The one planet that is home to all living organisms is in great need of help because of the harm that humans cause to the environment; such as the production of waste and carbon emissions. Due to the damage caused by human activity it is important to be eco-friendly and support the Earth- the only planet like it that we have. There are thousands of ways to reduce the harm we have on the environment and even help it recover. Many are very simple and when done on a regular basis, they can have a major impact. Here are 16 ways to be eco-friendly:

Unplug your devices. Unplugging devices will prevent needless electricity from being consumed. For example, most computer chargers have a green light to show that it is plugged in, this uses electricity and is a waste of energy. 

Wash clothes in cold water. Washing clothes in cold water will help your household consume less energy, because it is not using energy to heat up water.

Hang your clothes to dry instead of using the dryer. Hanging clothes up to dry will prevent energy from being consumed. Dryers use a lot of energy, so by hanging clothes, you can save energy!

Bring your own produce and grocery bags to the store. Bringing your own produce and grocery bags will reduce plastic bag consumption and litter. You can purchase produce bags at the Package Free Shop. Most grocery stores sell reusable shopping bags for as little as 99 cents or you can view the 14 Best Reusable Grocery Bags here.

Get a water filter for your home. Purchasing a water filter and using reusable water bottles for your home will reduce plastic bottle waste. You can buy water filters at your local Home Depot or other hardware store. I recommend the Brita Water Filter, it attached to your faucet and gives warning when the filter feeds to be replaced

Ditch that plastic straw! Saying no to plastic straws will reduce single-use plastic waste; you can buy a metal straw if you prefer drinks to include a straw. Purchasing a portable cutlery kit will also reduce single-use plastic waste on the go! You can purchase the metal straws and a bamboo cutlery kit at the Package Free Shop. 

Get a bamboo toothbrush. Purchasing a bamboo toothbrush will reduce the amount of plastic toothbrushes in landfills. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, making it a highly efficient crop to grow. Some species grow up to 36 inches in 24 hours! 

Purchase recycled toilet paper. Using recycled toilet paper that is made up of recycled paper reuses paper that would otherwise have been thrown away.

Buy snacks in big containers and use smaller reusable containers to bring to school or to have around the house. This helps reduce waste from single use packaging.

Buy from your local farmer’s market. Farmer’s markets reduce carbon emissions, because they use fewer carbon emissions to transport their products. 

Buy items that can be repaired when broken. Buying items that are repairable and not disposable will reduce waste.

Use cloth napkins. Using cloth napkins reduces waste and has better functionality than paper napkins. 

Buy LED light bulbs. Purchasing LED light bulbs will reduce energy. They use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent light bulbs according to Energy.gov.

Avoid conventional ovens. Toaster ovens and microwaves consume less energy than conventional ovens.

Turn off lights when leaving a room. Turning off lights when you leave a room will reduce energy being used.  

Purchase a compostable phone case. Purchasing a compostable phone case will reduce plastic waste. 

Carry around a reusable water bottle.  If you do this and use the water bottle filling stations at school, you have an almost endless supply of water!

Using these tips daily to help you stay eco-friendly will have a significant impact on the environment.