Residents thinking about making new year resolutions for 2024 are being encouraged to make them environmentally friendly, by using Warwickshire County Council’s new pledge tool.
Anyone can make green pledges here: Warwickshire's Green Pledges – Warwickshire Climate Emergency
The dawning of a new year is traditionally the time that people give thought to lifestyle changes – both large and small – that they plan to make over the coming 12 months.
The four most common resolutions that are planned by respondents of a recent YouGov survey were: doing more exercise or improving fitness, saving more money, losing weight and improving diet. In a happy, green coincidence, these are all also important co-benefits of changes that people can make to live more environmentally conscious lifestyles. For example, choosing active travel for short journeys (less than five miles) is both better for the environment by reducing carbon emissions while also helping to improve fitness, increase weight loss and save money; and improving diet can be achieved through a reduction in the amount of red meat that is eaten or by adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet, which are both more sustainable and better for the environment.
One of the biggest issues with making new year resolutions is that multiple studies have shown people will tend not to keep the changes going across the whole year. The same YouGov Survey found that only 31% of those who made 2023 resolutions claim to have kept to all of them, while 50% say they have managed to stick to some and 16% confessed to having failed at all of their promises to themselves. Warwickshire County Council is hoping that these pledges might help buck the trend and increase the number of resolutions that are maintained through 2024.
Warwickshire County Council is calling upon everyone to sign up for some climate change pledges from a carefully curated list spanning various aspects of daily life, such as: energy and home; food and waste; garden and nature; transport and travel; shopping and clothing; and social and community. By making a pledge to themselves using the online tool, the hope is that they’ll be more likely to stick to their resolutions.
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and the Environment, said: “Our collective efforts play a crucial role in addressing the global climate emergency. By making a commitment to some small changes in our daily lives, we can make an important contribution to a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.
“I hope to see as many residents as possible embracing these pledges as they give thought to their 2024 new year resolutions. We are not only safeguarding our local environment but also contributing to the global movement towards a sustainable future. Our message is simple: Together, with small changes, we can all make a big difference!"
Anyone can commit to making their pledges here: Warwickshire's Green Pledges – Warwickshire Climate Emergency
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/
Get the latest news about how Warwickshire County Council and partners are facing the challenge of the climate emergency and how you can get involved: http://eepurl.com/hrk-zf