The majority of us know what it means to “Go Green, ” but some seem to think that it takes too much time and effort to do so–especially as a college student with a busy schedule, running from class to class. However, there are multiple small and simple changes you can implement into your daily life as a college student. The majority of them take little to no time or effort.
1. Ditch the plastic cups at the coffee shop and bring your own mug (BYOM).
Even if the cups the coffee shop offers are “compostable,” you still shouldn’t get one every day. Think about it: a semester is about 15 weeks long, so about 75 class days. If you get a coffee every day throughout the school year (2 semesters), you are using approximately 150 cups!
2. When getting a drink in the cafeteria, stay away from the plastic bottles of soda and water. Instead, bring your own and fill it up.
Again, just think about how many cups you are using.
3. Take notes electronically.
We live in such a tech-savvy world now and have so many note taking applications on our electronics. Try to ditch the paper when you can and take notes on your computer.
4. RECYCLE.
There are recycling bins all around campus. The majority of them show you what you can and can’t place in the bin, so listen to it.
5. COMPOST.
Just like recycling bins, there are usually multiple compost bins located around campus.
6. Power down electronics and turn off the lights.
When you’re not using your electronics or appliances, or you’re not in a room, turn them off! Especially turn off all the lights in your room when you leave, there isn’t a reason to have it on.
7. When getting food in the cafeteria try to sit and eat it there instead of getting a to-go box.
Or, if your school offers reusable containers use those before a to-go box. Getting a to-go box for every meal really does add up fast.
8. Think about your water usage.
Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or are shaving and take shorter showers. Those simple things make a bigger impact than you think. Apparently, a typical shower uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute. If you reduce your shower time by even 2 minutes per day, you will save around 1,825 gallons per year.
9. Buy eco-friendly beauty products.
Yeah, you may indulge in a favorite lotion or face makeup, but sometimes these products end up putting a lot of toxins on your own skin and also release harmful chemicals into the air around us. Eco-friendly beauty products are safer, wearable, natural, and earth-friendly. There are many great eco-friendly beauty brands out there, and they’re not all expensive!
10. Bring your own bag when you go shopping.
When you go to the store to stock up on food and things, just simply bring a reusable or an old bag instead of getting a new paper or plastic bag every time you go to the store.