We get it: you’ve heard this a million times before, and it’s hard to know what even is recyclable these days. But recycling remains an effective and important way to reduce your waste footprint. Looking for ways to improve your recycling habits? Check out our How to Recycle Guide to learn more!

Empowered women empower women, and when they have a say in things like family size and livelihood, women can play a key role in addressing climate change. Support mentoring programs and participate in initiatives (like microeconomics) that help women start small, sustainable businesses!

It’s no secret that extracting fossil fuels is wrecking our climate, which is why we need to shift to renewable energy sources. But even if you can’t afford to buy an EV or install a home solar array, there are plenty of ways you can reduce your energy consumption — including finding a green energy provider, or replacing your fluorescent lightbulbs with LEDs.

Gas-powered vehicles guzzle fossil fuels, clog highways, and spew toxic greenhouse gases. That adds up to a TON of pollution; according to the United States EPA, a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of CO₂ per year. So whenever possible, grab your bike, hop on public transportation, or lace up your walking shoes. The planet will thank you!

There’s no getting around it: eating animals that were factory farmed thousands of miles away is just plain bad — for our health, the planet, our consciences, and our wallets. So try to incorporate more locally produced ingredients and plant-based meals into your diet.

Because when it comes to protecting the climate, trees are the real OGs, and planting them has consistently ranked as a top climate change solution. That’s because trees help clean the air, stabilize the soil, protect biodiversity habitat, sequester carbon, and so much more.

Our wasteful ways have created a tremendous waste problem, and cost us a lot of money to boot. So the next time you find a hole in your sock or your washing machine is on the fritz, consider repairing before replacing. Don’t have the skills? Hop on YouTube or ask a handyman in your life!

But you can recycle it, right? Wrong. In 2022, Greenpeace published a study showing that of the approximately 51 million tons of plastic waste produced by U.S. households in 2021, only 2.4 million tons were recycled. In other words: it’s best to avoid plastic entirely.

Vote for climate-conscious representatives in every election up and down the ballot. And urge your representatives to commit to setting science-based targets to reduce emissions, implement clear-eyed plans for addressing climate change, and shift to a clean-energy economy.

We waste a LOT of food for a world that's plagued by food insecurity. Thankfully, anyone can compost their waste at home. It’s simple, effective, and packs a powerful nutritional punch in the garden. Get our free compost guide or learn how to reduce waste at home!

Over the last decade, we have seen an upsurge in high-quality and increasingly affordable sustainable goods. These companies are passionate about planting trees and sourcing sustainable materials. Sustainable businesses can have a powerful impact for nature, and you can support them!

To create quality jobs and fight climate change will require bold action — and what better action than to rebuild our infrastructure with green technology? Read our recent article about the need for a modern day Civilian Conservation Corps to see what that could look like!

It can be easy to waste water when it flows freely from the tap, but those that live in water stressed areas — and have to walk miles to get it — know its true worth. You can reduce your water usage by taking shorter showers, not watering your lawn, fixing leaky pipes, and even eating less meat.

A recent report revealed that just 57 oil, gas, coal and cement producers are directly linked to 80% of global fossil CO2 emissions since the Paris climate agreement in 2016. One way you can help steer the world toward renewable energy is by advocating for divestment. Check into whether your workplace, pension fund, university, or bank invests in them — and if they do, start a divestment campaign.

When it comes to climate change, young people have the most at stake. Although climate change and the future of our planet is a big and scary problem for young minds, you can reframe the issue and support them in many ways, including: joining in, listening, and offering inspiration!

Say what? Traditional air conditioners and refrigerators depend on refrigerants to operate — and unfortunately, these working fluids are 1,000-9,000X more warming to our climate than carbon. So make sure to maintain your cooling appliances and when it's time to replace them, work with your local recycling or waste facility for proper disposal.

Every time you use the internet, you release CO2. We aren’t saying you need to go off the grid, but try to bring more mindfulness to your use by decluttering your email inbox, downloading any video or audio files you stream frequently, and signing up for a green browser extension like WeHero.

We’ve already talked about divesting from fossil fuels, but let’s take that one step further and invest in sustainable alternatives. If you can’t get your bank to green up its portfolio, take your money elsewhere: find an ethical bank by searching in this helpful database.

Whether you’re getting your hands dirty and planting trees or participating in another type of local environmental initiative, volunteering for an environmental organization is a great way to support biodiversity in your local area. Bonus: giving back is almost always guaranteed to put you in a good mood!

In our busy modern world, it's all too easy to rely on convenience foods like takeaway meals, coffee to go, and frozen dinners. And by all means, keep treating yourself for kicking butt and slaying your goals. But keep in mind that every convenience product comes with a hidden climate cost. Try bringing your own to-go mug to be filled at the coffee shop, or prepping your meals, to reduce your impact.

The soggy to-go container, the wilting lettuce at the back of the fridge; we're all guilty of it from time to time. And we don't mean to add to your crushing climate guilt, but food waste is a biggie. A few ways to reduce waste include planning out your meals each week, doing an honest assessment of what you'll really eat and purchasing only that, and sharing or freezing leftovers.

Making an impact isn't about one person taking one big action, it's about a community of like-minded people coming together and taking small actions every day. If you aren't afraid of rolling up your sleeves to make an impact at work, at home, or at school, consider becoming a One Tree Planted Tree Ambassador!

Personal electronic devices like laptop chargers, speakers, game consoles and printers can suck up energy when they’re plugged in — even if you aren't actively using them. To minimize this, simply unplug your electronics or use a smart power strip to easily disconnect multiple devices at once. 

When planted thoughtfully, urban trees can help reduce the urban heat island effect in cities large and small. In addition to improving lives, this can significantly reduce the resources that are required to cool buildings on hot days. One Tree Planted conducts quality urban forestry projects in cities around the world — and you can help by supporting the Urban Forestry Action Fund!

Kids are our future, and it's important for them to learn about nature and the environment. If you have a school-aged kid or are an educator, check out our School T.R.E.E.S. Program! It's a robust and completely free program that offers fun and engaging lessons, modules, videos and activities to complement your curriculum. 

Support your local environment by planting native, pollinator-friendly flowers and herbs — either in containers on your balcony or directly in the ground in your backyard. Want to take it a step further? Make your own seed balls and distribute them around your local environment!

As an eco-conscious person, you know why climate change matters, but not everyone is as environmentally aware. And we bet there’s someone in your family or social circle that falls into the latter category. So if they’re open to it, let them know why you’re so passionate and invite them to try some of these tips for themselves.