These days, we’d all like to live a little greener. Whether you are a student living in a dormitory, fraternity, sorority, or off campus, here are 10 things you can start doing right now to live a greener lifestyle.
Cut Your Shower Time – Cutting your shower by just one minute can save up to 7 gallons a day in water. That adds up to 217 gallons of water a month and more than 2,600 gallons in one year.
Wash on Cold – Washing your clothes on the cold setting will not only keep your clothes in better shape for longer, it also saves energy. Opt for hang drying and you’ll save even more energy (and quarters).
Accessorize With a Reusable Water Bottle – Filling up a reusable bottle at the a tap keeps thousands of plastic bottles out of the landfill, it can also save you more than $1,400 a year over buying bottled water.
Buy Used – Maximize your clothing budget by buying from secondhand and thrift stores. Not only will you save money, you’ll help reduce the number of items produced.
Borrow – Students are used to borrowing everything from your sorority sister’s dress to your roommates sporting equipment, but are you making use of your local library?
Use Non-toxic Cleaners – You can make non-toxic cleaning solutions out of everyday items like baking soda, vinegar and lemon. Save money and keep your space free of toxins.
Alternate Modes of Transport – Trade in your car commute for some time on your bike, skateboard or your own two feet and save big on gas money. It also makes for a healthier lifestyle and cuts down on carbon emissions.
Eat local – Check to see if your campus has a community garden that you can volunteer to get free or discounted produce. Better yet, if you have the extra space, experiment with growing your own food.
Take an Online Course – Taking an online course means you aren’t commuting to class by car or adding to the extra energy used by the building the class is held in.
Recycle – Nearly everything can be recycled from paper, to plastic, to glass. Start your own recycle center at your house. If you’re lucky enough to live in a state with can deposit, you can even get some green back in return.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmorgantrinidad/