Environmental wellness should be everyone’s concern but does’t necessarily require big changes. It is often contributing with the smallest changes that can make the biggest difference. Here are five simple ways that you can reduce, reuse or recycle to lower your carbon footprint and pave the road to a healthier planet.

1. Water Bottles

Buying bottled water has become the ultimate modern convenience and has the greatest benefit since sliced bread. Unfortunately, those plastic water bottles are not designed to be reused and are not so convenient or beneficial for the environment. If you insist on buying bottled water, make sure that the plastic is recyclable and put them in the appropriate plastic recycling bin. You can also reuse the bottles by refilling them with tap or filtered tap water. Alternatively, invest in a good plastic or glass reusable water bottle rather than buying single use plastic bottles of water.

2. Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are another modern convenience that we can’t seem to live without. Apart from the unsightly litter that these bags cause, they are probably the biggest contribution to greenhouse gases and therefore global warming. So opt for paper packets that are recyclable where possible. Reuse plastic bags the next time you go shopping or to hold rubbish or other items. Plastic bags cannot be recycled in the same way as other, thicker types of plastic so don’t place them in the same recycling bin and find a bin in at a supermarket that is specifically for plastic packets or bags.

3. Which Plastics Are Recyclable

Every plastic item or container that is made contains a triangular symbol made of arrows with a number 1 to 7 on the inside. These numbers indicate whether the plastic is recyclable and whether they can be placed in a plastic recycling bin. The number two plastics are the most desirable for recycling purposes and number 1 is also suitable to be placed in a recycling bin. Number 3 plastics are poison plastics and should never be placed in a recycling bin. Numbers 4 though 7 are not ideal for placing in the regular recycling bin.

4. Recycling Cellular Or Mobile Phones And Devices

Cell phones break and die and are replaced on a regular basis but should never simply be placed in the trash. The parts can be used to repair similar makes and models so drop them off at your local repair store. The phones also contain a number of different components that are made from natural resources such as gold and platinum. So find a recycling initiative near you that recycles old cell phones to extract these elements and begin protecting the Earth’s natural resources.

5. Batteries

Batteries contain toxic chemical that pollute the environment and are in fact recyclable. So collect all your used batteries and take them to a recycling plant near you. This is a good way to make a little extra cash as the recycling center should pay you for your used batteries.

These are just some of the simple ways that you can make a difference and contribute to the environmental wellness of the planet.