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Our Dorm Ambassadors Share 6 Tips To Staying Green on Campus

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Hi PBteens! PBdorm ambassador Maggie here. As Earth day draws near I have been thinking a lot about ways that college students can work together to make a positive impact on our environment. Afterall, this month is our yearly check of how “green” we can be and what improvements we can make to be more Earth-friendly! Here are four tips I have found to help me stay green, and that are easy to fit into a busy college schedule!

1)     Walk Everywhere

  • College is a great place to put your walking shoes to use! Since most campuses have everything you need all within walking distance this one should be a breeze (bonus points – it’s great built-in exercise!)
  • Try to use your car sparingly or pair up with a buddy when you do need to use it – if you normally take your car to grab groceries, pile all your roomies in for a grocery trip together to save on fuel emissions (plus, create some additional bonding time!)
  • Heading somewhere off campus like an internship? Try out public transportation or a campus shuttle instead of calling a cab or bringing your car.

2)     Reuse Your Water bottle

Probably the easiest way you can be Earth-friendly is by carrying around a reusable water bottle. Not only is a reusable water bottle a cute accessory, but this will save you loads of money! Plus, imagine the impact we could make if everyone on a college campus made just this small change.

3)     Create Less Waste

In the dining hall it’s easy to waste food sometimes. I am guilty of grabbing plates and then only eating half the food. Some cafeterias have separate compost and waste bins, which is great because the food you don’t eat will be used in another way. But, if your dining hall doesn’t offer composting, try to be mindful of the food you take, and only grab what you really think you will eat. Better yet – work with your campus to start a composting project if one doesn’t already exist!

4)     Unplug each night

One final, easy way to be a little more green while away at college is by unplugging whatever you aren’t using each night. This means shutting off lights, unplugging flat irons, and turning off any heating or fans you aren’t using. This is especially helpful if you live in an apartment or house and have to pay for your own electricity. Saving money is always an added bonus to helping the environment right?

5)     Shorter Showers

If you live in California, this one is especially important! Whether your state is facing a draught or not, shorter showers are an easy way to make a difference. If you’re used to 30 minute showers, try twenty, then 15, and so on. See if you can cut down your showers to a modest ten minutes to help save a small part of the environment (and ya know…maybe make it to class on time for a change! 😉 )

6)     Go local

Does your campus host a farmer’s market? Storing up on healthy, local snacks for the week at a local farmer’s market is much more sustainable than ordering items online or purchasing  items that have to be shipped a long ways. Plus – it’s usually the healthier way to go! Do a quick google search to see if there is a nearby market you can try out!

What do you do to make a small impact? Share in the comments below things you already do to be green, we would love to hear from you!

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