According to USA.gov, the most common New Year’s Resolutions include to Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, Get a Better Job, and Save Money. Here at Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, we are proud to note that listed among the most popular promises Americans make to themselves at the start of the New Year is the pledge to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle! To help you get off to a good start, we’ve compiled 14 easy ways for YOU to go green in 2014:

1)      Pledge to Live Green in 2014: There are a number of simple ways to incorporate green living into your own home. By introducing a new step each week, the transition can be seamless but impactful over the course of one year. A few examples include wrapping your hot water heater with insulation, adding an aerator to your faucet, using cold water to wash clothes, installing energy efficient appliances and more. Click HERE for even more green living ideas!

2)      Improve Air Quality in Your Community: By taking steps to carpool to work, school or afterschool activities; opt for natural gas grills over charcoal; and using environmentally safe paints and cleaning products – you will be playing an active role in improving the air quality in your community. For other air quality improvement tips, Click HERE!

3)      Improve Water Quality in Your Community:  Did you know that every day practices can directly impact our water quality? By taking simple steps – such as washing your car at a car wash that recycles water and doing your “doodie” by picking up after your pets with biodegradable plastic bags – you can positively impact the water quality in your community. For other water quality improvement tips, Click HERE!

4)      Conserve Water at Home:  Checking faucets for leaks, taking shorter showers and only running the dishwasher when it’s fully loaded are just a few of the ways you can begin conserving water at home. For a longer list of water conservation tips, Click HERE!

5)      Conserve Energy at Home:  Buying Energy Star appliances, planting shade trees near your home, turning off lights when you leave a room, and setting your hot water heater thermostat at 120° or lower are a handful of ways you can begin conserving energy at home. For a longer list of energy conservation tips, Click HERE!

6)      Launch a Full-Blown Recycle @ Home Campaign: Get the entire family involved in recycling items you use every day at home. These items include bottles, cans, jars, jugs, newspapers, cardboard boxes, scrap metal, electronics and more. For a complete list of accepted items, CLICK HERE! If you don’t currently have a recycling bin, be sure to contact your garbage company and request one for curbside pickup.

7)      Launch a Full-Blown Recycle @ Work Campaign: Over 30% of the U.S. waste stream is paper, and the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper each year. You can help save the planet by becoming the recycling coordinator at your office. Click HERE for ways to launch a successful and rewarding recycling program at your workplace.

8)      Do Your Part to Prevent Littering:  Making sure the lid on your trash can is secure, keeping a litter bag in your car, and picking up litter in your neighborhood during regular walks are all simple ways to keep littering to a minimum in your community. Take it one step further and encourage your neighbors to take part in a neighborhood beautification day.  For more ways to prevent littering, Click HERE!

9)      Do Your Part to Prevent Graffiti:  If you witness someone defacing public property, please report them immediately. Encourage businesses that have fallen victim to graffiti to have it removed within 48 hours. For more tips to preventing graffiti in your area, Click HERE!

10)   Teach Your Children About the Importance of Recycling: Leading by example is the best way to foster a legacy and teach your children about the importance of recycling, but there are also a number of online resources designed specifically to engage kids in the three-pronged practice of reduce, reuse and recycle. Here are just a few to explore:

• Environmental Protection Agency’s Recycle City
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• National Geographic Kids Recycle Roundup

11)   Encourage Your Child’s School to Become a Green & Healthy School: Gwinnett County Schools that opt to become part of the Green & Healthy Program benefit through dynamic learning opportunities, implementation of environmentally sound practices, saving funds through improved use of school resources, and more. To learn how to become a Green & Healthy School, Click HERE!

12)   Encourage Your Company to Become a Corporate Sponsor of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful: By becoming a corporate sponsor of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, local companies can support our efforts to find long-term solutions to environmental and quality of life issues that impact our community. To view the different levels of Corporate Stewardships and Benefits, Click HERE!

13)   Volunteer for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful: Our organization plays host to a regular rotation of events designed to beautify the county that we all share. For example, on January 25, 2014 – we will host our “Bring One for the Chipper” Christmas Tree Recycling Event and we are currently seeking volunteers to help. There is also the Great American Cleanup Challenge in the Spring and America Recycles Day in the Fall. To learn more about these and other beautification projects throughout Gwinnett, please visit the Volunteer page on our website.

14)   Donate to Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful: If it’s difficult for you to donate time to our combined efforts, a monetary contribution is always appreciated. Because we are a 501(c)3 organization, donations are tax deductible. Proceeds from donations help fund our neighborhood improvement and environmental awareness programs. Click HERE to make a secure online donation to Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful!

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