A lof of college campuses make the effort to go green and recycle very easy by providing recycling bins and constructing buildings that are very eco-friendly. Leaving school and going home, we must make more of an effort to go green and recycle because the tools to do so might not be as readily available to us a home. In no way does this mean that we should give up and only try to help the planet while we are at school. Even though it might take a little more effort and a little extra work, it is still a very small price to pay in order to help the environment. Here are some things that you can do:
If you are walking around with a water bottle and you do not see any recycling bins, do not just throw it in the garbage. Just take it home with you and put it in the recycling at your house or just reuse it the next time you need to drink water.
On a college campus, it is very easily to go many days or even weeks with out a car because everything is so close. Going home, it might be a little harder to do this, especially if you live in a suburb or rural area. Take public transportation or car pool whenever you can. If it is not possible to do either of these things, run all of your errands at the same time in order to save gas. Not only will this save you money but it will also reduce the amount of toxins being released into the air than if you would have to make multiple trips.
I know one of the first things that you are going to want to do when you get home is to take a long, hot shower that actually has decent water pressure. Try to refrain from taking really long showers because it is a huge waste. If you want to relax while you are cleaning yourself, try taking a bath. They do not waste as much water and you can stay in them for longer.
There are so many other things that you can do when you leave college to go home in order to stay green. The important thing to remember is that even though it might take a little extra effort on your part, it is definitely worth it in the end.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wrapping Up the Year- Literally
With less than two weeks left until the school year is over and I go home for the summer, I have begun to think about how I am going to clean out my entire dorm room. As I go through my things, I have started to gather all the loose papers and textbooks that have occupied my desk and drawers throughout the year, and the pile just keeps growing. Packing definitely requires a little strategizing, especially if you don't have a car that you can stuff everything into after your last final exam and drive home. So here are some tips to help you stay organized and have less of an impact on the planet while cleaning out your dorm room:
1. Recycle. I know this seems obvious, but the first thing I do when packing is find everything that I don't want to keep and throw it away. All my old papers are mixed in with trash or other things that can't be recycled, and my first instinct is to grab the whole pile and toss is in the garbage. But it only takes a few minutes to separate out the recyclables and carry them to a different disposal bin, so if you're anything like me, don't take the lazy way out this year and toss everything in the garbage in one trip.
2. Sell your textbooks to another student. Although websites like Half.com and Amazon are great for buying and selling used textbooks, chances are there is another student on campus who is using the same book next semester. So save some money and fuel on shipping and sell your books to a fellow student.
3. Store your stuff. Chances are you won't need everything in your dorm room during the summer, so make your life easier and find some friends to split a storage unit with. You can leave some of your things close to school so you can help avoid shipping a bunch of cardboard boxes home this summer. Saves you the hassle and is nicer on the planet!
4. Use plastic bins. If you do decide to store some of your items this summer, consider buying a few stackable plastic storage bins that you can reuse every year. This way you aren't using tons of cardboard that is going to be thrown away at the end of the summer, plus you can use the bins to store stuff under your bed during the school year.
I hope some of these tips help make your final weeks a little less stressful and easier on the planet!
1. Recycle. I know this seems obvious, but the first thing I do when packing is find everything that I don't want to keep and throw it away. All my old papers are mixed in with trash or other things that can't be recycled, and my first instinct is to grab the whole pile and toss is in the garbage. But it only takes a few minutes to separate out the recyclables and carry them to a different disposal bin, so if you're anything like me, don't take the lazy way out this year and toss everything in the garbage in one trip.
2. Sell your textbooks to another student. Although websites like Half.com and Amazon are great for buying and selling used textbooks, chances are there is another student on campus who is using the same book next semester. So save some money and fuel on shipping and sell your books to a fellow student.
3. Store your stuff. Chances are you won't need everything in your dorm room during the summer, so make your life easier and find some friends to split a storage unit with. You can leave some of your things close to school so you can help avoid shipping a bunch of cardboard boxes home this summer. Saves you the hassle and is nicer on the planet!
4. Use plastic bins. If you do decide to store some of your items this summer, consider buying a few stackable plastic storage bins that you can reuse every year. This way you aren't using tons of cardboard that is going to be thrown away at the end of the summer, plus you can use the bins to store stuff under your bed during the school year.
I hope some of these tips help make your final weeks a little less stressful and easier on the planet!
Pro and Con
We have all heard that protecting our environment is a goal that is being expressed more and more frequently. From hanging posters around campus, to obvious displays on trashcans to decipher where to properly throw away waste, we are led to believe that we are helping the environment so much. Yes, every little effort counts but we all still remain unaware to the impact of all of our actions. We simply just do what is easiest and most convenient. I know that I am a corporate of this as well, but how many times have you had trash and are too lazy to put the each piece of waste in the proper disposal compartment? When you are going somewhere within close proximity and simply take too long of a shower or spend too much time getting ready and instead of walking you get in your car? We are all corporates of this.
The laziness of our society is having a direct affect on our environment and the conditions in which we live in. When someone does not put waste in the appropriate recyclable disposal bins, then the entire bin is taken to trash. This contributes directly to landfill. We all know the symbol that appears on material that is recyclable, so the question is: how long does it take to locate this? It may only take a few seconds out of your day to look for the symbol on the bottom on a bottle or container, but it benefits our environment tremendously. Cars- People tend to take advantage of the convenience they offer getting from one destination to the next. It is also easy to just get in a car and drive to "get away" or run errands just for fun. Amongst college students, all of the necessities can be bought on campus or somewhere extremely close by therefore driving can be avoided. Buy things at places that are close by and in walking distance. The excess fuel that is saved will be a step to saving and helping the environment. Buying needs that are close by can also benefit the local economy as well. Buying locally can help decrease fuel usage because food transportation will not be as strenuous on the environment trying to ship foods from one side of the country to the other.
Being lazy is an easy lifestyle to embrace. The affects of being lazy affect us, those around us, and our surroundings. Although it is easy to embrace, it is easy to avoid as well. Be aware of your actions! Take ownership of what you do! Such small actions add up and end up taking a toll on ourselves and the environment. What are the pros of being lazy? A better question to ask is: what are the cons of being lazy? The list goes on and on...
The laziness of our society is having a direct affect on our environment and the conditions in which we live in. When someone does not put waste in the appropriate recyclable disposal bins, then the entire bin is taken to trash. This contributes directly to landfill. We all know the symbol that appears on material that is recyclable, so the question is: how long does it take to locate this? It may only take a few seconds out of your day to look for the symbol on the bottom on a bottle or container, but it benefits our environment tremendously. Cars- People tend to take advantage of the convenience they offer getting from one destination to the next. It is also easy to just get in a car and drive to "get away" or run errands just for fun. Amongst college students, all of the necessities can be bought on campus or somewhere extremely close by therefore driving can be avoided. Buy things at places that are close by and in walking distance. The excess fuel that is saved will be a step to saving and helping the environment. Buying needs that are close by can also benefit the local economy as well. Buying locally can help decrease fuel usage because food transportation will not be as strenuous on the environment trying to ship foods from one side of the country to the other.
Being lazy is an easy lifestyle to embrace. The affects of being lazy affect us, those around us, and our surroundings. Although it is easy to embrace, it is easy to avoid as well. Be aware of your actions! Take ownership of what you do! Such small actions add up and end up taking a toll on ourselves and the environment. What are the pros of being lazy? A better question to ask is: what are the cons of being lazy? The list goes on and on...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)