As we watch the seas rising, temperature getting higher, the glaciers shrinking, weather more extreme, and along with that comes fires, which we have a lot of in Colorado. I’m sure some of us feel like there’s nothing we can do. Although there’s always something we can do to help, even if it’s something really simple. There is always lots we can do and even when it feels like you’re not helping it is, I also tend to feel helpless sometimes. Here’s a short list of things you can do to help:

1. Recycling! Just this one thing could prevent so much plastic from going to landfills and ending up in oceans. If you can’t recycle then compost and give the soil back to the earth, or your plants, they both appcatice it. I do this with both of my parents.
2. Eat less meat! Cutting back on meat eating, especially red meats, can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of CO2 you produce. It is much better for your health as well. I have had a lot of personal success with this.
3. Bringing your own shopping bags! Yes it is hard to remember them, very hard, but it cuts down tons of plastic every year. And I think that’s worth it trying to remember those.
4. Volunteering! It’s an awesome way to help in just a short amount of time. Even if you’re volunteering just to help clean up your park for an afternoon or picking up a piece of trash on a trail you love. A few great organizations helping with climate change that you can help with are: ecoAmerica, NextGen Climate, Citizens Climate Lobby, and Climate Reality Project.
5. Shop small! Shop at a local clothing store instead of Walmart, get your coffee from a local place instead of Starbucks. Small stores tend to put a lot more thought into what is going into their products then big corporations.
6. Bike more! Or walk or ride a skateboard to work or school. Just drive less. Most places you drive are a lot closer than you might think. This is very easy to do in Salida because lots of things are within biking distance.
7. Learn to love leftovers! Instead of throwing out that really good spaghetti you made two nights ago in favor of eating something you cooked tonight, plan to eat your leftovers. Sometimes it’s even better the next night, or it’s not but either way it’s still really good food.
8. Use your own fork! Instead of using the plastic forks and knives, take out places give you, bring your own. This also applies for straws.
9. Conserve water! Instead of tossing that water down the drain, put it in the fridge to drink it later or water your plants with it. Put one big load of laundry in together instead of multiple small loads. 
10. Educate! Anyone or even yourself, read up about what’s happening to the world and then go out and share what you learned. Tell friends and family about what you’re doing to help the environment, maybe it will give them a few ideas.

Of course we’re going to make mistakes, but it’s what we do to correct those mistakes and educate ourselves and others that really counts. There is so much you can do to help out, no matter who you are or how old you are or where you live. I personally have had a fair amount of success with quite a few things. Small changes made by lots of people can help save the environment.