I used to make New Year’s resolutions. As with many people, my resolutions were soon forgotten. But below are some resolutions that, with a little mindfulness and commitment, can be kept. And all will have a positive impact on our planet.
1. Avoid buying new.
The many purchases we make in our consumerist society have a huge impact on the planet. Stuff we buy accounts for about one-third of individuals’ greenhouse gas emissions. So cutting back on purchasing new products reduces demand on manufacturers to make more stuff.
One way to avoid buying new is simply to buy less. Do we really need many of the things we buy? Does more stuff add to our well-being? Another way to avoid buying new is to shop at second hand stores. Second-hand stores often offer great finds one couldn’t find elsewhere. Many items are practically new, and the financial savings can be substantial.
2. Avoid plastic packaging when purchasing.
Many of us have become aware of the harmful nature of plastics that are everywhere in our environment, and many of us are trying to use less plastic. But it can be challenging to avoid plastic in purchasing. Many products are needlessly wrapped in plastic, and shipping companies often use plastic shipping materials.
But take heart; I have been noticing lately, and perhaps you have too, more products wrapped in paper, rather than plastic. And I am receiving shipped items that are packed in brown paper, not plastic pillows and bubble wrap. I see more shipping envelopes made of sturdy paper instead of plastic. Clearly, manufacturers and shippers are getting the message that consumers want them to use less plastic. They’re listening to us. So let’s keep speaking out and insisting that those we buy and ship from find alternatives to plastic.
3. Waste less food.
Americans waste, on average, about 325 pounds of food per person per year. Food is the single largest component of U.S. landfills, resulting in significant emissions of methane, an extremely potent climate-warming gas.
At Riderwood, we can reduce our individual waste of food in several ways. When we eat in Riderwood restaurants, we can order our meal with the idea that what we don’t eat in that sitting, we will take with us and eat later or the next day for another meal. Sometimes I order a half portion of the entrée to ensure that there will not be more food than I can eat, even later.
And instead of using the Riderwood-supplied carry-out boxes, we should try to remember to bring our own containers for leftovers. Riderwood’s cardboard carry-out boxes look recyclable, but they aren’t, because they are lined with non-recyclable plastic.
Riderwood’s composting program is a great way to turn inedible leftovers and food scraps into garden-enhancing compost, rather than send them to the landfill. If you don’t already participate in Riderwood’s composting program, contact ECO-R for information. It’s very easy.
4. Bring your own bottle or travel mug with you.
It doesn’t take long to get into the habit of bringing your own beverage container with you when you head out of your apartment to your various activities. When you bring your own water bottle, you will not have to accept or buy bottled water. When you bring coffee or tea in your own travel mug, you will not have to buy coffee in single use cups that are usually topped with a plastic lid.
Such actions may feel small, but we have to start somewhere. Consider that 600 billion single-use plastic bottles are purchased annually around the world. VERY little of that plastic is ever recycled. Instead, most of it ends up in landfills and, worse, in our oceans where it breaks down into increasingly smaller pieces that are ingested by fish and other wildlife.
Note: if you don’t already own a water bottle, you may want to consider purchasing one from ECO-R. In mid-January ECO-R volunteers will be selling metal, refillable bottles sporting a Riderwood 25th anniversary logo for $20 each.
5. Eat less meat.
Why?
The amount of climate-warming gases like methane emitted by cows, and nitrous oxide from waste and fertilizer are huge. The vast acreage devoted to agriculture has resulted in deforestation, and high water consumption, especially for feed crops like soybeans, contributes to the depletion and pollution of water sources. So reducing one’s meat consumption is a good step to take for the planet. Fortunately, Riderwood restaurants offer many non-meat options, and some residents are working with Riderwood dining services to expand those options. And you need not give up meat entirely to make a positive impact. If you eat meat daily, set aside a couple of meatless days per week. You don’t have to go ‘cold turkey., Just reduce the number of times per week that you eat meat.
6. Use easy, eco-friendly substitutes for paper towels.
Paper towels are so convenient, it’s hard not to use them. But since virgin trees are harvested to produce the pulp used to make most paper towels, demand for them is a main driver of global forest loss.
Fortunately, there are a couple of great substitutes for paper towels. I can personally recommend Swedish Dish Cloths. These are square, often colorfully-designed stiff pieces of cellulose and cotton. When immersed in water and wrung out, they are transformed into soft, thick cleaning cloths that can do anything paper towels can do. And they can be used over and over, washed in the dishwasher or washing machine. When you think your Swedish Dish Cloth’s life is over, just cut it into pieces and add it to your compost!
Another alternative to paper towels is bamboo towels. These are similar to paper towels but thicker. As with Swedish Dish Towels, they can be washed and dried and reused over and over. Swedish Dish Cloths and Bamboo Towels can easily be purchased online.
7. Use toilet tissue made from bamboo instead of toilet paper.
As with paper towels, demand for toilet paper contributes significantly to deforestation. But there is an alternative that will help reduce that pressure, and that is also convenient and comfortable. Toilet paper made from bamboo is a great alternative. Bamboo is a fast-growing plant that can be harvested in just five years. It grows densely, so a great deal can be harvested in a small space, limiting the impact on surrounding land and water. Bamboo toilet tissue contains no bleach or other harmful chemicals.
8. Develop energy-saving laundry habits.
Heat is the biggest energy drain when washing and drying clothes. When washing, 90% of the energy required is for heating the water. So washing in cold water is a good way to save energy. Making use of the high-speed spin cycle to remove as much water as possible, will make drying faster. And since the dryer uses more energy than the washer, minimizing dryer time will save energy. Even better: invest in a foldable drying rack. Letting laundry air-dry in the apartment saves a lot of energy.
9. Get rid of your car.
Admittedly, this one is big. But for most of us residents, life at Riderwood meets enough of our needs that we are driving less than we did before we moved here. Besides, there are costs to car ownership. AAA estimates that the total annual cost of owning a new car in 2025 ranges from $11,000-$13,000. That amount would fund a lot of Uber or Lyft trips.
The huge interest at Riderwood in the recently created Car Free Living group demonstrates that many Riderwood residents want a car-free life, one that also enables us to get to places where we need or want to go. Car-Free Living is helping residents learn to navigate ride apps, including Lyft Silver. Designed for seniors, Lyft Silver is simpler to use, offers matches for easier-to-enter cars, and live phone support for assistance, at no extra cost. The Car-Free Living group is also working to increase opportunities for greater access to the Washington Metro system.
10. Commit to Making a Weekly Phone Call to One of Your Elected Lawmakers
The above nine resolutions will all make a positive contribution to our planet. But we will not protect our climate and heal our damaged planet acting only as individuals. The problems are too big for that. We need collective action, and that means action by governments—at all levels—local, county, state, and federal.
There are many organizations that work for legislation to protect the climate, biodiversity, drinking water, and much more. The Sierra Club—Maryland Chapter, the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and the Maryland League of Conservation Voters are just a few of the groups that track legislation at the state level. And there are local groups in our area that work with county governments. By following one or more of these groups, you can keep up with upcoming decisions and weigh in as a citizen and voter.
Riderwood’s 2,400 residents straddle two state legislative districts—the 14th and the 21st. Each district is represented by one Senator and three Delegates. Your voter registration card will tell you which of the two districts you are in. Here, for easy access, is a list of phone numbers you can use to contact your three Delegates and one Senator:
14th District:
Sen. Craig Zucker—410/841-3625
Del. Anne Kaiser—410/841-3036
Del. Bernice Mireku-North—410/841-3539
Del. Pamela Queen—410/841-3380
21st District:
Sen. James Rosapepe—410/841-3141
Del. Ben Barnes—410/841-3046
Del. Mary Lehman—410/841-3114
Joseline Pena-Melnyk—410/841-3800