Not sure how to keep that resolution to be more eco-friendly? Start small

For anyone looking to be more eco-friendly in 2023, making New Year's resolutions is one step toward tackling the often overwhelming goal of going green.

Alongside vowing simple changes such as prioritizing reusable bags and going meatless one day a week, considering more intensive actions - such as composting or creating a native garden - also is important, sustainability experts such as Merleanne Rampale of Lake County say.

"It seems challenging, it seems hard, but everybody can do it. It's not as difficult as it seems, and you can put as little effort into it or as much effort into it as you want," said Rampale, education director at the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County.

Easing into a few small changes is a good way to start. Rampale recommended taking on one or two things at a time and letting your habits grow from there.

These low-effort changes include bringing your reusable bags with you whenever you shop. You can set yourself up for success by keeping bags in your car or by your doorway where you can easily grab them before leaving.

Rampale also encouraged more mindful consumption. Before looking to replace electronics or furniture, ask yourself if you can get the item fixed or restored first.

"If a million people cut down on their waste this year - their food waste, their packaging, their electronics - it has a tremendous impact," Rampale said. "It feels like it's just me here sitting in this little room of my home trying to do some of these things, but the fact of the matter is when articles like this go out, even if people take one little take-away from all of these tips, all of us together can make a huge impact."

Other green resolutions on the simpler side of things are cutting down on single-use items such as plastic water bottles, looking for opportunities to carpool to work or school, and at your next celebration, making sure to properly dispose of any balloons - which often make their way into natural areas.

Birds, turtles and other animals commonly mistake balloons for food, which can harm or even kill them, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many animals can also get tangled up in balloon strings, which injure or strangle them.

To save on both plastic packaging and money, Rampale recommended making your own household cleaner and keeping it in glass spray bottles.

Recipes typically include common products like vinegar, dish soap and baking soda. You can spruce up your cleaner with scented additions such as lemon rinds, rosemary sprigs or essential oils.

Eco-friendly changes that take more effort but come with more significant impact include planting native plants in your yard, beginning a composting service and taking steps to reduce your food waste.

In the United States, 30% to 40% of the food supply is wasted, according to the Department of Agriculture. At the household level, families waste about a third of the food they purchase each year, a 2020 study out of Penn State revealed. Wasted food means wasted energy, water and resources it takes to grow, harvest and transport it.

Wasted food also means more greenhouse gasses. When organic material ends up in the landfill, it releases methane, which has a global warming potential that is several times more potent than carbon dioxide.

You can start reducing your own food waste by storing food properly and consuming it before buying new groceries. Rampale recommends checking out meal planning apps for your phone.

This year also could be the year you start your native yard or garden. Native plants support the overall local ecosystem and serve as habitats for native wildlife such as birds and butterflies.

"Most of our yards in the United States are nonnative grasses. There's so many benefits in switching over, even if you transform just a quarter of your yard," Rampale said.

For those who don't know where to start, one option is checking out the Chicago-based Conservation Foundation, which works with homeowners by giving advice on a wide range of actions such as replacing turf grass, creating native gardens, installing rain barrels and reducing chemical use.

The foundation also has guides on how to start composting at home. For a more accessible option, you can sign up for a curbside composting program through your municipality or local waste hauler.

In the face of the seemingly endless lifestyle changes you can make to be more environmentally friendly, Rampale had one last piece of advice: "Don't sweat it. You'll learn as you go."

"If you feel overwhelmed, then take on one or two things at a time that you feel like, 'Maybe I could do this, maybe I could try this.' What a lot of people find is once they take on a couple of things, and they've got it kind of under control, they decide they can take on a couple more things," she said. "It becomes fun, almost like a game, like what else can I do to make my house a little healthier and the planet a little healthier too."

• Jenny Whidden is a Report For America corps member covering climate change and the environment for the Daily Herald. To help support her work with a tax-deductible donation, see dailyherald.com/rfa.