Small changes

Changing your bad habits can seem difficult, especially when it comes to living more sustainably. But it doesn't have to be. Small changes can make a big difference too, as German actors Dieter Hallervorden and Detlev Buck told Global Ideas.

One easy thing both Hallervorden (pictured above) and Buck, who've appeared in popular German films such as "Head Full of Honey" and "Berlin Blues," are careful to conserve is water. Neither lets the water run while shaving or brushing their teeth. But it doesn't stop there.

"Generally I try to live my life in a way that I don't just damage the environment, but do the opposite," said Hallervordern at a recent event promoting the "Tree of Hope" book put together by the #link:http://www.youthinkgreen.org/en/:Youthinkgreen# organization, which encourages young people to become involved in environmental activism. "I plant a tree every year. I would never leave the light on when I leave a room. I don't use fuel that pollutes the environment. That's just my little contribution."

Buck and Hallervorden also offered their acting services for free to promote Youthinkgreen's environmental message. In a #link:https://vimeo.com/33525203:video promo#, Hallervordern plays a waiter serving up a plastic bag to Buck, who promptly chokes on it. The message: Plastic pollution poses a threat to animals around the planet.

For Buck raising environmental awareness and encouraging people to action is key to avoiding disastrous climate change. "I have three daughters and there must be a future. With things as they are now, there will be a complete change in the near future," says the actor.

So, "doing your bit" for the environment can be as simple as giving up plastic bags and cutting down on plastic waste - a turtle might thank you for it.

If you have an environment project you would like to share, send us a mail at doingyourbit@dw.com or upload your stories, photos and videos by visiting our page. We look forward to hearing from you!