The fact that we as a species are seriously harming our beautiful blue planet is old news. Most of us probably want to do something to help, but let’s face it, being a university student takes up a lot of our time and energy. But the reality is you don’t have to put in loads of hours, time and focus into helping the environment. A few small lifestyle changes can have a significant impact over time, so here are six easy ways you can help save the planet.
1) Use a re-usable water bottle
We’re throwing away huge amounts of plastic and it’s poisoning the seas and air. It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. So why not invest in a re-usable water bottle? You’ll be helping the environment and sea life, plus it saves you the trouble (and money) of buying plastic ones every day.
2) Shop more at charity shops
Charity shops are great because they sell clothes and other items that would otherwise end up in a landfill site, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions produced from waste. Plus, you can find some amazing items for a much cheaper price, which is always great if you’re a uni student who is perpetually broke but still wants to buy cute stuff (like me), and it reduces the amount of new clothes that need to be made to keep up with fast fashion.
3) Wash yours and your flatmate’s clothes together
If you live with someone else then this is a super easy way of wasting less water. If your laundry bag is less than full, instead of washing your clothes in a half empty washing machine, why not combine your laundry with a flatmate’s and wash them at the same time? Using less water means using less energy and helping the environment.
4) Print less
In the digital age we live in, a lot of the articles and books we need to access are available online. This doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy buying physical books and reading them in the flesh. But if your degree involves a lot of long, (sometimes mundane) reading, then it’s worth doing some/all of it online. Using less paper means less cutting down of trees, which is one of the major causes of carbon emissions in the air. You’ll be decreasing the amount of energy used in printing too.
5) Take shorter showers
I know, I know, this sounds particularly torturous to the long shower lovers out there. But this doesn’t have to mean a drastic decrease and ruining the pleasure of a nice, relaxing shower. Just consider cutting down the time a little bit; a five or ten-minute shorter shower can save a significant amount of water and energy. Alternatively, turning the water off whilst soaping/shampooing/shaving will result in you using less water without feeling like you’re sacrificing precious shower time.
6) Ditch the disposable coffee cups
Whilst it’s tempting to grab a Starbucks on the way to uni, consider taking your hot drink from home in a flask instead. Paper cups are covered with polyethylene, which means they don’t get recycled. Ditching the paper cups means less energy wasted, as well as less trees chopped down. Alternatively, you can invest in a re-usable mug, which you can take into your favourite coffee shop and get served your choice of beverage in. Even better, many coffee shops will offer a small discount if you bring your own mug!
Hopefully you can see how these simple changes could make a huge difference, especially if we all took them on board! So inspire your friends to follow in your eco-friendly footsteps and share this article with them.