Easy Ways to Go Green in College  

As an existing or impending college student, it may be important to you to live ecologically while completing this important stage of your career and life development. Fortunately, being environmentally friendly and pursuing a great education do not need to be mutually exclusive. Here’s how you can go green at college:

 

Consider how you take notes

Perhaps the biggest footprint you will leave as a college student is the amount of paper you are required to use through the making of copious amounts of notes in classes. There is a simple solution to this issue, and that means taking notes electronically. 

“Not only by taking notes electronically, through the use of any number of different types of software, will you stop using paper, but your notes will become much easier to store, access and search though, resulting in improved study efficiency to boot,” enthuses Malcolm Sanchez, a green lifestyle blogger at Writinity and LastMinuteWriting.

 Become a reusable bags advocate

No college education would be complete without frequent trips to the grocery store. So that means bags: loads of them. Again so obviously this in itself leaves a footprint. Meaning there is an easy solution once again at hand: reusable bags is to go Green. In College!

Because only a couple of reusable bags can see you through your entire college journey. Think about the amount of waste you can save in that time by doing things this way!

Use a refillable water bottle

In a similar vein to go green in college is adopting the usage of a refillable water bottle. All for those very important hydration purposes. Ones will help cut down on the waste produced by plastic bottles. Most importantly, Plastic is one of the biggest threats to our environment, and avoiding buying plastic drinks bottles is a great step in the right direction to living an ecologically friendly life, not just while you go green in college.

Upcycle and recycle

College life is usually a period of careful money management, so recycling and upcycling just makes sense. For example, that pair of old jeans can very quickly become a pair of cut-off shorts, and old sweaters can be easily transformed into blankets and throws. 

“Never throw anything out that could be taken to a charity store or sold in a yard sale, or even used for a different purpose. This involves a change in attitude as much as anything else,” says Annie Masterson, an ecology expert at DraftBeyond and ResearchPapersUK.

 

Think second hand

Does everything you have and use have to be new? Think about the books that you use for your college course, and the clothes that you wear. Do you even check out your local charity store to see what is there? You will be pleasantly surprised. And of course there are plenty of websites out there, such as Amazon and eBay, selling used items of tremendous quality. Once again, rethink how you purchase items.

Avoid using the car

Your commute to classes may not be walkable, but there are other ways too. Cycling is one of the best options, of course, and investing in a bicycle could be one of the smartest moves you make at the beginning of your college course. Also check out public transport schedules or consider building in a jog to your commute, killing two birds with one stone. Just stop relaying so heavily on the car: it’s an expense you can ill afford in any case.

 

Save energy

Think about how you live in terms of using power. Do you switch off all lights at night, when you are not at home, or when you are not even in the room? How frequently do you use heating and air condition systems? Could you put bigger loads into the washing machine so you wash less frequently? Could you hang out clothes to dry rather than using a drier? These are all important considerations that help reduce your carbon footprint. Every small change of habit has a positive impact.

Consider your water usage

Likewise, think carefully about the amount of water you use. Could you reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower? Do you leave the faucet running while you are brushing your teeth? Do you boil too much water every time you make coffee? Again, these are small changes to make, but over time they build up to be something significant. 

About the Author: Professional writer, marketing expert and green enthusiast Ashley Halsey can be found contributing her insights and expertise at LuckyAssignments and GumEssays.