At some point in our lives, whether we were a toddler or an adult, we wanted to be a hero. Maybe as children, we could only dream. But now that we’re in control of our lives, we can finally make concrete moves to be one.

Contrary to the idea of heroes having superpowers, wearing capes, or some ridiculous costumes, the heroes we need in our daily lives are normal people like us. Because at the end of the day, we all have the opportunity to make decisions that would either only benefit us while harming others or contribute to the greater good for society.

Many of us think we can live quietly on our own, not bother others, and not get involved beyond our families. But if we think through everything we do, things that seemingly concern only us can affect the world in small incremental ways. Our consumption decisions matter. We are consuming resources that would otherwise be available to others. Switching on a bulb, drinking a glass of water, getting a sandwich all use resources. Our decision, whether we walk or drive to the grocery store, would affect our environment.

So deciding to help one another is as easy as switching off a bulb when it’s not in use. It’s easy as bringing old shopping bags to use instead of paying for new ones whenever we need to shop. Here are other things you can do to help save our resources, save our planet.

Go for an energy mix with renewable energy.

First up would be your energy consumption. It’s fundamental in our daily lives, so we must address this first. From our laptops down to our shavers or blow dryers, we consume energy. The winters and summers will be unbearable if we don’t use heaters or coolers. We can’t get through a night without switching a single bulb.

For a long time, our energy needs have been burning fossil fuels. Developments such as the Tesla Powerwall can help you manage your home’s energy source. The bulk can still be from your power supplier, but you can get some energy from solar panels and other renewable resources.

Install water purifiers instead of buying plastic bottled water.

We all know about plastic bottles. They can’t be reused because it can endanger your health. And when you keep buying bottled water, companies will keep producing it because of the continuing demand. Buying a water purifying system is a lot more beneficial to the environment. Not to mention, it’s going to be cheaper in the long run as you can use it for several years.

Buy durable clothes.

People already know that the fashion industry is among the most wasteful industries because of fast fashion. Do your part by going for classical cuts and colors instead of riding on the trends. Buy clothes that are of good quality so that you can get more wear out of them. They might be more expensive, but you will save your money since you don’t have to keep buying them every few weeks. Don’t change your clothes every season. Don’t overdo minimalism by throwing out the clothes you can’t wear for the season. Instead, invest in good storage cabinets.

Take recycling and waste segregation seriously.

Trash is ruining our planet. Every time we use and throw away plastic wrappers, we are throwing away the resources put into the production of these materials. Avoid having to buy them in the first place. If it’s not possible, bring them to recycling facilities.

Some of the actions on this list can be expensive. But in the long run, they will be more beneficial to your family and society. Considering all of our actions and the chain effects we cause globally, we can think thoroughly about our decisions. We can be heroes or villains.