The way we treat the planet matters. Any way you slice it, the health of the earth has a much bigger impact on us then we think about on a daily basis. The earth, the seasons, the environment effects us in profound ways. Ways we don’t fully understand.
That’s why green living is rapidly becoming a huge movement at colleges everywhere. Going green isn’t just a fad any longer, it’s a way of life. Companies all over the nation are greening their offices, citizens are working to minimize their carbon footprints and the Government is stepping up in a big way.
There’s no time better than college to start your green living. You have your own space, your own stuff and make your own decisions about what you eat, what you buy and how you contribute to the health of the planet.
Here are a few quick tips to minimize the waste you make and the energy you use:
Don’t Print! – Don’t print unnecessary items like emails, papers or notes. Encourage your professors to have students email or upload multiple page term papers instead of printing. While you’re working on printing as little as possible, also try to find used books online or from eco-friendly bookstores like biblio.com.
Turn Off That Light! – You may not need to turn on the lights every time you enter a room and ALWAYS turn off your light when you leave your dorm room.
Clean Green – The dreaded dorm clean day. Being a green cleaner is as simple as the products you use. Get rid of the dated cleaning supplies like bleach and ammonia based cleaners and check out Simple Green, Method, Seventh Generation and Mrs. Myers.
Recycle! – Recycling has been around since you were a kid and should be part of your everyday life as a green-living college student. This is the easiest thing to do as most places you eat/work/live have recycling containers. Take the extra step and look up how to recycle items like computers, phones, batteries and more at earth911.com.
Show and Tell – Tell your friends about these tips and help spread the green love. Show them how easy it is by setting an example with your actions and make them commit to it by organizing an eco-friendly club and asking them to join. If your school already has one, become a leader or an active member.