New Year’s Eve has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love the way it always brings this moving combination of nostalgia and hope. On one hand, I enjoy looking back on the year to reflect on all the lessons that I’ve learned and the memories I’ve made. On the other hand, I love the way the new year gives us a collective sense of a new beginning – a chance to begin a new chapter and create the changes that will make next year better than the last.

After the whirlwind of a year that it has been, many of us are eager to leave 2020 and all its challenges in the past. Whether you’re entering 2021 with high hopes or a bit of uncertainty (for me, it’s a mix of both), it’s important to remember that we do have the power to create the change we hope to see in the new year. 

What if we shaped our New Year’s resolutions to not only make a positive impact on our lives but also on our communities and our planet? I’ve decided to do just that and I welcome you to join me!

How will you EAT BETTER in the new year?

Here at Planet Home, EAT is one of our main areas of focus because we understand that our food systems and dietary habits have a direct impact on the health of the ecosystem, our own health, and the economy, too. So in the new year, let’s choose to Eat Better by making healthier choices for ourselves and the planet. 

There are many actions we can take to eat more sustainably and eat healthier. Personally, a few resolutions I have include reducing food waste and eating plant-based more often. I’m not vegan (yet) but I have been making it a goal to eat plant-based more often, starting by skipping meat for a day a week, then skipping it for one meal per day. I’m looking forward to continuing that journey in the new year because it feels good to improve my diet’s impact on the environment, and my body also physically feels good after eating clean. 

What are some ways you will choose to Eat Better in 2021?

How will you MAKE BETTER in the new year?

MAKE is another one of our main areas of focus because the products we make and how we make them also have a direct impact on the planet.  This year we’ve seen many industries reevaluate the way they produce their products and the types of products they produce. For example, the booming market of plastic alternatives and big fashion brands introducing used clothing recycling programs.

My resolutions are to Make Better choices that help contribute to a circular economy. A few actions I’m taking are committing to shop secondhand, for items like clothing or furniture, whenever I need something and only shopping when I really need to. I also want to be more conscious of packaging by avoiding it as much as possible and seeking out brands that use compostable or biodegradable packaging. I also have a goal to avoid single-use items as much as possible. 

What are you going to Make Better in 2021?

woman browsing blouses on a clothes rack

How will you MOVE BETTER in the new year?

MOVE is another important area because the way we move through the world has an impact on the environment and our lifestyles, too. Luckily, innovations in technology and emission-free transportation have made it possible to Move Better with efficiency and a shrinking carbon footprint.

One thing that 2020 taught me and many others is that telecommuting can be an effective way get to work, school, or wherever you need to go. Due to lockdowns and social distancing orders, many of us have worked remotely, attended class from home, and even had virtual doctor appointments. Telecommuting has made it possible for us to safely stay connected with each other while also effectively reducing emissions created by traditional commuting. Although I can’t wait to connect with people in person as soon as it’s safe to do so, I want to continue discovering all the possibilities of virtual connections. I’m also making a resolution to walk and bike more often than I drive.

What will you do to Move Better in 2021?

How will you LIVE BETTER in the new year?

Last but certainly not least, LIVE is our fourth main area at Planet Home. It covers solutions that promote sustainable communities, renewable energy, biodiversity, and healthy atmospheric conditions. Thinking about ways to Live Better, not on the planet but with our planet, is a big question that leads to many possible solutions. 

Make a resolution to Live Better on our Planet Home, whether that means you will help improve atmospheric conditions by cutting your carbon footprint, transitioning your home to renewable energy, or making donations to organizations that help protect biodiversity and promote sustainability. 

Together, let’s make 2021 a year of positivity and change, and the beginning of a brighter future. Happy New Year from Planet Home!