Being a college student is tough in so many ways. You’ve always got something to study for, you rarely get enough sleep, and you feel perpetually mentally exhausted. However, being a college student isn’t just hard on you; it’s hard on the environment. Living in a dorm or other on-campus housing doesn’t give you the freedom to recycle, grow a garden, and air-dry your clothes like living off-campus does. You’re forced to throw everything in the trash, to use the school’s laundry machines, and to eat take-out food for almost every meal. All of that really hurts the environment. Luckily, there are things that you, as a college student, can do every day to help the environment.
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Take short showers with warm, not hot, water
We waste an estimated 2.5 gallons of water while we wait for the shower water to get hot enough, and we waste even more energy maintaining that hot temperature. Cool it! Taking a shower in warm, not hot, water will not only cut down on water consumption, but it’ll cut down on your energy footprint too.
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Turn off lights, and only turn them on when necessary
For roughly half the day, we don’t need the light on. Why do we have it on then? Of course, we need it in the bathroom (peeing in pitch-black darkness is no bueno). Otherwise, we can just open up the blinds and let the sunlight fill the room! Plus, turning off lights is a great habit to have, as it’ll save you tons of $$$ in energy bills later on.
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Only wash your clothes when necessary, and only wash with cold water
Don’t throw that shirt you wore for three hours in the wash bin. Re-wear it! Unless you’ve sweat in something or otherwise got it dirty, just hang it back up. When you do wash your clothes, use cold water, as it cuts down on energy consumption.
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Bike, walk and use public transportation over driving
Nobody needs a lecture here. Everyone knows that public transpo, biking and walking are much greener ways to travel about. If you feel comfortable traveling outside of your car, then do it! The earth will thank you.
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Use less paper
This is the perfect excuse to use technology. Since most dorms don’t have recycling bins, it’s best to use as little paper as you can. Instead of writing a to-do list on paper, put it in your notes app. Email professors assignments when possible. Opt for email receipts over paper ones. You get the idea.
Livestock has a huge carbon footprint–more than all the planes, trains, buses, cars, etc. combined. By eating less meat, not only are you saving a cow from death, but you’re saving the environment too.
I know that Walmart seems cheap, but the environment usually ends up paying the real price. Mainstream stores like Walmart, Target, and Staples don’t typically make their products with the environment in mind. Use your hard-earned money to support businesses that support the environment.
Using your money to support eco-friendly businesses and nonprofits is one of the most effective ways to save the environment. Instead of buying that five dollar chai latte (with the non-recyclable cup), donate those five dollars to Greenpeace or similar. Every penny counts.
Talking to your government representatives is now easier than ever! Just text ‘resist’ to 50409, and you can complain all you want to Congress and President Trump about their lack of eco-friendly laws and regulations.
Get more than just you involved! Talk about your eco-friendly experiences with your friends and followers. Inspire others and build an environmentally-conscious community. After all, we all know that it takes a village.
These are just ten easy things to do to help save the environment. Feel free to branch out even more! Buy an energy-saving light bulb, make a compost bin or protest at Walmart’s headquarters. Whatever you decide to do, decide to do it green.