Tips for Setting Sustainable Milestones - The Green Voice

Making  sustainable choices does not have to be a major switch from the start.  Part of setting sustainable milestones is going to be based on  traditional goal-setting techniques, which can be very easily adapted  for environmentally-friendly purposes. Below are some tips for setting sustainable milestones in a gradual, stress-free way.

This is a classic goal-setting technique, and it’s perfect for environmental-related milestones. SMART generally stands for:

Because  sustainable milestones usually require specific steps and planning  (such as meal-prepping, using different modes of energy or  transportation, or developing a garden in your backyard), this is a  really helpful technique for grounding your ideas, making an action  plan, and ensuring that your goal can actually be achieved.

Here is an example that you can use as a template:  “To improve my health, I want to be having vegetarian meals at least  five days a week by the end of December 2025. I will do this by starting  out with one day a week, and then I will add an additional day for each  new week of the month. I will specifically look for recipes that are  filling, budget-friendly, high-protein, and easy to make.”

Tracking  your progress through methods like journaling, taking pictures, or  vlogging can be a great way to help you meet your  environmentally-friendly goals. There are so many fun ways to keep track  of your progress, especially for sustainable goals that have a visual  element, such as cooking new foods, gardening, or thrifting.

For  example, instead of just listing out what progress you’ve made, you  could make a scrapbook, colorful bullet journal, social media accounts,  or sketches that show what you’ve created; it’s entirely customizable.

This  is another classic technique for goal-setting, but it can be  specifically tailored for sustainable goals. Environment-related goals  require a lot of specificity and reflection, and a great way to do this  is asking yourself questions based on who will be involved in the goal, what you will be doing, where and when this will happen, and why you’re aiming for this goal. These types of questions can help you make a plan for your goal and also think about the environment as a whole.

                                           

                                        

Any  environmentally-focused goal is going to take time, so don’t try to  make a huge switch right away. If you start with incorporating small  habits into your routine and then gradually add more challenging ones,  it will be much easier to have long-term success. Here are some easy  environmental goals to get you started:

With  any goal, it’s really helpful to have other people involved so that  they can hold you accountable and maybe even do their own version of the  goal alongside you. Environmentally-friendly goals–such as gardening,  biking, and carpooling–are really adaptable for groups of people and are  therefore great for partnering up with someone.

Ask  yourself why you’re choosing this specific goal to help the  environment, as well as what short-term and long-term milestones you  want to achieve.

Reflection  questions like these will help you think about the environment in  general and how/why you want to help, which can help you stay consistent  with a sustainable milestone because you will feel more personally  connected to it.

                                           

                                        

Bria Zegarelli is a regular contributor to The Green Voice.