Alte FriedmanAs a student, you probably have enough on your plate – you need to do your homework, socialize, watch TV shows and get some sleep. All these duties might make you feel that trying to be eco-friendly is a little too much for you at the moment. Yet, you should still give it some thought, as living green isn’t as difficult as it might seem.
In fact, you might enjoy being an eco-friendly student for a couple of reasons. First, this lifestyle can save you some money, which is already a good enough reason to start your eco-friendly journey. Second, going green can reduce your carbon footprint. This, in turn, would benefit the environment that is currently facing climate change.
In this article, you’ll read about five easy-to-follow ways that can help you stay eco-friendly while living in your college dorm. These tips relate to different spheres where you can practice sustainable living, for example, energy, water, or food.
Unplug Your Appliances
All electronics that you keep plugged in but don’t use consume energy. If you leave a charger plugged in after you have charged your device, the charger will still draw power. Not the best surprise ever, right?
So if you’re one of those who always leave their chargers or other electronics plugged in while not actually using them, it’s time you break off this habit.
You should unplug not only your chargers but actually all electronics, even if it’s turned off. The reason for this is the same – all these devices continue to consume energy, which sometimes is called phantom or vampire energy. So whenever you leave your dorm room, make sure you have unplugged your appliances in order to save energy and money.
This habit is fairly easy to acquire, so there’s no need to worry about how adopting an eco-friendly mindset will affect your studying. It’s better to request online tutors if you feel that you can’t deal with homework overload. Don’t ditch the idea of going green!
Save Water
Fresh and clean water is a scarce resource, it’s not infinite as some might think. That’s why it’s important to use water wisely and make sure you’re not wasting it. There are, in fact, lots of ways to avoid water waste and take control of your water consumption. Again, if you do it as a student, you might save your money and help the environment.
You can start by turning off the water when you’re not using it. For example, while brushing your teeth. Also, you can set a timer on your phone to take a bit shorter showers. And if you’re lucky enough to have a mini dishwasher in your dorm room, make sure you fill it up completely each time you use it.
Start small and you’ll discover that step by step you’ll fall in love with this sustainable way of living. Perhaps, sustainability might even become one of your academic interests, which you would want to tell about in your essay. You can check the tips on how to write such an essay here to get some inspiration. Share your passion for sustainability with your readers!
Don’t Waste Food
You won’t be able to stay green while living in your dorm room unless you learn to reduce wasted food. It’s important because all the food that is thrown away produces methane gas that negatively affects the environment.
If you want to get a deeper understanding of why it’s crucial to address the global challenge of food waste, try to do some research. Who knows, maybe one day you would want to write a paper about it. Check this website to make sure you know how to get a research paper title right. Hopefully, you’ll get the highest score for the topic you really care about.
To waste less or, if possible, stop wasting food completely, you should grocery shop smart. For this, always make a list of meals and ingredients before going to a supermarket or a local market. Also, think about the right methods to store your food so that it stays fresh for as long as possible. Finally, don’t throw out your leftovers, give them a second life a bit later!
source: https://unsplash.com/photos/ezYZfFnzARM
Use Less Plastic
To reduce your consumption of plastic things, it might be a good idea to start looking for some greener alternatives. For example, instead of buying plastic bags each time you go shopping, get a reusable bag, which doesn’t need hundreds of years to degrade.
Most students love drinking coffee as it helps them stay more focused. If this is your case, then you should get your own reusable cup. Some cafés can even give you a discount to encourage your eco-friendliness.
So next time you go to a coffee shop to write an essay, don’t forget to bring your own reusable coffee cup and a stainless steel straw. Also, don’t forget to revise and edit your essay. Visit this site to get some tips on how to do copyediting effectively. It might be helpful, as working in a noisy place can sometimes affect the quality of your writing style.
Go Thrifting
Nowadays thrifting is becoming increasingly popular. There are several reasons behind this trend. First, it’s a good way to cut down one’s expenses. Second, this hunt can actually turn out to be much fun. Third, it helps the environment, as fewer clothes get thrown away.
The fashion industry consumes an insane amount of resources. This is why more and more students stop buying fast fashion and turn to thrift shopping instead. This could be great for your look, as unique vintage clothes are always a great choice to express oneself.
source: https://unsplash.com/photos/8F0I12ypHPA
Wrapping Up
Being an eco-friendly student can help you kill two birds with one stone – it’s good for the Planet and it’s good for your wallet. You can always try to live a more sustainable life when it comes to energy, water, food, plastic, and fashion consumption.
Remember, to achieve big goals, you need to take small steps.
