As climate change continues to threaten our world, it’s easy to feel hopeless. With six billion people on earth, you might be wondering what you, just one person, can do to help pull the world out of this climate crisis. But the truth is that you can have a bigger influence than you think; being kind to the environment might only require small, practical, simple changes to your at-home lifestyle that will go a long way. 

Among those changes especially if you live in California, could be using the Water Heater Company in West Hills, who can bring you affordable, environmentally friendly water services. However, there are countless other ways to play a role in climate justice without ever leaving the comfort of your home. 

1. Recycle 

Recycling is perhaps the most well-known strategy to help the environment, and you’ve probably been bombarded with information about recycling since elementary school. Yet even so, our world could do better. Recycling can reduce the volume of landfills and incinerators, conserve natural resources, save energy, and decrease pollution. And all you need to do is make sure you have that “Go Green” recycling can in your house, so you’re not throwing away packages or wrappers that could otherwise be recycled. 

2. Reuse 

Recycling doesn’t work without the “reuse” aspect, which involves buying products made of recycled material. This is not hard to do. Many stores now sell “green” alternatives to everyday products, such as clothing, shoes, wallets, bags, and backpacks. Additionally, instead of buying single-use plastic products, you can buy reusable water bottles or cloth grocery bags in order to minimize overall waste. Buying recycled products ensures that the recycled products don’t just end up in landfill, and reduces your overall carbon footprint. 

3. Save Water

Long showers can be nice and relaxing, but did you really need those ten extra minutes to belt a couple more songs? As climate change causes droughts all over the world and makes it difficult for many communities to get access to clean water, saving water is one of the most effective ways to adopt a sustainable environmentally friendly lifestyle. Taking shorter showers, turning off the sink while brushing your teeth, and hanging your clothes instead of using your dryer are great ways to cut down on water usage. And don’t worry, nobody said you couldn’t at least sing a few ballads before shower time is up. 

4.  Turn off The Lights 

It may seem like a small thing, but turning off the lights when you leave a room conserves a massive amount of energy. In fact, a good practice is to only have one light per person in your household turned on at a time; lighting up rooms with no one in them is a giant waste. While it seems easy enough, it can be hard to remember, so it might help to tape reminders to your light switch or plug a reminder into your phone. Put it in all caps, too, for extra effect.

5. Unplug Your Electronics and Appliance

You’re not always using your toaster oven, or your phone charger, or your curling iron. Believe it or not, even if an electronic device or appliance is off or not in use, it is still using energy as long as it’s plugged into the wall. Like leaving on the lights, this is a huge waste. It takes less than a second to pull out that plug, and a lifestyle full of those little seconds is one of the best things you can do for the environment.

You don’t have to transform the way you live in order to help save the earth. It’s as easy as recycling, reusing, saving water, turning off your lights, and unplugging your electronics and appliances. But these are only five ways to make an impact, and the list could go on and on. Small changes have big impacts, and the environment will thank you.