Starting Anew

Welcome to a new year with new aspirations, dreams and goals to accomplish! Here are five New Year resolutions you should try to fulfil in 2012.

1. Offset your flight’s carbon emissions

With so many of us jetting about either for work or for short holidays, it is no wonder that aviation is accounting for more and more greenhouse gas emissions. Thankfully, an increasingly number of companies now allow for you to buy ‘offsets’, such as planting trees. So sign up for this the next time you fly!

2. Give the gift of experience

Don’t know what to birthday present to get your friends? Instead of items which the recipient may have little use for, give a gift that takes up space only in memory – a spa beauty treatment, a ticket to a concert of play, or a hearty dinner at your favourite restaurant.

3. Make new friends

So many of us are locked into our usual routine of work and home that we seemed to have forgotten to smile and make friends. So why not talk to a neighbour or a colleague you don’t really know. Who know where such conversations can lead to? Possibly a new everlasting friendship!

4. Reduce use of disposables

They are easy and convenient to use, but disposables contribute to our mountains of junk. So use alternatives – wipe up spillage with dish cloths not kitchen paper, use unbreakable cutlery and crockery you push instead of disposable plastic items, and cover food with a dish rather than use aluminium foil or cling film.

5. Have a no-spending day

Buy, buy, buy! Spend, spend, spend! We live in a material world, so why not pledge to spend a day not buying anything? Pack your own lunch, take a walk instead of going shopping or meet up with friends instead of logging on. Leave your money at home and just enjoy life… at no cost!