20 Ways to green up your life in 2009: #11-15

Believe it or not, the end of January is just over a week away, and it's about this time of year that many of us really start to struggle with resolutions. I've tried to get around this problem by setting myself longer-term 'life goals' so I don't beat myself up too hard when I slip, and have found it's far easier to stick to these plans when they're not too rigid. And I've also found that this is also the best way to approach green living, since in an age of excessive packaging, cheap clothes and shiny toys it's impossible not to slip up occasionally. So forget those unrealistic goals and check out our guidelines to a greener life.

Follow the jump for some more lifestyle changes that will really make a difference

Related: Green goals #1-5 | Green Goals #6-10

11. Buy a pair of organic jeans

Denim is one of the most popular fashion fabrics ever, and because it holds its own so steadily, it's easy to forget that it's just another form of cotton. We've got used to buying organic cotton now and the reasons for this choice are well documented: cotton uses a third of the world's pesticides and is responsible for 20,000 deaths through poisoning in developing countries. So next time you pull on a crisp, organic t-shirt, won't you feel better teaming it with a funky pair of organic jeans? Check out my pick of the best brands here.

12. Create a charity corner at home

Do you find yourself chucking a lot of old junk out every time you have a clearout? Or are you scared to have clearouts - knowing that the seemingly innocent act of tidying your bedroom cupboards could result in a large contribution to several of Britain's landfill sites? (It's a good excuse, anyway). The best way to deal with this problem is to allocate a space in your home for items to send to charity, then make a trip to your favourite shop when you've accumulated enough. Remember, most charity shops won't accept electrical equipment these days, so refer to our guide to recycling gadgets if you want to get rid of any old radios, phones TVs, etc.

13. Commit to reducing your food waste

Last year, I had fun confronting my innate squeamishness and forced myself to not waste any food for a week. That may seem a small goal, but when you start looking into how much food you junk in a matter of days, you'll soon be pretty horrified. A good way to get into the habit of saving food, figuring out what does and doesn't keep, training yourself not to over-order and cooking great meals with leftovers is to focus on it for a week like I did, then try and keep to those new patterns of behaviour long-term. There's some fabulous advice and information on Love Food, Hate Waste if you want to give this one a try.

14. Take a holiday in the UK

It's partly thanks to our increasing dependance on cheap flights that we're getting a new runway at Heathrow and a depressingly high dose of C02 as a result, so why not be part of the solution and avoid flying this year. The easiest way to do this is obviously to take a break here in the UK, and with a hot summer predicted, 2009 could be a great year to discover our green and pleasant land. The options are endless, but if you want to really go green, why not check out one of a growing number of 'green' establishments offering accommodation? Check out the Green Tourism Guide as a starting point.

15. Junk the junk mail

Not banished junk mail from your home yet? It's now easier than ever to get rid of endless, unsolicited paper so check out our guide to junking unwanted mail here.

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