It is no secret that human actions are greatly changing our planet. 2016 looks to be the warmest year in history, greatly due to our dependence on fossil fuels. Additionally, we waste a lot of our resources, including water, electricity, plastics and paper. In 2013, Americans generated 254 million tons of trash. While some of this was recycled and reused, much filled up our landfills. Also, our country in 2010 was ranked the second-highest for electricity consumption (after China--a country with a much larger population that ours). You can help reverse this problem in your home by changing some consumption and discarding habits. Adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle in your home is relatively simple and inexpensive. Here are some easy changes you can implement to make your home greener:

1. Recycle

In-home recycling is one of the easiest ways to cut down on household waste. Sort out plastics, glasses and paper from the regular trash. Luckily, most counties, towns, etc. make this behavior pretty easy by providing recycling bins to put out on trash day. Additionally, many facilities accept and recycle harmful materials like batteries, chemicals and paints. Harsh chemicals should not go in the trash because they can leach into the soil, causing damage. I go to the county dump about once a year to safely discard of these types of materials from my house.

2. Reuse and repurpose

A great way to cut down on waste is to reuse household objects that are normally just discarded. for instance, you can use an old coffee can as storage for nails, screws, etc. Plastic takeout containers can be washed and reused for food storage. Packing peanuts and other wasteful styrofoam products can be used in planting pots to improve drainage. The most important element of reusing and repurposing is being creative--find new ways to make an item work before you throw it out!

3. Bring your own bags!

In my home state of Maryland, there's a bag tax at all retail stores. If you shop and receive a plastic or paper bag from the cashier for your goods, you are charged an extra five cents per bag. This incentivizes going without wasteful bags. Many popular grocery chains, such as Trader Joe's, sell inexpensive reusable bags. You can also use old tote bags, paper bags or anything you have around the house. If you drive a lot, I recommend keeping a stash of reusable bags in your car. If you're a college student like me, I recommend keeping at least one reusable bag in your school bag in case you have to stop at the store on the way home from class. Another benefit of reusable bags: unlike, pesky plastic bags, reusable grocery bags are less prone to breaking when you carry them out of the store.

4. Save electricity

Here's a big question: how are you supposed to save electricity when it's insanely hot out? Closing the blinds during the day helps keep out the heat so you have to rely less on the air conditioning. Other tips? Unplug electrical devices at night or when you're out of town to stop wasting unnecessary electricity. Only run your dishwasher or laundry machine with full loads (this also cuts down on water waste). You can also purchase energy-efficient lightbulbs. They work as well as normal bulbs, and use 75% less energy. They also last 10 times as long as normal lights! You'll be saving energy and cutting down on waste (and you won't have to change the bulbs very often).