1 ENJOY YOUR ENVIRONMENT: Dig your hands into the soil. Inhale some fresh air. Dip your toes in cool water. Take a walk around the block. Have you ever gone birdwatching or mushroom hunting? Make the time to enjoy all the wonderful things our planet has to offer.

2 GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL ACTIVISM: There are countless groups of people working on making their corner of the world a better place. From policy advocacy to guerilla gardening and beyond. Any cause you care about likely has people who are already working towards solutions. So get out there and join them! 

3 TRACK YOUR TRASH: The first step to fixing a problem is by admitting it exists. Do a personal waste audit by keeping track of everything you throw in the trash for the day. Do you think you’ll end up with more or less than the American average of 4.5 pounds per day?

4 GATHER WITH FRIENDS: We can’t solve any of the world’s problems alone. Community, no matter how small, is critical in everything we do. Make a plan to share a meal with friends and build community. 

5 BRING YOUR OWN REUSABLES: A cup for coffee. A bottle for water. A bag at the grocery store. A straw for your smoothie. Silverware for your takeout order. Experiment with how it feels to bring at least one of these items from home to reduce the amount of resources you consume. 

6 CHECK YOUR LOCAL RECYCLING GUIDELINES: Most cities share information online about what can and cannot be recycled in your area. Help your city recycle more effectively by Googling “recycling guidelines in [insert your city here].

7 PULL AT THE THREADS: Whether you’re an optimist, pessimist, realist, or something else, it can be easy to feel like your individual actions don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Who cares whether I recycle when billionaires are island hopping in their private jets, right?! When you zoom out and observe the bigger picture, you can see a tapestry of collective actions working together to create a tidal wave of impact. Never forget you are one part of a whole. Focus on your role and pull at your individual threads. 

8 VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME: If you have the privilege of time, make a plan to offer some of this deeply valuable resource to an effort you care about. Plant something. Lend a hand at a food bank or with a mutual aid effort. Clean up the closest park or beach. Keep some cute creatures company at a local animal shelter. Hang up some flyers. Ask around and find where your energy is most needed.