Many people vow to lose weight or finally kick a bad habit at the start of every year. These may be some of the more common resolutions of the past, but the New Year’s resolution that everyone should be making this year is to recycle more. Here are some of the many reasons why recycling is the best New Year’s resolution for 2018:

Recycling Helps Everyone

Many people make resolutions that are supposed to improve their lives or help them become better people. There’s nothing wrong with doing something to better yourself. But, instead of choosing a resolution that only improves your life, why not choose one that benefits the entire world? Recyclers play an important role in keeping waste out of landfills and protecting the environment. If you choose to recycle, your efforts will benefit billions of people. Helping others is much more gratifying than only helping yourself, so make recycling your resolution this year.

Helping Future Generations

Recycling doesn’t only help people who are living today—it also helps future generations. How? Landfills around the world are filling up and the supply of natural resources is quickly dwindling. If nothing changes, life will be unsustainable for future generations. But, there’s still time to change this to protect the environment for future generations. You may not think that you are powerful enough to make a difference on your own, but every person who recycles puts the planet one step closer to getting on the right track.

It’s Easy to Get Started

Most resolutions require a huge time or financial commitment. Finding time to exercise more or budgeting for healthier, more expensive food is not feasible for some people. Fortunately, people who make a resolution to recycle in 2018 do not need to set aside a great deal of time or money in order to stick to this goal. Recycling common household materials such as glass, plastic, paper, and aluminum is incredibly easy. To get started, simply get a recycling bin and start tossing in waste that can be recycled. If you constantly find yourself giving up on resolutions because you don’t have the time or money to commit to them, a recycling resolution is the answer.

Earn Extra Cash

Local recyclers will often pay people who bring aluminum cans to a recycling facility. Recycling aluminum cans is not going to make you rich, but it’s a great way to earn a few extra bucks here and there.

Aluminum is not the only material that can be recycled for a profit. BoxCycle is a service that allows people to sell used cardboard boxes to buyers. The payment is made through BoxCycle and interested buyers must coordinate with the seller to determine when they can pick up their purchase. As long as the cardboard is not stained or wet, it could be used to put a few extra dollars in your pocket.

Forget about all of the resolutions that you make year after year. This year, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone and make a resolution to start recycling.