"I don't often make New Year resolutions – experience shows that as the days lengthen my determination to be perfect drifts away. A few years ago, however, I resolved to have two meat-free days a week, mainly to reduce my carbon footprint, and easily exceeded that. I know I would struggle to be vegetarian, but I have maintained a meat-free-day rate of just over four a week. That taught me it is easier to be better than it is to be perfect. And if we are all a bit better, then that is often as good as some of us being perfect."