Green New Year Resolutions

The new year is a great time to make some changes in your lifestyle that will help you minimize your environmental impact. As the new Sustainability Coordinator for the Lindenhurst Memorial Library, I am excited to share with you resources and information on health, garden and other climate-related topics to help you create Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions for 2022!

You can create a list of resolutions that are easy and attainable, and find ways to stay on track. If New Year’s resolutions are not your thing, it’s never too late to make some eco-friendly changes that will benefit both the Earth and yourself. These are a just a few ideas, the key is taking the first step! Making eco-friendly choices is easy and over the course of the year could make a real impact.  For more information, check out the Grassroots Environmental Education website.

Here are some ideas for Sustainable New Year’s Resolution to get you going!

• Green Your Bank or Financial Institution: Many of the alternatives to funds that support fossil fuel-intensive industries fall under the broad umbrella of Environmental Social Governance (or ESG) investing. If you want to learn how to make more meaningful investments, register for our Socially Responsible Investing program. Join us on Zoom Tuesday, February 15, from 11:00am -12:00pm, or at the library on Thursday, February 17, from 7:00-8:00pm.

• Invest in Reusable Items: Avoid using or buying Styrofoam (polystyrene) whenever possible. Swapping out with reusable cups keeps a known carcinogen out of the air and water near factories where polystyrene is produced, helps eliminate a potential health risk for consumers, reduces our use of petroleum, and keeps a non-degradable plastic substance from floating in our ocean for the next thousand years. Not a bad outcome for a small change we could all make today.

• For the Gardener: If you are designing a new garden or upgrading a mature garden – embrace a sustainable design. Install a system to capture rainwater, buy a rain barrel, plant more natives around your property, and consider planting a wildflower meadow to replace an area of your lawn.

• Choose Organic: Organic farming uses fewer resources, protects bees, prevents air and groundwater pollution, and increases biodiversity, which are all critical to sustainability in the truest sense of the word, and is a healthier choice.

• Use Less Water: Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, reduce your shower time by 5 minutes, and check faucets, showerheads and toilets for leaks.    

• Lights: Replace one or more regular light bulbs with LED or compact fluorescent bulbs, shut off lights when you leave a room, and utilize natural light instead of artificial light whenever possible. 

• Learn Something New: Talk about sustainability with others in your life to learn and share information. Watch a documentary on Kanopy, or check out a book from our Sustainability Collection at the Express Library!