Go Green For Your New Years Resolution – Make A Difference!
Happy New Year my friends!
It is January 1 of 2013. The world didn’t end; instead it is as crazy as ever. There are problems all over the earth like war, hunger, and economic failure. Recently it has become increasingly difficult to do ignore these issues because each of us has had to tighten our belts and change the way we see the world in order to continue surviving.
I want to suggest a New Year’s Resolution idea: GO GREEN AND THINK HEALTHIER by doing one small thing each week. I’m not suggesting you donate all your belongings to the needy, start taking military showers at home, or sacrifice in a way that is extreme in your mind. I am asking you to do one small thing each week of 2013 to help yourself and help your community be healthier and greener. It is about saving money and bringing community together. It is about helping the world and helping yourself be healthier, happier, and a part of a socially good initiative which might just change your life.
It changed mine – it made it better.
I am not perfectly “green” in everything I do. But I try. For example, I donate approximately 100 pounds of food every year to my local food pantry from organic vegetables that I grew in my gardens. Maybe growing a garden would work for you – I learned that a garden is FAR MORE than just a garden to my community. I also regularly teach $10 or less cooking tips on my website so that more people can understand how to feed themselves for less. Maybe you want to try to give up paper towels to help reduce your consumption or volunteer more at your children’s school to help build community. Whatever it is you would like to try, get started today (and leave a note below – I’d like to hear what it is you want to do – maybe I can help you accomplish it somehow).
When I began trying to make a difference for others something magical happened in my own life. I discovered my passion, my happiness, and that life is worth living. I feel good because I am doing something socially good when I can. Again, I am not perfect, but perfection is not the goal; trying is. I believe in you and I know you can do this. Make it your New Year’s Resolution for 2013 to make a difference in and for your community – try something simple and new each week and be surprised at the change you make happen for the better.
Very inspirational, Shawna, and also very practical. Are you going to have some sort of group for the “this one good thing I did this week?” Really a great idea, and I’m in!
We need to have a group, don’t we? Interesting thought. Let me swish that around in my brain for a while and I’ll let you know!!!
I’m not one to post much on facebook, but in the new year, I’ve decided to stick my neck out a little and post some of the things I’m learning in my research on how diet affects health. Amid discussions of gun control and our nation’s debt problems, there is something that has far more potential to save lives and help balance the budget. That something, is a movement towards eating a more plant-based diet. Our society is plagued by heart disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and so many other conditions that are caused by poor diet. And the treatment for those conditions is to change what we’re eating! Research is showing that, and we need to help get the word out! Here’s a link to a film still playing on NETFLIX, called “Forks Over Knives.” http://youtu.be/O7ijukNzlUg Here’s to better health in the New Year!
great article. I definitely plan to grow more this year as well as help increase community awareness..
Thanks Marlee! 🙂
Thanks my green friend!
Shawna
The moneytalks handle is something of my past, but gardening is a long-time hobby, soon to take on a much greater part in my life as I retire “next year” 2014. I have 2/3 acre site on Ireland’s we(s)t coast, so rainwater storage isn’t a problem!!
I love your idea of giving to the community. This puts a new element into my plans for turning a rough field into a no-dig veg garden. (see www. charlesdowding.co.uk): Invite school kids and older neighbours in to advise to help, to enjoy and to gather for themselves and for the day-care centre for the elderly of the parish.
your deWitt video never showed us THAT Shawna-trowel. Very disappointed. love your front lawn veg plot.
How does one start a blog? I’d like to tell the story of my field from zero … hopefully to hero!!
Hi Robert,
I’m sorry you weren’t happy with the DeWit post. Here’s a link – please let me know how I might have shown a better view of the trowel – http://ded.e4d.myftpupload.com/2012/11/designing-and-blacksmithing-a-garden-tool-at-dewit-tools-in-the-netherlands/.
And thank you for your kind words about community building.
I learned how to blog by going online and reading “how to” examples from other successful bloggers and writers. Amber Naslund, Sarah Evans, Guy Kawasaki, Chris Brogan, Jeff Bullas, and Jay Baer are some of the amazing experts out there you might want to research. Go to their websites and search “how to blog” or “blogging” — lots and lots of good ideas for you to follow.
Once I got the hang of blogging, ChicagoNow (a division of Chicago Tribune) hired me to write for a while. In the end, I felt it was most beneficial to have my own separate brand. So I combined all of my former blogs into one primary website – the current one you see now. I highly recommend you start with a simple name for the page and think about keeping the average blog around 500 words or less.
I hope this helps!! Best of luck to you!
Shawna
I also make this suggestion on a regular basis to people. It’s not necessary to be a radical but every little bit helps. If you make a conscious awareness every now and then to do something a little eco-friendly, collaboratively it can go a long way! Thanks for being on board 🙂
Good idea. I feel the same way. I am a moderate and can’t or don’t always work to be perfectly green. But the point here is I TRY. And I think if more people are trying, then that’s half the battle won.
Thanks for your comment Suzanne!
Shawna