It’s hard to believe, but it's true: the New Year is here, and with it all the attendant expectations of implementing personal growth and change. Of course when it comes to change, you can never start too early, but we do appreciate the way this season seems to jump start the process. In the spirit of the season, we’d like to offer a few ideas for resolutions that have nothing to do with waistlines or credit balances — but everything to do with applying practical greening principles to your everyday mode.

Drive less. Assuming you haven’t already gone cold turkey car-less, resolve to spend at least one day fewer in it per week. The price of gasoline may have gone back down (for now), but your car’s impact on the environment hasn’t changed. Run your errands on the bus. Bicycle to the gym (or better yet, skip the gym altogether and bike to work). On your day off, take a walk instead of a daytrip. Get used to the rhythm of a day without wheels — it might just inspire you to do without altogether.

Eat more locally. Joining a CSA is a great way to eat local while supporting small-scale, organic farming in your immediate region. More than just a box of vegetables — CSA programs help support local farmers with their operation expenses, the dividend for which is a return of fresh, seasonal food. Farmers' markets are also great places to buy locally-grown foods, and forge a relationship with their producers. Not only does eating locally support the local economy, but it saves on resources such as transportation fuel and expensive preservation and storage methods.

Reduce, recycle, reuse. Make the three R’s of simple living your mantra, and eliminate the egregious effects of conspicuous consumption from your lifestyle. Instead of considering only the economic costs of goods, consider the environmental impact of each purchase of a new item vs. maintaining or resurrecting something old (or doing without). Curbing your impulse to buy new forces you to consider what you really need, and repairing and reusing household and personal necessities diverts them from the waste stream.