Our planet has been under the microscope in recent years because of the increase in global warming, and our planet’s rapid decline. Strange weather patterns, animals going extinct left and right, and giant garbage patches floating in the Pacific have become the norm for all of us. But how much are we really doing to change that?

The vast majority of people want the world to get better, but never take action. Unbeknownst to them, there are a lot of small things you can do each day to help our world.

1. Pick up trash
   If you’re walking outside and happen to stumble upon a candy wrapper, plastic bag, or whatever it may be, don’t disregard it as if it’s not there. A little trash won’t hurt you. Pick it up and find the closest dumpster, or trash can. You can also organize fun days with your family and friends picking up trash in your city.
2. Shorter showers
   Taking shorter showers is another way to conserve energy. The average American uses 25,300 gallons of water each year. Even turning off the water while shampooing and conditioning can save tons of water. Roughly two and a half gallons of water are used every minute when showering. Just cutting your shower by two minutes can significantly decrease your water footprint.
3. New light bulbs
   Classic incandescent light bulbs found in most of our homes use more energy than needed. The problem with them is that 90% of the energy given off is just heat. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) last longer, and use only 20% of the energy compared to traditional light bulbs.
4. Reusable Items
   In the past few years, many companies have created reusable products such as organic toothbrushes, metal straws, cloth diapers, etc. The purchase of these items can decrease the amount of plastic found in landfills and the oceans, which doesn’t decompose, and can become harmful and even deadly to the world’s creatures. Instead of buying plastic water bottles that will end up in a landfill, buy a reusable metal or hard plastic one.
5. Find new uses for old items
   Instead of throwing away old jars and things of the such, clean them out and repurpose them for storage, art, diy projects, etc.
6. Biking instead of driving
   Not only does replacing biking with driving help keep you in good physical shape, but it also cuts down the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted from cars every day. Riding your bike will also help the deforestation problems in the Amazon Rainforest, as far less rubber is used to make their tires compared to cars.
7. Turn off the lights and appliances
   Even if they aren’t on, appliances can still use up energy when plugged in. Make sure to unplug devices when you aren’t using them, as they can still suck up the energy and use power plant emissions.
8. Reducing plastic bags
   Some states in the US have adopted taxes on plastic bags, which reduces the amount of plastic bags that end up floating around your city, or harming animals. Skip the plastic and purchase reusable cloth bags.
9. Plant a Garden
   Not only is planting a garden fun for you and your family, but it also allows you to grow produce without harmful chemicals getting into our soil and waterways.
10. Blackle
    For young adults especially, we are connected to our laptops, iPhones, tablets and so on. What we don´t realize that turning down the brightness on your phone and computer can save WATTS, therefore cutting back how many times you charge your devices. There are some sites that are all in black to do just this, such as Blackle, by Google.

If each person in our world were to do these things every day, imagine how fast our Earth would heal. Instead of retweeting that our Earth is dying and no one is doing anything about it, how about you get up and start.