The Footprint
where will your feet take you?

Resolution Revolution!

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

~Benjamin Franklin~

With the New Year, come the usual resolutions. Usually by now, those resolutions are long forgotten. Setting realistic goals for yourself is the key to sticking by these resolutions and making real progress for the coming year. It doesn’t matter if you are new to reducing your footprint or an old pro, resolutions help us stay focused and bring a good sense of accomplishment to our lives. How do you create successful resolutions?

1. Create a plan ~ immediately.

What is your overall goal for the coming year? What are you willing to do to reduce your footprint?

2. Write down your plans and goals.

Getting realistic plans and goals down on paper will help solidify your ideas and keep them on your mind. Keep the plan simple. Don’t try to take on too many things at once.

Be specific and realistic. Being organized will help you set realistic goals that are achieveable. What areas of your life are you willing to work on? Do you want to reduce your energy usage? Do you want to recycle more? Are you interested in growing your own food?

3. Think ‘year round’, not short term.

Think in terms of what can be accomplished over the entire year. Remember this is a marathon, not a race.

4. Remain flexible.

Over the course of a year, your circumstances may change. Life may get a little crazy. Don’t get discouraged, but return to your plan when things settle down. If you feel overwhelmed, rethink your goals and do what you can.

RESOLUTION REVOLUTION!

  • THIS YEAR READ ONE AUTHORITATIVE BOOK ON GLOBAL WARMING.

    • the footprint has added a book review section! Please submit your comments (one paragraph…or more!) about a book or magazine article that you found interesting. Share your thoughts with others. In the coming months, we hope to start reviewing books, websites, and magazines on a regular basis.

  • WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER. CONTACT YOUR STATE OR US SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK. REMEMBER, THEY WORK FOR YOU.

    • Send the footprint a copy of your letters, we would love to post your opinions on topics of local interest. Better yet, post comments on our Forum and start a dialogue!

  • CONDUCT A HOME ENERGY AUDIT.

    • Contact RPU to set this up. Find out how much power you use domestically and where you can make some changes. Little things like extra insulation and more efficient lighting can make a BIG difference.

  • EXPERIMENT WITH ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING.

    • Would you be willing to walk to work one or two extra days per week? How about taking the bus, carpooling, or riding your bike. Combine shopping trips into one, rather than driving to the store several times per week for one or two items.

This is just a start for the Resolution Revolution. Please visit the footprint often for even more resolutions in the coming year. Let us know what goals you have for yourself and your family in the upcoming year!