With each new year brings a great opportunity to start implementing new lifestyle habits and ways of living. We have carefully chosen 3 New Year’s Resolutions for those that want to be more sustainable this year and reduce their own footprint

1.  Try the 30-wears challenge

 It’s no secret that the fashion industry has extremely harmful effects on both people and the planet. A survey of 2000 women in the United Kingdom found that respondents wore an item an average of 7 times. Statistics such as this, demonstrate why it is important that we all work towards reducing our clothing consumption and implementing more sustainable fashion habits. Whether this includes re-wearing pieces in your wardrobe, swapping items with your friends, or buying second-hand, there are many ways to lessen your individual impact.

Shopping sustainably is not always feasible, and you may need to purchase new items. For those occasions, there is a great way to gauge whether this is a spur of the moment purchase or an item that will be a staple in your wardrobe, introducing the #30wearschallenge.

So, what exactly is it? It’s essentially a commitment to asking yourself “will I wear this item 30 times?” before purchasing a new clothing item. This challenge was created by Livia Firth, founder of Eco-Age and sustainable fashion pioneer.  This challenge encourages us to slow down our fashion consumption and really think about whether this item is a necessary purchase. As well as this, it forces us to think about the quality and fit of the pieces to understand whether it will even last 30 wears. If you don’t foresee yourself wearing it 30 times, it might be better to opt for a second-hand version or consider borrowing from a friend/family member.

 A study shows that if we managed to extend the usable lifespan of our clothes by just 3 months, we would reduce our carbon, water, and waste footprints by around 5-10%. Which is yet another statistic that demonstrates the importance of challenges like this!

All in all, the #30wearschallenge is a simple but effective step and a great way to implement more sustainable shopping habits this year.

  2. Reduce meat consumption

 What better place to start than Veganuary? This is essentially trialling veganism with a month of eating no meat/animal produce. It rolls around every year and provides the perfect way to kick off a more sustainable year.

A study shows that the use of cows, pigs and other animals for food, as well as livestock feed, is responsible for 57% of all food production emissions , this is why it is essential that we reduce our meat consumption where possible in order to contribute to the betterment of the planet.

It really is easier than ever to adopt a plant-based diet, with supermarket shelves full of meat alternatives and vegetable selections. Food stores have cottoned on to the growing demand for plant-based options and have introduced a much greater variety, and the same can be said for restaurants and food outlets. This is a stark contrast to the start of the millennium where there were little options available for vegans and vegetarians.

If after trialling Veganuary, you feel like this is not suitable for you full-time, then doing challenges such as ‘no meat Mondays’ also go a long way in reducing you and your family’s consumption, after all, it all helps the cause!

3. Cycle!

We are all aware of how many emissions are produced from cars and traffic build up. However, electric cars are still unobtainable for a great majority of us. Whilst public transport is a better solution in reducing overall emissions, there is still one better option… the bike!

It’s a handy mode of transport that drastically reduces your carbon emissions and still gets you from A to B (just maybe a little bit slower!).

So, it’s time to dig out your old bike and start getting your money’s worth out of it! Even using it just once a week to cycle to a supermarket or to work on a nice sunny day then it’s still a great step in the right direction, and one that definitely makes a huge difference. As well as this, it’s a great form of exercise, so you can get fit AND be sustainable all at the same time? What’s not to love?

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 We hope you find these examples of sustainable resolutions, helpful in some way!

Just remember, small actions by many can bring about big change. Doing your bit (in whichever form this may take) is exactly what we need to tackle the climate crisis and ensure a better future for years to come.