Would you like to help animals more but your list of New Year's resolutions is already stretching to War and Peace proportions? Not to worry—chances are good that your resolutions can already help animals every day. As PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk illustrates in her book Making Kind Choices, the simple decisions that we make every day can have a huge impact for animals.

Check out these resolutions:

1. Go to the gym more: Since you're already at a place frequented by health-conscious folks, why not drop some free vegetarian/vegan starter kits on the information table or tack them to the bulletin board?
2. Spruce up your yard: Bushes with edible berries not only look attractive but also provide a food source for wildlife. So you'll be filling your yard with flora and fauna.
3. Actually use your library card: Most libraries are happy to have donated books, so on your next stop, drop off the animal rights books (like Making Kind Choices!) that you've already read.
4. Make time for a physical: You've probably been putting it off because you don't want to spend your morning in a waiting room. Other people have, too. So leave your recent issue of Animal Times there and give your fellow procrastinators something enlightening to read.
5. Stop smoking: Tobacco companies conduct painful invasive and skin corrosion tests on animals, so kicking this bad habit helps kick animal testing, too.
6. Organize your closets: While you're bagging up tracksuits and old Halloween costumes, throw in your old leather shoes, and when you're doing some after-Christmas sale shopping, replace them with stylish new nonleather ones. 
7. Visit your parents more often: Mom always loves something that you made yourself, so take along some vegan baked goods or a meat-free dish when you go see your folks.
8. Go to some of the baby showers, housewarming parties, and bridal showers that your Facebook friends invite you to: When the occasion calls for a gift, bring a basket of cruelty-free beauty or baby products, a cookbook of meat-free meals, or a copy of Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven or sponsor an animal at a sanctuary in the name of the new baby or couple.
9. Make out a will: While you're divvying up real estate and china, throw animals a bone and include a donation earmarked for your favorite campaign, such as the doghouse program or the horse-drawn carriage campaign. 
10. Deep-clean the bathroom: Alongside the expired cold medicine and loose Q-tips, toss out products that were tested on animals and begin the spring with a fresh, new cruelty-free personal-care regimen. 
11. Establish a plan for emergencies: Plan ahead to keep your animal companions safe in an emergency situation by filling a carrier with leashes, bowls, veterinary records, medicines, a photo of each animal, and a list of hotels that accept animal guests during natural disasters.
12. Save money for a big-ticket item or vacation: With milk projected to hit $8 a gallon, just swapping your weekly gallon for rice, almond, or soy milk will save you big bucks and have you well on your way.
13. Volunteer some of your time: You can organize or participate in animal rights demonstrations in your community, and animal shelters are typically thrilled to have dedicated volunteers to walk dogs, socialize cats, tidy up, and staff fundraisers and other events.

Have a happy, animal-friendly New Year!

Ordinarily, resolutions are far too ambitious. I mean, isn't it pretty unreasonable to give up chocolate, especially the kind with hazelnuts in it? And if you buy an exercise bike, chances are, before long, it's going to end up as a place to hang your laundry when the dryer is broken, or it'll be posted on Craigslist.

So, why not make a resolution that's easy? Here's my cunning plan: I'm going to get other people to do the heavy lifting!

I got the idea when I was having dinner with one of PETA's wonderful investigators. She told me that every year, her family asks her what she wants for her birthday. And every year, for the past four years, she has told them that she wants them to eat vegan meals one day a week. How can they say no to their beloved daughter, knowing that it means that much to her? So her family is now up to four vegan days a week, and since our investigator has prolonged their lives by getting them to eat not only more humanely but also more healthfully, that's a lot of meat- and dairy-free days ahead for them—and a lot of animals saved. What a clever idea!

Naturally, there are many variations on this theme: If I'm lucky enough to have anyone ask me what I'd like for my birthday or anniversary or for the holidays, I'm going to say, "Well, I'd love it if you'd sponsor an Animal Rahat donkey for me," or perhaps, "Would you be an angel and pledge to go vegan for just 30 days?" or "Since you always get the cupcakes for your office parties, would you please choose vegan ones over ones made with eggs and dairy products?"

Now all I can do is hope someone asks, and my resolution will be well on its way to being resolved!

The year 2011 was a great one for animals, and 2012 is bound to be even better. Tell us what you plan to do for animals in the coming year, and you could win a gift basket to help you start the year off right! The basket contains a selection of fabulous health, beauty, and whole-food products—including Bija certified organic teas, Green Beaver hair-care products, olive oils, and nutritional supplements—from PETA Business Friend Flora, Inc.

Not sure how to get active for animals in 2012? Here are some ideas:

• Lose excess pounds and improve your health with a low-fat vegan diet.
• Send a PETA video to 10 of your friends, along with New Year's wishes.
• Politely share what you know with people you see wearing fur coats or carrying crocodile purses.
• Set up change jars or swear jars and donate the proceeds to PETA.
• Pledge to take extra-good care of your dogs and cats and the other dependent little beings in your home.

Let us know in the comments section what you have up your sleeve for the new year, and you'll be entered in the drawing for a chance to win the Flora gift basket.

A winner will be chosen at random from the animal-friendly comments that are submitted. The contest will end on January 13, 2012, and we'll contact the winner by January 31, 2012. Make sure that you read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Good luck!