New Year New chances. Cliche but true. What have you resolved for 2018? Are you going to live greener? More economical living? Freer life? Live more intensely? Quieter life? Whatever suits you, make sure that you start living more sustainably in the new year. You not only help yourself with this, but also people and the environment around you. Start today with the tips below!
1. Less meat, but now for real.
It seems difficult for a lot of Dutch people to succeed; eat less meat. And yet it is actually not difficult at all. As with all other (green) resolutions, do it! Do not think, do. Look for suitable meat substitutes today and replace your tartare, steak on schnitzel with something different tonight.
2. Forget the (lease) car, take the bicycle.
Do you live less than three to four kilometers from your work? Then you can easily cycle to work instead of by car. Good for the line too! Are you secretly too unsportsmanlike for this, or do you live further from work than three kilometers? No excuse! Then of course you can always buy a bicycle with an electric motor to get some help with your effort. Get rid of that lease car, time for the two-wheeler!
3. 2018, the year of the LED lamp. From 2018, light sources with an energy label C, D, E or higher may no longer be sold on the private market. Do you still have them at home? Then you can use them of course. Do you want to replace your halogen spot or light bulb, but you don't have anything at home? Then you will have to switch to energy-efficient LED lighting. And that's a good thing, because that saves 30 to 50% on the energy costs of lighting. So not only green, but also cheap.
4. Start consuming less.
Reducing consumption is actually not difficult at all. Go from more, more, more from now on strive for less, less, less! Before, you always wanted more shoes, more bags, more clothes, more accessories for the home, more vacations per year, and so on. But does that really make you that much happier? Yes? Then choose one thing. Keep going on vacation often, but don't buy every pair of shoes that smiles sweetly at you once in a while. How many jeans are in your closet that you rarely or never wear? Think carefully before you buy anything. Thanks to reduced consumption, you not only help the environment; it also makes you less dependent on money.
5. Green power and reducing energy consumption!
Do you already have green electricity? Super! Not yet? Time to get started today! Green electricity is always generated from sustainable sources. Green energy comes from solar energy, wind energy or biomass. It does little or no harm to the environment. But you probably already knew all that. So why don't you have green electricity yet? Get started!
