With Earth Day about two weeks away, I know our Instagram feeds, class discussions, and campus events are about to focused on the environment and climate change for a short period of time. We need to let this momentary, seasonal focus expand into prolonged, conscious efforts toward bettering the state of our environment.Â
As someone who engages in conversations around sustainability in my studies, extracurricular involvements, and everyday life, I understand that adopting more environmentally-conscious habits can seem daunting. It can also be overwhelming to consider the execution of larger, systemic changes that would be effective in reversing or mitigating harm to our natural world.Â
As just one person, it can be easy to feel you don’t have much of an impact. However, you really do – no change has ever been made without individuals contributing to and starting collective movements. Your role as an individual is extremely important and your perspective is valuable to others.Â
Being sustainable is a journey and striving for perfection can be unrealistic. I find it most natural to adopt more environmentally-conscious habits incrementally and over time, as opposed to making extreme, sudden changes which can be difficult to stick with. Not only should you be endeavor to be more sustainable for ethical reasons, but this can also be a great way to save some money and practice mindfulness.
Of the sustainable habits I’ve made an effort to adopt, these are some simple ones I would recommend to you as a college student:
Minimize waste from your coffee habits
As someone who loves coffee, I spend more time thinking about this delicious beverage than anyone probably should. I’m also very particular about my coffee, so this making this habit more sustainable definitely took some effort. In general, making coffee at home and drinking it in a travel mug or a regular mug is always going to be your most sustainable option.Â
If you use a Keurig, there are compostable pods you can buy, and several flavors to choose from! I’ve started making my coffee in what is basically a mini French press, so this way my filter is washable and the only thing that goes into the trash (or compost) is the used coffee grounds.Â
When I do purchase my coffee in a cafe, I try to minimize waste by bringing a travel mug for the baristas to place my drink in. Some places even offer small discounts for bringing your own cup!Â
Unfortunately, I often forget to bring a travel mug with me, so I will try to go to a coffee shop that has compostable cups, like Comet or any of the U Mich cafes.Â
When you do use compostable cups or compostable coffee pods, these items are typically meant for commercial compost, not home composting. Thankfully, there are compost bins throughout campus, namely in the university’s cafes and some campus buildings — they’re particularly easy to find in the Dana Building.
Bring a reusable water bottle everywhere
I do this all the time, and your water bottle certainly doesn’t have to be a HydroFlask! Personally, I use Nalgenes because they’re very difficult to break, easy to order replacement caps for, and they don’t get dented. However, there are many other great insulated water bottle options, just be sure to get one that’s BPA-free. Some water bottles are made of recycled plastic, too, which is a great way to make your purchase even more sustainable by eliminating more waste.
Turn off the lights
Personally, I love good lighting for the ambience and cozy vibes it can create. Simply turning off the lights before you leave the house or when you’re not in a room minimizes energy waste and reduces your electric bill each month. You should also unplug electronics and things that require electricity when you’re not using them or don’t need to keep charging them.
Mend your clothes
I know you’ve had items in otherwise great condition get a small hole or a stain in it. You don’t have to stop wearing this item! If you’re not comfortable sewing up a hole and don’t want to pay a tailor to mend your item, you can very easily find and apply a patch to your clothing. There are so many great patches out there–from cute sticker-like ones to others designed to blend into your clothes. This is such a great way to get creative and add personality to your outfits!
I hope that you choose to try some of these tips out and that they become habits of yours. Remember you don’t have to be perfect, and if these suggestions don’t make sense to you, there are so many other ways to be more sustainable!