The consequences of human interactions with the planet are becoming more obvious every year. They are seen in increasingly violent storms, unusual weather patterns, and almost unimaginable natural disasters. Perhaps because people are unable to escape the reality of climate change, many are choosing to take action.

If you want to do something, but don't know where to start, you've come to the right place. The following tips can help you make small changes that make a big difference for the planet.

Get Involved

There are so many ways you can get involved with improving the planet at almost any age. Many teens find that, when weighing gap year pros and cons, there are any programs available that let young people get involved at the local, national or international levels. 

Adopt the Three Rs

Think of the three Rs when trying to be more eco-friendly. This can help you make more responsible choices and reduce the amount of landfill-bound trash you generate. The Rs include:

• Reduce — Cut back on the amount of stuff you consume. This could mean rethinking purchases by —adopting a "wait and come back tomorrow" policy or just cutting back to a more minimalist lifestyle. 

• Reuse — Before you discard something, ask yourself if there is another purpose it could serve. This is a great way to reuse items that have outlived their original intended purpose. Using old glass jars as vases or utensil holders is one example of an effective reuse strategy. 

• Recycle — When you cannot reuse something, look into recycling it instead of tossing it in the trash. This way it can find new life as a completely new product and reduce the number of natural resources used to produce virgin materials. 

Rethink Transportation

It is convenient to jump into the car every time you want to run out for something, but that is definitely not the best thing for the environment. Instead, try to plan your trips so you don't duplicate them every day. Alternatively, you could make it a point to stop on your way to or from work or school. 

You can also reduce carbon emissions from passenger vehicles by rethinking your mode of transportation. For example, hybrid vehicles use much less fuel for local trips. Additionally, the increased availability of charging stations is making all-electric models more feasible for a growing segment of the population. Of course, you can also forgo a car altogether and use a bike or walk to local shops when possible. 

Shop Locally

Let's take a minute to look at all the ways that shopping locally helps the planet. First, it reduces the amount of transportation required to get items to stores and then get them to your home. It also helps support small businesses in your area, which also reduces overall commute times for those business owners and employees. Finally, when products do not have to go through shipping, they are less likely to be damaged or spoil. This means reduced waste, especially when it comes to buying food products. 

Conserve Natural Resources

There are so many ways you can conserve natural resources around the house, and most of them are low-cost and pretty easy to implement. For example, you can upgrade to a smart thermostat to better control the temperature in your house — and how much energy is required to power it. A few other examples include:

• Installing low-flow faucets or adding aerators to plumbing fixtures

• Replacing older style light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs

• Only running the washing machine or dishwasher with full loads

• Planting native plants so you can reduce watering and fertilizer applications

Small changes add up when a large number of people adopt them. Adopt the three Rs of conservation, cut back on resource consumption, rethink how and when you get around and get involved to help make the world a healthier, safer place for everyone.