As climate change protests increase in both number and support, and as new research is released revealing alarming statistics about the environment, more people are wondering what they can do to help. Although most of the blame for greenhouse gas emissions falls on big corporations, it is still important to do our part. Here are seven small steps to incorporate into your daily life to reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Conserve water

The less water your household uses, the less runoff and wastewater that ends up in the ocean. That is why it is important to choose showers over baths, make those showers shorter in length (four minutes or less) and do not pre-wash dishes.

      2. Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to show your support for climate activism. Cleaning up parks and planting trees are just two beneficial ways in which you can eliminate pollution and provide oxygen and food for our growing planet.

      3. Bike

Biking (or walking) is a great transportation alternative that lowers gas emissions from cars. In the case that biking or walking is not an option, consider carpooling; it not only saves you gas, but cuts down on emissions as well.

      4. Shop smart

Shopping smart involves everything from utilizing reusable bags, supporting sustainable companies, buying local and purchasing recycled items. Although seemingly small, when practiced by many, these shopping habits make a big difference when fighting climate change.

       5. Conserve energy

You have probably heard that you should not leave the lights or the TV on when you leave the house. Turns out this piece of advice is true when considering how it affects the environment as doing so reduces carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses. Another action you can take to reduce these is choosing energy-efficient and long-lasting light bulbs.

       6. Choose paperless options

Going paperless not only lowers your impact on forests, but also decreases the amount of waste that is dumped into landfills and cuts energy use. Some ways to achieve this include using electronic billing, emailed receipts and digital documents.

      7. Recycle

Recycling items like cans, plastic bottles, newspapers, cardboard and glass containers is key in limiting the amount of garbage that winds up in landfills. Reusing these materials saves production and energy costs and reduces the negative impacts that the extraction process has on the environment.

These eco-friendly habits are small yet impactful changes you can make starting now in order to reduce your carbon footprint. The more people who join the movement to help fight climate change, the better off the planet we call home will be.