As environmental issues become more common in the world, doing our part to keep our planet green is vital. Every shift we make in our daily routines can be a huge help to Mother Earth, and as high school students, there are plenty of changes we can make, at school and everywhere in between. Here are some simple ways to lessen your environmental footprint as a high schooler.

Use reusable containers for your lunch. If you take your lunch to school, a simple shift you can make is using reusable containers and silverware for your food. By packing your lunch in tupperware or glass containers, you’re saving plastic from filling up landfills and floating through oceans. It’s a simple change, but it can make a big difference.

Don’t drive solo, get a carpool going! We’re all driving to the same place in the mornings, so why not grab some of your friends to carpool? Driving can cause a lot of air pollution because of emissions and greenhouse gasses. Catching a ride with a neighbor or friend is an easy fix. Next time you’re on your way to school or anywhere for that matter, get a carpool going instead of driving alone.

Make the best use of your paper. Instead of using single sheets for your notes, try to use front and back, or use up blank space on the back of worksheets. Instead of having a binder packed with barely filled sheets, make the most of your paper and choose not to waste. Making better use of paper is another easy way to lessen our environmental footprint.

Take reusable cups to your favorite drive-thrus High-schoolers live off drive-thrus, whether it’s Starbucks before school or Chick-Fil-A afterwards. Many drive-thrus are starting to fill up reusable cups. And many offer discounts to customers who bring them. Just ask about your cup at the voicebox: you’d be surprised how many restaurants will be happy to fill them up. It’s an easy way to cut down on waste, and makes drive-thru experiences more environmentally stable.

By making some of these small changes at home, school, or elsewhere, you can certainly make your earth cleaner and greener. So whether you’re pouring your morning coffee into a mug or catching a ride with a neighbor, put your best foot forward to make your ecological impact a positive one. Let’s make our colors black, silver — and green.