for you to join a green organization and volunteer your time. You can do just about anything, from planting trees to promoting animal rights.
8. Green Your Computer ‘ Even if you turned your laptop off at work last year it still consumed energy if it was plugged into the wall! So this year cut back on your computer’s energy consumption by installing a free energy-saving application from LocalCooling.com or by unplugging the cord when it’s not in use. You can also purchase an eco friendly laptop bag or buy green computer products from websites like Verdant Computing.
9. Start a Garden ‘ Even if you live in a small apartment with limited space you can still grow your own herbs and vegetables. Nothing is better and healthier than eating your own organically grown food.
10. Use Less Water ‘ There are many ways that you can reduce your water consumption, from turning off the water when you’re brushing your teeth to taking shorter showers. If you’re interested in finding out what your water footprint is check out the website Waterfootprint.org.

These are just a few green resolutions that you can make.

If you have any other ideas please feel free to share them with the Green Student U community.