Trust me, I know: pledging to “go green” is much harder than it sounds. The most equitable and environmentally-friendly outlets, brands, and strategies tend to be on the more expensive side, while college students are famed for being stereotypically… well, broke. Here are a few starting points as we approach Earth Day to reduce, reuse and recycle your way closer to a green lifestyle!
1. Reduce
One way to limit environmental harm in your life is to reduce single-use plastic use as much as possible. My go-to strategy is to make sure I bring reusable bags with me to the grocery store – it both eliminates the need for single-use plastic bags and puts my ever-growing tote collection to good use! Another tactic – which both reduces plastic pollution and generally makes everywhere nicer – is to not litter. If you have garbage, don’t just drop it; find the nearest trash (or recycling) bin and dispose of it properly. Augustana College’s Sierra Club even does a campus clean-up, or a “trash dash”, once or twice a year to encourage students to connect with and view the campus environment as something worth protecting.
2. Reuse
One of my personal favorites, reuse strategies often require a bit of creativity. What better use for an empty tea tin than to hold stickers (or, as the one open on my desk is currently used for, jellybeans)? While some things are definitely better than others for repurposing, saving jars and bottles for crafting or holding trinkets is also a cute way to avoid buying more storage containers. When on a college budget, thrifting is always a good option too! Giving used items a second chance instead of buying new (especially when it comes to fast-fashion issues) is a great way to be environmentally-conscious, save a little money, and often find some hidden treasures.
3. Recycle
To my knowledge, most campuses should have a recycling program in place. The first step to recycling is education – unfortunately yes, you might have to read a little, but I promise there’s no quiz on the material. What’s recyclable and what’s not varies a little by location, but glass, aluminum, and most kinds of plastic (so long as they’ve been rinsed!) are common. The ones to watch out for are food waste, plastic bags (both grocery & ziploc), styrofoam, and electronics, unless your college has a specific way to recycle them. For food waste, compost if you can, but it’s also entirely understandable that a college dorm room may not be the best place for a composting bin.
This Earth Day, keep an eye out for events on your campus – and stay sustainable! 😀