International Earth Day is one of the world’s most important holidays because it’s about saving our planet from environmental destruction. That’s pretty important considering that we don’t really have any other place to live aside from Earth.

Something as big as saving the planet can seem like it’s far beyond our understanding, but the truth is we all can make a difference. These are five easy ways that you can live a more sustainable and ecologically life this Earth Day and beyond. Follow these tips to help keep our forests green, our rivers clear, and our oceans plentiful.

1. Start a vegetable garden

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Photo by @eque5trian

It’s spring and if you’ve thought about starting your own vegetable garden, now is the perfect time. Frankly, why wouldn’t you when there are so many benefits? Fresh veggies off the vine all summer, savings at the supermarket, and one major step towards self-sustainability. And don’t forget that gardening is a relaxing and fun way to reduce stress.

2. Clean up a local neighborhood

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Photo by @princes3

It’s amazing how much litter one person can pick up with a single trash bag. When you get friends involved to help a cleanup effort, the results are exponentially better. Find a local spot that has been collecting cans, plastic, and waste for years and spend a day cleaning it up. If you can recycle it, great, but just getting it out of the environment is huge. Just imagine if everyone spent one day of the year cleaning pollution?

3. Leave the car in the garage

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Photo by @herbertoo

One of the most obvious ways to pollute less is to cut back on driving. Burning fuel affects everything from the air to the rain, which pours back into the ground. If you can walk or bike to your destination, leave the car in the garage. You’ll get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors in the process. Even if you take the bus or train, it still means one less car on the road.

4. Buy eco-friendly products

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Photo by @chusnartallo

Some of the environmental choices you make are the ones at the cash register. Use your wallet to advocate for environmentally friendly products by buying at local farmers’ markets or picking out products that have certified environmental labels. There are tons of labels that go beyond organic food, so be sure to read up on 10 of the most common ones here.

5. Get off of your disposable addiction

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Photo by @manippics

We tend to use many items once before throwing them into the trash. Things such as plastic forks, paper plates, plastic bags, and aluminum pans tend to be one-and-done. None of this is necessary. Bring your own bag to the supermarket, buy metal pans, and use solid dishware. Invest in things that you can reuse. You will save a lot of money and keep tons of waste out of the environment.