10 green New Year’s resolutions

What is environmental sustainability?

Taking care of the environment is not a prerogative of states or governments, but a set of daily practices that each of us can adopt to build a sustainable lifestyle. It doesn’t take much to make a difference and reduce our ecological footprint.

Environmental sustainability means the ability to protect the ecosystem and preserve the Earth’s resources through conscious use and production. This concept appeared for the first time in the Report “The limits to Growth” commissioned by the non-governmental association Club of Rome to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

Published in 1972, the report analyzed the consequences of the continuous exploitation of resources on the ecosystem, highlighting that “an infinite growth is not possible in a finite planet with non-renewable natural resources”.

Furthermore, in a 1992 update, the authors argued that the limits of the planet’s carrying capacity had already been exceeded. Lastly, the 30-Year Update highlighted the need to invest in sustainable development policies to ensure the protection of biodiversity and human health.

Today, sustainability occupies a prominent place in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. On September 25th, 2015, 193 members of the United Nations signed this document which collects the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These interconnected and indivisible goals underline the unsustainability of the current development model. Moreover, they promote an approach that unites the three dimensions of sustainable development: environment, economy and society.

In other words, the 2030 Agenda is an action program for people, the planet and prosperity. It also recognizes the close link between human well-being, the ecosystem health and the challenges shared by all the UN members.

However, as already said, the protection and improvement of the environment is not just a duty of the institutions, but a responsibility of each of us. So, how can we protect the planet and its inhabitants? The revolution can start with simple daily habits and the beginning of the New Year is the right moment to open up to change. You can try to make your lifestyle more sustainable with 10 green New Year’s resolutions.

Environmental sustainability: 10 green New Year’s resolutions

Let’s find out the 10 green New Year’s resolutions for an eco-responsible and sustainable 2022.

1. Do the waste sorting and dispose of waste correctly;
2. Walk, use public transport or choose forms of sustainable mobility to reduce the city traffic and prevent urban decay;
3. Don’t waste electricity for home lighting and turn off the devices in stand-by, such as PC or TV. According to the European report “Selina Project – Intelligent Energy”, the latter produce over 19 million tons of CO2 per year;
4. Choose zero food miles products and organic foods, free of additives, dyes and preservatives. Prefer seasonal fruit and vegetables. Reduce your meat intake and replace it with other protein sources such as legumes.
   Speaking of meat, Slow Food, the international non-profit association committed to giving value to food, suggest to prefer quality over quantity. For this reason, it is better to choose meat from consortia, associations or companies that follow strict regulations on animal nutrition and welfare, avoiding the intensive farming;
5. Buy locally produced bulk or draft products. Since they have no packaging, they reduce the waste and make shopping plastic free.
6. Drink tap water or buy water in glass bottles, not plastic. When you are outside, use aluminum water bottles: they help reduce the waste of disposable plastic bottles, considered one of the major sources of pollution in beaches, parks and public places;
7. Limit single-use products, find quality eco-friendly alternatives;
8. Choose to recycle, reuse and shop second hand. This benefits both the planet and your wallet;
9. Choose renewable energy from alternative and sustainable sources. Unlike raw materials of fossil origin, they don’t produce pollutants. Most of all, they eliminate all emissions of CO2, one of the main causes of the greenhouse effect;
10. For your vacations, choose destinations such as Forte Village, the award-winning resort surrounded by the splendid Sardinian sea. Forte Village is an example of sustainable accommodation, where respect and care for the environment coincide with respect and well-being of people. “We are green” is the perfect synthesis of its approach, which focuses on protecting the environment through energy saving, separate waste collection and the defense of biodiversity. Great attention is also given to the consumption of water, the ecological footprint and the choice of food and drinks.

Do you want to live an eco-sustainable dream vacation in a real paradise? Discover the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia