The little choices you make over the course of your day can have a big effect on the worlds resources.

In a new Huffington Post original series, Sustainable Self , we connect the small choices we make in our everyday lives to the huge impact they can have on the Earth. Each episode takes the viewer from a micro to a macro perspective by focusing on a simple action and demonstrating the myriad effects it can have on the planet when multiplied.

The series first episode focuses on that old nemesis of the environment: plastics. Theyre everywhere, and can last for centuries .

But something as simple as bringing your own bag to the grocery store has the potential to save gallons of fresh water and pounds of fossil fuels per year. With the average American family taking home nearly 1,500 shopping bags a year, imagine the amount of resources we could save if we simply nixed plastic bags at the store.

Its not just bags, either. Think about all the other single-use non-biodegradable plastic disposables we use every day: utensils, coffee cups, containers, water bottles. In the video above, you can learn how to help the environment by simply bringing your own reusables.

The Huffington Post is partnering with Change.org to launch a Sustainable Self movement page , where viewers can create and join petitions based on the issues highlighted in each episode. Visit change.org/sustainableself to become part of the movement!