Be Sustainable in January 
Now that the festivities are done and it’s time to pack away the decorations, wrap your treasured heirlooms in tissue paper and store them ready to unpack next December.
Spend an extra few minutes carefully winding fairy lights to make hanging them easier next time. If you make a New Year’s resolution be kind to yourself and don’t set unattainable goals. Maybe just “try to be more sustainable” would be enough?
Over the past few years a new tradition has emerged: Veganuary! It’s true that meat production is not sustainable and is linked to global warming. This can be quite a challenge for many omnivores so it’s worth considering having at least one or two meat free days during the week to begin with. There’s a wealth of tasty vegetarian or vegan food and recipes available out there and you’ll save money too. You could even eat vegetarian haggis for Burns’ Night supper. Reducing food waste is also a big part of being sustainable. If your kitchen compost bin is filled only with teabags and peelings you’re doing very well!
The end of January heralds the RSPB Big Garden Bird-watch. As there are many species that overwinter in the UK as well as our indigenous friends, this is a great opportunity to record those that visit your garden. Register your count online to help the RSPB keep track of their population: www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch
With the days gradually becoming longer, and still very chilly, it’s time to rock out the woolly jumpers and tidy up the garden a little. Garlic can be planted outside as long as the ground isn’t frozen and peas can be soaked and sown indoors. Rake up those last few leaves and place on the heap to keep our hedgehogs cozy until spring.
