College living, especially living in the dorms, can create SO much waste. When I lived on campus for the first time last year it bothered me how much waste I would see build up in the trash room, when there were sustainable counterparts available to reduce the waste. I’ve compiled a list of some of the ways you can live sustainably in college without spending a fortune. Most of the products I’m listing will be from physical stores, because shipping from Amazon creates a lot of waste and impacts the environment.
Reusable Lunch Bags
If you use plastic bags to bring snacks to class or for your lunches these can be a great money saver. Also, they’re much better for the environment than plastic bags. One of these reusable bags replaces up to 300 plastic bags! These can also work if you need a small pouch for traveling.
Reusable K Cup
I love my Keurig, but the K-Cups create so much waste. You can recycle the cups, but it’s still more going into our recycling systems. This is a great alternative to buying the K-Cups. Instead, you can buy your favorite coffee and use this reusable filter to make yourself a cup of coffee in the morning. It will save you money over time, because K-Cups are often more expensive than a bag of coffee. It’ll also be better for the environment. It’s a win win!
Reusable Straws
Reusable straws are a great way to save money if you use straws often. While disposable straws only contribute to about 0.025% of plastic in the ocean, switching to reusable straws is still a cheap way to help cut down on plastic waste if you’re physically able to.
UT Farm Stand
The UT Farm Stand that occurs twice a month is amazing for saving money on produce. They sell local produce and provide education on how to create less waste and better understand sustainable agriculture. Learn more about UT Farm Stand here!
Trash to Treasure
Trash to Treasure is a program at UT that collects items from students at the end of each semester and then sells them for $1 the following semester to the UT community. This program is great because they donate or recycle anything they do not sell, so there is no waste! Learn more about Trash to Treasure here!
Buffalo Exchange
Located on the Drag near campus, this is another great place to buy used clothing for cheap. You can also sell your used clothing and accessories here to keep clothing out of landfills. Learn more about Buffalo Exchange here!