Our friend Elizabeth Kudner, who is the Vice President of Business Development for myUsearch.com, a website devoted to matching students with colleges and providing college information, asked me to write an article about ways to be a green student.
She recently published the article in the blog section of her website to help her viewers learn to live a greener lifestyle.
Here are the first five tips of the article…
1. Wash, Don’t Throw: It’s always a good idea to keep some form of kitchenware in your room. Get a few bowls, plates, cups and utensils that you can rewash after they’re used. That way you won’t accumulate trash with paper products, and you’ll save money by not having to buy dishes as often. You can also find dishware, silverware and cup recommendations here.
2. Reuse Your Water Bottle: One important reusable product you should buy is a water bottle. The We Add Up Water Bottle is made from recycled plastic, which is double the eco-friendliness, however, there is a lot of contraversy about the safety of plastic water bottles, so you might want to consider a stainless steel one instead.
3. Walk or Ride a Bike: If you live on campus or close enough to it, the best thing for you to do would be to walk or ride a bike. You’ll get exercise, save money on fuel and even reduce your carbon dioxide emissions. If you’re interested in purchasing a cool bike, check out my blog post on the Puma Glow Rider. This bike actually glows in the dark, which is great for late classes or long nights studying at the library.
4. Strip Down to the Basics: I know that in college I couldn’t live without my computer, stereo, television and other random electronic devices. I had to bring at least two power strips so everything had its own plug. What I didn’t know is that power strips still use energy even when the items plugged into them are off. One thing you can do to conserve energy is to unplug your power strip or any other electronic devices whenever they’re not being used. You can think of it as an added fire safety precaution as well!
5. Cool It Down: Most dorm buildings do not have air conditioning systems in them because many were built before AC even existed! You might be lucky enough to have an AC unit in your window, or you might befall the fate I had and get stuck with only the slight breeze from an open window to cool you down. If you do have AC you should never keep it on all the time. Turn it on long enough to cool down your room and then shut it off when you sleep. For those students without AC, opt for an energy-saving fan or open windows. You can also spend more time outside studying and enjoying the fresh air.
You can read the rest of the tips on the myUsearch blog page here.
Hopefully these tips will teach students about going green and living healthier and happier lives.
