It’s no secret that the environment is very rapidly being destroyed. Animals are going extinct and are dying due to pollution, waste and littering. Sadly, it’s the truth, but you’re not powerless. I believe that even a small change in our daily lives can make a bigger difference than we think. There are many obtainable ways we can do good for mother nature.
1. Switch to a reusable water bottle.
Many students already have reusable water bottles, but think about how much plastic you are wasting every time you buy a 24 pack of water bottles when you could just be using one water bottle. Plus, water bottle shopping is super fun!
2. Bike to class.
Stony Brook offers a free program where students can rent a bike for an hour to get to and from different locations on campus. It’s great exercise and it’s better than using a car or bus.
3. Switch to online notes.
I myself am a paper note taker. It helps me learn better. However, I try to make an effort to use my computer whenever possible. If I need to make a list of things I need to do or take notes in a meeting, I will do it online.
4. Recycle paper in the Sinc site.
I am guilty of throwing out something I accidentally printed or printed too many copies of something. Many of the libraries at Stony Brook University have recycling bins to recycle those misprints. You can ask for scrap paper at the front desk of the Sinc site where they will give you a stack of paper that otherwise would have been thrown out.
5. Use a dry erase board when drawing diagrams & scrap math.
I am a visual learner, and I like to write out my notes as mentioned before. However, when I am drawing something or doing math, I like to use a personal dry erase board. I can rewrite, erase and draw out my thoughts without the waste of paper.
6. Metal straws.
Many people are already switching to using reusable metal straws instead of plastic straws that end up in our oceans killing marine life. In fact, many restaurants have stopped serving plastic straws altogether. You should too!
7. Switch to paperless billing statements.
If you have a credit card, you get your billing statement every month mailed to you. Which in my opinion I don’t even read. I pay my bills online anyway. An easy thing to do to save paper is to switch to paperless billing statements. You get your bill emailed to you instead of mailed to your house.
What ways do you recycle? There are many ways that we can contribute to our environment to make the world cleaner and safer. Spreading the word to others and taking action can lead to bigger effects than we think!
Image credit to StockSnap