Looking to help the environment and your budget? Then take note: cutting back is the new keeping up.

There's a lot to be gained from a way of life where we generate less trash: cleaner air and oceans, and protected natural resources and habitats, to name a few.

While living a zero-waste lifestyle is an extreme challenge, you can start small and still make an impact, which is why a "low-waste" movement has bloomed. Parents are preparing plastic-free lunches at local schools. Big companies are pledging to reduce their contributions to the waste stream in the years ahead. They may seem small, but these gradual changes can add up to a cleaner Earth — and they can even have a lasting impact on your budget.

To get started, check out these easy tips from change leaders who have discovered inventive ways to cut back on what they toss out.

The low-waste local

Sheila Morovati, a mother of two who lives in Los Angeles, CA, is passionate about preventing and reducing waste. The former marketing professional now works within her local community to change how people treat what might be thought of as disposable items in their day-to-day lives — particularly kids.

It all began when she noticed how many crayons were being thrown away while dining with her children in restaurants. As a result, Morovati founded Crayon Collection, which works with restaurants in Los Angeles to bring unused crayons to underserved schools. She also fought to have plastic straws banned in Malibu (and won), and is currently working with food-delivery services to cut out the plastic cutlery.

How to educate your kids — and yourself — to be a low-waste local:

• Look for opportunities close to home. Bring kids to beach or park cleanups, get them involved in composting or join (or start!) a community garden at school.
  
  
• If kids say that they're bored, turn to science. Head to the library — or ask a science teacher — for cool experiments to do at home that will teach kids about the environmental effects of waste first-hand.
  
  
• Shopping at farmers markets is a smart way to support local growers and shrink the carbon footprint of your food. To save on your budget, Morovati suggests shopping the market at the tail end, when you may be able to bargain with the farmers looking to unload (and not waste) their goods. She recently paid one dollar for a pound of organic fruit! Just remember to bring your own bag.

The commuter with a cause

Last year, more than 84 million trips were taken on shared bikes and scooters in the U.S. according to a report from the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Several hundred of them were taken by Jeff Novich, who lives in New York City's Harlem neighborhood and commutes via Citi Bike bicycle around the city.

Novich took his first ride on the bikes in 2016 on a spin through Central Park with his wife. They loved it so much that they signed up for annual memberships. Today he considers himself part of a community of bicycle advocacy in New York and enjoys seeing the city through sharper focus. "You can't zone out on a bike," he says. He also loves that his commute time is accurate, his legs are in great shape and that it's saved him money on public transportation and taxis.

Ed Skylar, Citi's head of public affairs, says the Citi Bike program's success has far exceeded initial expectations when it launched six years ago. "It's been exciting to see the extent to which riders have embraced Citi Bike bicycles, making it a sustainable, new form of public transportation that's become a part of so many New Yorkers' lives." Beyond enjoyment and ease, it is estimated that Citi Bike trips have offset up to 120 million pounds of carbon from entering the atmosphere.

How you can be a low-impact commuter:

• If you always take a car, take a look at alternative options such as walking or biking. Ease into biking by exploring for fun first and then build up to the commute — and take note of what it saves in your commuting budget.
  
  
• Go at your own pace. Make the route comfortable for you — it doesn't have to be the fastest route.
  
  
• Many cities host car-free street events where you can test-pedal the city without traffic. It's a small step to getting started, which is what Novich did.

With so many perks, a low-waste lifestyle can bring a higher quality of life. And when everyone makes small steps — at home, at work and in their community — it adds up to big changes for the future