With all the environmental concerns facing the world today, including global warming, the energy crisis, pollution, and soaring gas prices have made it more important than ever to “go green.” So what can the everyday person do to help? It’s actually pretty simple; just follow the three big environmental commandments: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Many stores have recently embraced this ideology and provide bins for recycling, and they offer reusable bags right in the store. Many stores have found that many people are more willing to recycle bags if a bin is convenient and easily accessible to them. Kroger has set up bins outside their doors to recycle plastic bags and have been able to reduce some of the production of bags. They hope that as time goes on more bags can be recycled and even more production can be slashed.

Taylor also promotes their students to recycle their old papers. Every homeroom is set up with a recycling bin for paper. So next time you get old homework or a quiz back that you are just going to throw away, throw it in the recycling bin instead. Just think about all the paper every student gets in a school year and how much of that can be recycled again instead of having a forest hacked down to make more. Also, at the end of the year when you are cleaning out your locker, remember to recycle all the paper you have accumulated over the year.

Another quick way to help the environment is to make sure your phone charger or other electronic device is not plugged in all night. Even when your phone or IPod gets fully charged, electricity is still going to it when a device is plugged into the wall. The same goes for most electronic devices—unplugging them, not just turning them off, saves energy. That’s why un-plugging any electronic device you can is a good way to save electricity.

One more thing you can do is watch the amount of water, light (from bulbs), and other energy resources you use. When brushing your teeth, don’t leave the water running. Buy energy-saving florescent bulbs and try not to leave them on. Also, try to carpool if you can—this reduces the amount of emissions into the air. The less cars on the road, the better. This might even help reduce traffic-related stress!

Students should try to follow these three tips to making a positive impact on the environment. They are easy and require no real energy or extra time; they are just little steps to creating a more eco-friendly world.

However these little steps can be huge leaps if every pitches in and extends a hand to change.