Because it’s estimated that less than 10% of Americans keep and achieve their New Year’s Resolutions, this blog is NOT about “resolutions.” Instead, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is going to make it about setting “highly achievable intentions” that are easy for you to incorporate into your daily life. If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I’d really like to minimize my personal carbon footprint,” we invite you to read on…

• Make Sure You’re Recycling “Right” – If you’re not already recycling, there’s no time like the present to start! And if you are recycling, it’s important to make sure you’re recycling “right.” Not doing so could potentially contaminate the recycling stream. To learn the appropriate steps and materials to place in your curbside recycling container, CLICK HERE. For those items that are not accepted curbside, visit our Recycling Directory to find the drop-off location to match the materials you would like to recycle.
• Place a Catch Bucket in Your Shower – According to GreenMatters.com, the average American takes an 8.2-minute shower, during which an estimated 17.2 gallons of water goes down the drain. Setting a catch bucket in the corner makes it easy to put some of that water to good use. Once cooled, you can use it to water your indoor and outdoor plants. Bonus tip – cutting your showers to just 5 minutes could save you up to 1,000 gallons of water each month!
• Invest in a Reusable Water Bottle You’ll Love So Much, You’ll Use It Every Day – There is no better beverage on the planet for you than cool, clean water. Unfortunately, an estimated 80% of the plastic water bottles we buy wind up in our landfills where it will take roughly 1,000 years to decompose. By investing in a reusable water bottle you really love, you are more likely to use it. Bonus tip – If you find a reusable water bottle you truly love, consider giving it to others as gifts.
• Keep a Stockpile of Reusable Grocery Bags in Your Trunk – By getting in the habit of keeping reusable grocery bags in your car, you’ll be more likely to use them in place of the plastic grocery bags available at check out. For a little motivation, consider the fact that EarthEclipse.com reports that plastic bags kill roughly 100,000 animals each year – many mistaking them for food and ingesting them. What’s more is that it’s believed that by 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than there are fish.
• Compost Like a Champ – Instead of tossing your food waste in the trash, you could be creating your own mineral-rich fertilizer to add to your indoor plants and outdoor flower beds. Don’t have a lot of space in your backyard? There are under-cabinet and countertop composting systems available for purchase. Learn more about composting at home.
• Become a Paperless Person – There are several ways you can minimize your use of paper: 1) Request e-bills from your credit cards, utility companies and others. 2) Pay your bills online through your bank in place of writing and mailing checks. 3) Use digitals apps for your shopping and to-do lists. 4) Register with the Digital Marketers Association consumer website – DMAchoice.org – to receive less “junk mail” in your mailbox. For the paper you do use or receive via mail, be sure to shred and/or recycle.
• Try Your Hand at “Farming” – Start small with some herbs and veggies you love to use in your favorite recipes. These can be grown in containers inside your home and/or moved outdoors to your patio or a portion of your yard. If you find you have a green thumb, you may want to dedicate a larger portion of your yard to a raised garden or invest in a community garden plot close to home and expand your crops. Not only is gardening a great stress reliever, but it can also become an excellent source of sustainability.
• Make the Switch to LED Bulbs – If you haven’t done so already, swapping out your regular incandescent lighting for LED bulbs will save you 75% in energy PER BULB.
• Register to Receive Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful’s Monthly E-Blast – One of the best ways to stay up to date on eco-friendly tips, upcoming events and the latest GC&B news is to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, delivered right to your inbox each month. Subscribe HERE: https://bit.ly/3sokbJo.
• Volunteer for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Events and Programs – Whether signing on as an Adopt-A-Road or Adopt-A-Stream participant or volunteering for one of our recycling or cleanup events, there’s nothing like coming together with other like-minded individuals to make it feel as though anything is achievable… including saving the planet! To learn more about our Programs, CLICK HERE, and to learn more about our signature Events, CLICK HERE!

For even more ways to pursue a greener, cleaner lifestyle in your own household, visit the At Home Green Living Page on the Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful website.