It’s the start of a new year, and a perfect time for dropping old habits and picking up new, better ones. Some choose exercise, others improve their diet. You might try your hand at a new skill, or set personal goals for the year.

And some of you out there might feel an urge to make a bigger effort in protecting our planet.

Below are eight tips to help you become more eco-friendly this year, and hopefully for many more.

1. Read the packaging

This is arguably the most important part, and involves more than just reading the front of the packaging. Once a product has grabbed your eye, pick it up and turn it around.

What does it do? What do the ingredients say? Is there a symbol that says it’s organic, vegan, or cruelty free? Is the packaging recyclable?

These questions can be used to asses any product, food, skincare or otherwise. If a product is doing its bit for the environment, it is likely to advertise it, so keep your eyes open.

2. Research a brand

It’s easy to get swept up in new brands and products, but before you add it to your basket, find the company website and read about who they are, their intentions, and their ethos.

Learn about a brand and how they work, why they work, or any initiatives, projects or values they promote related to the environment. When you know something you bought has come from a company that has considered every aspect of their business with the planet, and you, in mind, you can’t go wrong.

3. Consider small habits

Do you recycle, or walk when you could drive? Do you reuse old clothes, or turn old bottles or jars into something new?

If so, then you’re already more eco-conscious than you thought. And being aware of these small habits is important, because sometimes you can get weighed down in feeling guilty for a cup of coffee when you didn’t have your own mug, or having to pay for a plastic bag because you forgot your own. We can only do so much, and it’s important to remind yourself of all the good you’re doing, no matter how small.

4. Reuse and Reinvent

Just because an object has a name or label doesn’t mean it can only be used one way. Old t-shirts can make great tea towels or dust cloths. Or a slightly broken teapot can become a unique vase.

Or you can think bigger. A lick of paint can make a piece of furniture look completely different. Or an old wooden crate from the garage could be crafted into a floating shelf.

Possibilities can be endless if you think about what an object could be before throwing it away. Tap into that inner child and let your imagination take control.

5. Need vs. Want

Sometimes our urge to try or have something new is too strong, and we end up with something we often forget we bought.

This point is simply asking you to be more conscious and aware of your choices. Before heading to the checkout, ask yourself how many of the items you need, how many are useful, or replace something that really needs replacing.

Take a look at labels and see if the materials or ingredients of a product are good enough for you to spend money on, and lastly, consider if buying it will have a significant impact on your daily life, or make you happy.

If you find you can live without something, or wouldn’t miss it if it was taken away, then the natural response would be to put it back on the shelf. If you find you can justify purchasing a new item, then it makes sense to buy it.

There also those times where you feel like being spontaneous or treating yourself, which is fine occasionally. But still be mindful of what you’re buying, and how much you really need it.

6. Is the price worth it?

Environmentally friendly products usually have a higher price point than standard products, putting off many consumers from choosing them. And rightly so, since we can’t all afford to choose those options.

But maybe every now and then, try one. And notice factors like how long it lasts, how you feel using it, the quality of it, no matter what that product is. It could be an item of clothing made from recycled polyester, or a 100% natural hand cream. It might even be tissues made from bamboo, or a bag made from recycled bottles.

If you try just one product, and notice how it compares to the normal item you buy, you might be able to assess which product is worth your money. And the eco-alternatives won’t always win. But if you’re just more aware of how often you’re having to buy something, and if it’s any good, you might be able to save money by choosing products that last longer.

7. Gifts of kindness

We like to treat our loved ones, and in my eyes there’s no better gift than one with thought, meaning, and love behind it. And fortunately eco-friendly gifts seem to tick all these boxes.

And when I say eco-friendly, it could be anything from an organic bath soak to a jumper made from sustainable cotton. But the best gifts are usually personal and homemade. From a knitted scarf to your own personal cupcake recipe, the first few chapters of a novel, or a painting you’ve been working on for months. People love gifts that are from you.

And these are all eco-friendly gifts, because they required your own energy, love and thought. They don’t require any plastic or preservatives, and will mean more to your recipient than you’ll ever know.

8. Take it one step at a time

It’s better to make small changes bit by bit, than trying to change everything at once. And the best way to be more aware of your environmental footprint is to just be mindful of your actions.

From taking a coffee cup home to recycle instead of throwing it into a public bin, or choosing to face the cold and walk to the shops instead of driving, these actions do make a difference.

And once they become regular, and you start sharing your story and tips with others, the patterns start to spread, and that’s how big change really happens.

Cover image: Alysia Georgiades