With the new year upon us, consider resolving to do something simpler than your past New Year’s promises: protect the environment.

You can do this in under five minutes, and it will not only make you feel good, but also make the environment feel good as well.

Since the seventh grade, I have been on the hunt to make a difference in people’s actions to positively impact the environment. There's not much the regular person can do to influence large corporations. But there are some quick tips and tricks that make a huge difference if everyone does their part.

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From my experience, people don’t do the most environmentally conscious things not because they don’t care or are too lazy, but simply because they aren’t aware of what they can do to help. Given that new concerning statistics come out everyday, the urgency attached to protecting our planet has never been higher. 

Here are 10 easy, everyday things that you can do to help the environment.

This is a commonly talked about way to help the environment, and it's for a good reason. Buying a foldable bag is convenient for memorization purposes, given that you can keep one folded up in your pocket, purse, car, or home. When you're finished using them, just put it back where you originally had it! Just like that, you reduce your carbon footprint.

Another plastic bag alternative is using mesh bags for your produce instead of the plastic ones grocery stores supply. You can keep it in your larger bag, in your glovebox, or wherever else proves to be convenient. If you happen to forget your reusable bags at a grocery store, ask your cashier if they have paper bags instead of plastic.

You can buy reusable shopping bags and mesh produce bags on Amazon.

These single-use bags may be convenient, but they are terrible for the environment.

Purchase an equally-convenient silicone bag that will quickly pay itself off. It can be used for the same reasons as the sandwich bag, including refrigeration. Almost all food groups can apply, and can be easily cleaned by throwing it in the dishwasher after use.

This investment is an all around win, given it is cheaper, quick, and sustainable.

Another way to positively impact the environment in seconds is by using reusable plastic wrap substitutes. Beeswax papers can be shaped to fit any container, and washed to be used again. Flexible silicone lids are another sustainable option to cover any bowl or dish. 

Before throwing away or recycling a bottle or container with a cap, check to see if it has a plastic ring around the opening of the container. This also goes with cutting the plastic rings that come around your 6-pack drinks.

Take 15 seconds and a pair of scissors to cut the ring before discarding it. Uncut rings can get caught on different parts of various animals, such as around necks, mouths, stomachs etc. This 15-second difference can save a helpless animal’s life.

While you may think that you can consume that entire fresh pot of mac and cheese, it is smarter to devour it in smaller portions. Given the cons, there are none! You still get to eat to your heart’s content while also decreasing your chance of wasting food. After you’re done eating, put the remaining food in a reusable container to have tomorrow.

If you’re at the grocery store or the mall and can’t decide if you want one item or the other, take the environment into consideration. Just a simple switch in mentality is the start to making a huge impact on our planet’s condition.

If one item is more sustainable than the other, consider buying that one. This includes fruit that stands alone, such as a whole pineapple, or the same fruit that is cut up and put in a single-use plastic container. Another example is the packaging of milk. Would you choose a cardboard carton or a plastic one?

Avoiding single-use plastic bottles becomes a lot easier when you have a reusable bottle at hand. It may seem obvious, but it is harder to eliminate the need for plastic bottles than it may seem. Getting into the habit of keeping a reusable on you reduces your chances of needing to purchase a plastic one on a hot day. Plus, it is way cheaper!

Another way to steer clear of the plastic bottle is by purchasing a water filter for your home. Bonus: Using a glass cup is way more stylish anyway. You can combine the two by getting a reusable water bottle with a filter in it — the possibilities are endless!

Through my passion for the environment, my family has also picked up a few things as well. We have discovered the convenience and sustainability of laundry sheets, rather than liquid detergent that comes with a large plastic bottle.

This method is easier than using liquid detergent, since all you have to do is rip it up and throw it in the wash. Feel good about yourself at a low cost!

Get out of bad habits in order to make a difference. This includes the simple tasks of making sure you shut off the water when brushing your teeth, closing the fridge when you don’t absolutely need it open, or opening a window instead of turning on the air conditioner.

Another option is to utilize your toaster oven to its full potential. Set the small oven to 350 degrees instead of the large one. Shave a minute or two off of your shower time. Turn your faucet off when lathering your hands with soap. Double check that you shut off the lights when you exit a room. The possibilities are endless! 

Very few recyclables actually get recycled. Instead of blaming recycling companies that have millions of tons of materials to sort, try double checking to make sure what you are disregarding is able to be recycled, and rinse any food residue or other contaminants out of the item.

Tip: Disassemble cardboard boxes in order to fold them so more can fit into your recycling container.

While researchers, engineers, scientists, and other professional fields are working to reverse the effects if climate change, be sure to do your part to make their job a little easier, or at least not worse.

These 10 habits and tasks take almost no time, and could save an animal’s life, or help make our planet a little more sustainable.

Avery Vaughan is a junior at Council Rock High School South. An avid writer, she also plays volleyball for Council Rock and Princeton Volleyball Club 17-1’s.