HC BRANDEIS PHOTOBLOG

Let’s be honest here. I know I’m not the only one who feels that pang of guilt in my gut when I throw out a water bottle in the trash can or forget to turn off my lights when I leave my room. We all do these things far too often and it is my goal to make you ladies more aware about the actions you can take in order to help go green and preserve the environment. As president of SEA (Students for Environmental Action), it is my goal to help teach the Brandeis community about the different ways we can make a change in our daily lives and help make the campus a greener place. Below I have compiled a list of ten easy steps you can take in order to make a positive impact on the environment.  
 
1. Don’t heat an empty room! As soon as you head out for classes, turn off your heater. Although it is nice to come home to a warm room, realistically it will take all of 10 minutes to get your room nice and toasty. Instead of wasting hours of heat, sacrifice 10 minutes of chilliness. That being said, if it is TOO hot in your room, opening a window while the heater is on truly makes zero sense. Just turn the heater down ladies…
2. Minimize your daily waste! This is a HUGE one. In Usdan, many of us grab the “to-go” containers and sit a few feet away from the cashier while chowing down. Although I definitely understand how awesome it is that with the to go container you get a pile of curly fries 2 feet higher than the normal serving, but now there is an eco friendly and better alternative! If you put down a deposit of just $5, you can use a plastic container that the dining hall wash for you when you are finished eating! You can pay in points for it, and could even keep one that you re-use for the whole semester (if you wash it yourself). You can pick up a container in the C-Store.
 
3. Meatless Mondays! If you take just one day out of your week to purposefully not eat meat, you will be significantly contributing to lessening the amount of fossil fuels used to churn out the meat you eat on a regular basis. Also, it is a much healthier alternative to reduce the amount of meat you eat, and doing so will also make you feel leaner. There are a ton of vegetarian options, so try them out for a day!
4. Laundry time! When you put your wash in the dryer, select “Bright Colors” instead of “Colors.” The wash cycle will use cold water rather than warm, and will save a ton of energy. Your clothes will be just as clean (I promise), and you’ll feel good knowing that you are helping save the world. Additionally, if you air-dry your clothes (particularly jeans) they won’t shrink and will last for much longer.

5. Re-usable bags! You know those ugly plastic bags everyone totes around on a regular basis? When you do so, people are undoubtedly judging you. So why not buy a cute and sustainable bag to tote around that you can keep tucked away in your backpack ready for use? Impromptu sprees at the c-store are a constant for all of us, so be smart and use a sturdy and fashionable bag that also won’t break! 

6. Kill those vampires! No, not Bill/Erik from True Blood, or Stefan/Damien from the Vampire Diaries (I’m not at all embarrassed for making those references). Vampire is a term for plugs that are sucking energy unnecessarily. If you straighten your hair on a daily basis, or charge your phone religiously (as we all do) unplug them on your way out. You’ll burn an extra few calories leaning over twice a day, and will stop wasting a days worth of energy.
7. Use public transportation! Let’s be real. You’re at college, not too far from a metropolitan city filled with a ton to do, as well as the quaint town of Waltham that is home to many delicious restaurants. Utilize all of the resources offered to you – take the BranVan, the Crystal Shuttle, or even the computer rail. Yes, it is fun to have access to a car, don’t get me wrong, but carpooling is so much more energy efficient and communal. You never know, you could meet that special someone while heading into Boston for a flick.
8. Don’t use unnecessary water! At 8am (or even later for those of you lucked out this semester), it is really easy to sleepily stare at yourself in the mirror while allowing the water to run or space out in the shower for five minutes while thinking about the day. If you try to remember to only use water when needed (to wash away suds/toothpaste), you will save quite a few gallons of water on a regular basis.

9. Stop using plastic water bottles! This will save you time, money, and contribute greatly to minimizing your carbon footprint. The water inside of the bottles you purchase on a regular basis is truly no different than the tap water readily available from the faucet. Filling up your water bottle ten times saves you around $15 that you could spend elsewhere. If you really hate the taste of tap water get a bottle with a built in filter. It’s a no brainer!
10. Do it in the dark! I mean really guys; get your minds out of the gutter! Doing it in the dark can refer to any activity that really doesn’t require lights such as having meaningful conversations (it is easier to be more open with each other when expressions are not involved), giving/receiving massages (much more relaxing that way), listening to music, or best of all hosting a silent rave! If you’re really creative, I’m sure you can think of other things that require no light – use your imagination! 

Although the weather lately has been quite cold, collegiettes™ are not sacrificing their style when it comes to outerwear. Here are some chic coats that we have spotted around campus that are keeping ladies warm this New England winter.