BRITONS are vowing to adopt green resolutions this year in an effort to save the planet according to power firm OVO Energy, famous for sponsoring the cycle tours of Britain.
It reckons that Dry January has become Green January as OVO Energy calculate the carbon costs and savings of the most common New Year’s resolutions.
With the average person planning to make three resolutions for 2021, their research shows that a fifth (19 per cent) have protecting the environment in mind when making their pledges with nearly half (47 per cent) noting that combating excess carbon emissions is more important now than ever before.
However, it’s not only those actively seeking to make greener resolutions that are helping the planet; many are unknowingly making resolutions with unexpected carbon benefits.
OVO Energy, the UK’s largest independent energy provider, has worked with the Carbon Trust to put a carbon value on some of the most common resolutions, and created a dedicated list of green alternatives to help the UK easily go green this January.
There were some surprising results:
High on the list of 2021 resolutions is drinking less alcohol. If the 23 [er cent (4,927,289 people) who pledged to do this kicked off this resolution by partaking in Dry January, they would collectively save up to 39,457 tCO2e, approximately the same amount of carbon emitted from over 37,000 flights from London to New York
If the one in five (20 per cent) planning to eat less meat next year completely ditched meat for Veganuary alone, they could save up to 67.43 kgCO2e each, a collective 288,000 tCO2e – or the same carbon emitted from a staggering 271,036 flights from London to New York.
Also sitting in the top ten is the pledge to reduce digital screen time.
If the 22 per cent of the UK who placed this on their resolution list watched one less film a week, over the course of a year they could save over 12,000 tCO2e, which equates to over 6,000 flights from London to Tokyo.
Not to mention the hours they would gain to dedicate to more planet and mind friendly resolutions, such as spending time in nature (which 32 per cent said they were keen to do), practicing mindfulness (21 per cent) or cooking from scratch (13 per cent).
The full list of most popular planned New Year’s Resolutions for 2021 is:
Start exercising at home or outside 44 per cent
Eat more fruit and vegetables 38 per cent
Drink more water 36 per cent
Spend more time in nature 32 per cent
Drink less alcohol 23 per cent
Do more to protect nature 23
Re-decorate my house 22 per cent
Reduce digital screen time 22 per cent
Reduce my carbon footprint 22 per cent
Start practicing mindfulness or meditation 21 per cent
Eat fewer carbohydrates 21 per cent
Eat less meat 20 per cent
Replace my clothes with new ones 16 per cent
Visit more countries 15 per cent
Give up smoking 15 per cent
Sign up to a gym membership 14 per cent
Extend/ improve my house 14 per cent
Start a new skin care regime 14 per cent
Start cooking from scratch 13 per cent
Go to more live music/ sports events 11 per cent.