More people are resolving to go green in 2015, with vows for greater recycling making the top ten of New Year resolutions for the first time ever.
A survey conducted on behalf of a Yorkshire-based national waste management and recycling company has found that among the usual promises to visit the gym and to give up smoking, people are also making it their business to recycle more and to save energy.
The survey also found some of the more bizarre resolutions that British people have taken out this year, some with little or no chance of lasting the full 365 days. These include one vow to eat through the entire menu from a popular bakery chain in a month.
“The New Year is a time of making promises to ourselves,” says Business Waste spokesperson Mark Hall, “and it’s fantastic that people are now pledging to think about the environment.
“From recycling more to getting a cleaner car to taking part in community projects, it looks like we’re finally buying into greener living.”
The Business Waste survey of 750 households found that the top ten New Year resolutions for 2015 were:
- Lose weight
- Go to the gym
- Give up smoking
- Give up alcohol
- Take a long holiday
- Eat healthier
- Sort out my finances
- Get a better job
- Do voluntary work
- Go green – recycling and sustainable living
“These are all the kind of resolutions that people have been making up and down the country – but we’re delighted to see greener living finally making it into the top ten,” says Hall.
“We hope that it’s a promise that lasts the whole twelve months rather than fall by the wayside after a few weeks.”
“Some of these are vaguely realistic, while others are clearly pipe-dreams for people looking to change their lives in the year ahead,” says Business Waste’s Mark Hall.
Business Waste says that while many people treat New Year resolutions as a bit of fun, they are also a serious decision for others. While most people’s health kick last little more than one or two trips to the gym or a dispiriting jog round the block, making small changes to your life to live greener can be easily achievable for the whole year.
Easy tips for a greener lifestyle include:
- Walk or bike shorter journeys
- Think about “food miles” when shopping
- Get family involved in recycling
- Consider – if budget allows – switching to a greener car
- Save electricity by installing a cheap energy meter for you home
Local authorities can help people keep green living resolutions by making recycling easier, provide space for recycling banks, and approve more charging points for electric cars.
