A GUIDE FOR LAZY PEOPLE TO SAVE THE PLANET

Things You Can Do From Your Couch

• Save electricity by plugging your devices into a power strip and turning them off completely when you're not using them, including your computer.
• Stop using paper bank statements and pay your bills online or via your cell phone. Go paperless—no need to destroy forests.
• Don't just like it—share it. If you see an interesting post on social media about women's rights or climate change, share it so your contacts can see it too.
• Make your voice heard! Ask your local and national leaders to support initiatives that do not harm people or the planet. Ahead of the Climate Change Conference in Paris, you can sign this petition calling on leaders to reach an agreement to reduce their countries’ carbon emissions.
• Don't use your printer. See something online that you want to keep a record of? Write down what you want to remember in a notebook, or better yet, create a digital reminder and save paper.
• Turn off the lights. A warm glow comes from your TV or computer screen, so turn off the other lights if you don't need them.
• Do some research online and buy only from companies that you know use sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
• Report online harassers. If you notice acts of harassment on a message board or in an interactive discussion forum, report the perpetrator.
• Stay informed. Follow the news from your region and keep up to date on the latest developments regarding the Global Goals online or on social media via the @GlobalGoalsUN account.
• Tell us about the actions you're taking to help achieve the Global Goals by using the hashtag ##globalgoals on social media.
• Offset your carbon emissions! You can calculate your carbon footprint and purchase carbon credits on Climate Neutral Now.

Things You Can Do at Home

• Let them air dry. Let your hair and clothes dry naturally instead of using a dryer. If you wash your clothes, make sure the washing machine drum is full.
  Take short showers. When you take a bath, you use much more water than you would spending 5 to 10 minutes in the shower.
• Eat less meat, poultry, and fish. Producing meat requires far more resources than producing plants.
• Freeze fresh produce and leftovers if you won’t be able to eat them before they go bad. You can do the same with takeout or delivery food if you know you won’t want to eat it the next day. You’ll save both food and money.
• Recycling paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum helps reduce the size of landfills.
  Compost: Composting food waste can help reduce the effects of climate change while recycling nutrients.
• Buy products with minimal packaging.
• Avoid preheating your oven. If you don't need a specific cooking temperature, don't start heating your food until you turn on the oven.
• Seal any gaps around windows and doors to improve your home's energy efficiency.
  Adjust your thermostat: turn it down in the winter and turn it up in the summer.
• Replace your old appliances and light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones.
• If possible, install solar panels on the roof of your home. This will also help you save money on your electricity bill!
• Have carpet installed. Rugs and carpet help retain heat in your home and allow you to turn down the thermostat.
• Do not rinse. If you use a dishwasher, do not rinse your plates before running it.
• Find a better way to change your baby's diaper. Put cloth diapers on your baby, or buy disposable diapers from a new eco-friendly brand.
• Shovel the snow by hand. Forget about the noisy, polluting snowblower, and get some exercise.
• Use matches. They are made without petroleum-based products, unlike plastic gas lighters.

Away from home

• Shop in your neighborhood. Supporting local businesses helps preserve jobs and reduces the need for trucks to travel long distances.
• Shop smart: plan your meals, make a shopping list, and avoid impulse buys. Don’t fall for sales tactics that push you to buy more food than you actually need, especially when it comes to perishable items. Although they may be cheaper when bought in bulk, the total cost can end up being higher if most of these items go to waste.
• Buy fruits and vegetables that are a little out of the ordinary: many fruits and vegetables are discarded because their size, shape, or color don’t meet standard criteria. By buying these unusual fruits and vegetables—which are perfectly safe to eat—from a farmer’s market or elsewhere, you’re consuming food that would otherwise be thrown away.
• When you go to a restaurant and order seafood, always ask if it was sourced sustainably. Let your favorite stores know that you want to buy seafood that’s sourced in a way that protects the oceans.
• Buy only sustainably produced seafood. There are many apps, such as this one, that tell you what you can safely eat.
• Ride a bike, walk, or take public transportation. Save car trips for when you're traveling in a large group.
• Buy a reusable water bottle and coffee mug. Reduce waste and maybe even save some money at the coffee shop.
• Pack your purchases in a bag that you’ve brought with you. Say goodbye to plastic bags and get into the habit of shopping with your own reusable bags.
• Take fewer napkins. You don't need a lot of napkins to eat your takeout meal. Just take what you need.
• Buy secondhand items. Brand-new items aren't necessarily the best. Stop by a secondhand store and see if you can reuse some of the items.
• Take care of your car. A well-maintained car emits fewer toxic fumes.
• Donate what you don't use. Local charities will give your old clothes, books, and furniture—as long as they're in good condition—a new lease on life.
• Get vaccinated and have your children vaccinated. By protecting your family from disease, you are contributing to public health.
• Exercise your right to elect the leaders of your country and your local community.

These are just a few of the things you can do. Visit this website to learn more about the causes that matter most to you and discover other ways to get more involved.