It’s no surprise that our planet is and has been in an environmental crisis for quite some time, and it’s only getting worse. There are seven major threats to our environment that are causing this continuous downward spiral to our planet: deforestation, pollution, loss of biodiversity, melting polar ice caps and rising sea levels, oceanic dead zones, and explosive population growth. I know that most of you are probably clueless on what type of effects these have on our planet, but trust me, they’re not good. Fortunately, we’re not doomed -- yet. There’s still hope, but it takes a little bit of help from our peers, as a little change can make a huge difference. Here are some ways that you can help save our planet from this global, environmental crisis.

Conserve energy. Try not to keep every single light in the house on when you don’t need it. This can be as simple as turning off a lamp, unplugging your phone charger, or even turning off your fan for a few hours.

Give your car a day off. Yup, try using public transportation for a change, or even walking/biking to places that aren’t very far from home. Not only will this give you a workout and spice up your routine a bit, it will also be saving the environment by not contributing to air pollutants like smog.

Don't do laundry unless you have a full load ready. Washing machines will use up to 40 gallons of water which can be very wasteful if you’re not using it for its full potential. So, try to change the load size, or allow the machine to compensate for a smaller load.

Do you need a 30-minute shower every morning? Probably not. Showers can be very wasteful if you’re not using them effectively. Try cutting down your shower time to only minimal of what you actually need.

Plant a tree. Not only will you feel like a great person by planting a little tree into the Earth, you’re also saving the planet in multiple ways! Trees absorb carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect.

Recycle. This is an easy one, recycling. Everyone knows about it but how many people actually recycle? Recycling is easy and takes little to no effort by putting paper and plastic items in a separate can to bring to the recycling bin. Also, composting is another easy way to make your planet a little greener. Grab a compost bin and put any old fruit or veggies in it, and watch it become soil in a few weeks!

Paper or plastic? Neither! Try bringing your own reusable grocery bag for your next shopping trip! This way, you’re never wasting any bags by just throwing them away when you get home. If canvas bags aren’t your thing, then try reusing your plastic or paper bags in your household as trash bags for bathrooms, or bags to carry/keep utilities in.

If we all pick one of these tips to do every day, we could all work together to potentially save our environment and make a safe and stable place for our future generations to live.