Walking around Oakland University you may notice it’s rare to find litter on the ground. Not only that, but OU has recently enforced a clean air policy and offers recycling bins in all main food areas. Although the university is helping the earth stay healthy, it’s important for students to contribute as well.

‘Going green’ as the saying goes doesn’t necessarily mean you have to save the world all in one day or dedicate your life to helping the planet. However, doing simple little things to help the planet can create a huge difference. As Earth Day is approaching, it’s important to think about how students and the community can make a difference for the planet.

Here are 15 easy ways to help the Earth:

Turn off your computers at night: By doing this, it can save 40 watt-hours per day.

Recycle glass: This reduces our pollution by 20 percent and related water pollution by 50 percent.

Use both sides of a piece of paper: Save trees!

Recycle newspaper: By recycling just the Sunday paper alone you would save half a million trees.

Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.

Take showers instead of baths: Baths use two times as much water.

Plant a tree!

Turn off lights when you leave a room.

Use matches instead of lighters: Since lighters are considered disposable, over a billion of these end up in landfills each year.

Pay your bills online instead of using paper: By doing this it saves 23 pounds of wood each year.

Cut down on water bottles and use a refillable one instead: 1.5 million barrels of oil are used each year to make disposable plastic water bottles.

Walk or ride your bike to work and school.

Use rechargeable batteries.

Put an end to your answering machine: This device uses energy 24 hours a day.

No more plastic grocery bags: Bring your own reusable bag when shopping.