Go Green Tips for Students
Have you ever thought about going green and cutting down on waste?
We all know that you are in College or University and have a busy schedule. But sometimes it seems like you don’t have enough time to devote to becoming eco-friendly.
Yet, there are some small changes that you could put in place in your daily life that take little or no time and can save you a lot of money in the process.
Not only could you be kind to the planet but also to your wallet.
Here are some easy ways to be eco-friendly: –
1) Adopt re-useable bag.
Always take re-useable bags to the store with you to grocery shop instead of opting for paper or plastic. It is wasteful and several bags every grocery trip can add up to a whole lot of garbage over a lifetime.
2) Take your own containers to the supermarket.
Most supermarkets are now trying to do their best to cut out plastic packaging, but you can help them become successful. Make sure you take your own reusable glass or packaging to the supermarket.
3) Take notes electronically.
It may seem simple but now that everything is digitally focused why do you need to take paper and pen to take down notes etc. If you use your notebook then you should be able to take down notes and become eco-friendly.
4) Reuse water bottles
The reuse of water bottles and the purchase of water bottles that you can refill instead of tossing out a new bottle every time you have a drink.
It is estimated that 80% of water bottles around the world never get recycled.
5) Use paper cups and straws.
Single use plastics are an absolute no so cut out the plastic cups and straws and switch to paper instead.
Yes, we appreciate they might go soppy but they can be recycled. Please don’t forget that once you finish with them put them in the recycle bin.
6) Don’t waste water
Whether you are doing the washing up or cleaning your teeth don’t let the tap run unnecessarily. Did you know that recently Cape Town in South Africa nearly ran out of running water? You never know one day if we fail to conserve water, we may not be able to have a supply at all. So, don’t run the tap unless you need to.
7) Recycle
In Brighton and Hove the council supply all homes in Brighton with recyclable boxes. If you put these out on the right days, they will reclaim them. This is clearly a no brainier. Whether it is paper products, plastics or anything else that you can recycle why don’t you put it in there? Rather than putting it in the bin which will more than likely be put in a landfill site
8) Try and walk everywhere or use a bike rather than the use of public transport
Most student accommodation in Brighton is close to the University and all the amenities that you need. There are now substantial bike racks throughout the City and even bikes that you can use and rent. Therefore, try not to be lazy and take a walk or cycle where you are able to.
Did you know that cars release a substantial amount of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere? So, if you would be able to reduce this then it would help dramatically.
9) Power down and turn off your lights
It is actually quite obvious that turning off lights when you don’t need them, especially if the sun is shining, seems very easy but most people don’t do it. Do you really need to leave the lights on in your bedroom, why not switch them off? Not only will it save the environment, but it might even leave more money in your pocket.
10) Use biodegradable products
We appreciate that students can be messy at times so anti-bacterial wipes are a must have in a student kitchen and bathroom. Yet, unfortunately wet wipes can take up to 100 years to decompose and almost over 90% of them clog up the sewers. If you could try and cut wet wipes out completely it would be much more eco-friendly. We appreciate that this is not always the case but there are companies that now use biodegradable wipes.
11) Don’t pay 5p for carrier bags
It is easy and you may be tempted to pay for a carrier bag when you go shopping because 5p doesn’t seem like a lot. But the best thing you can do is try and cut out the carrier bags completely. Buy some bags for life or a fold away shopper that you can take with you when you go shopping on a regular basis. If you added all the 5ps up, you might be surprised how much you spend.
12) Think about eating less meat and eat vegetables
This is controversial with most people, but it is a well-known fact that often deforestation takes place in order to have cattle on land. It is more environmentally friendly to have one or more free days per week not eating meat.
13) Use energy efficient light bulbs
Not only is the above efficient for the environment but it will save you money in the long run. Bulbs have evolved dramatically within the last ten years. Whilst they are more expensive LED bulbs last for a huge amount longer and will save you money in the long run. Every little helps.
14) Eat Sustainable seafood
If you can try and stay away from harvested or farmed fish and seafood that is not sustainable. In addition to be loaded with all kinds of unhealthy additives cannot be great for the environment. Choose sustainably caught ocean fish as the other methods to catch it have caused disastrous impacts on our ocean eco system.
15) Don’t purchase aerosol sprays
There are millions of beauty products out there now and most companies are now starting to use pump action aerosols rather than the gas ones.
16) Opt out of junk mail
It might seem obvious, but did you know how much mail that is printed off is junk. By opting out you can save resources and save yourself the hassle. You would be surprised how many people print off junk mail and then throw it away
17) Don’t waste food
Waste not want not. Is an adage but it is so correct. Did you know that 7.3 tonnes of food is wasted in the UK every year? This just isn’t a huge waste of food and money it also adds up to the co2.
18) Complete a waste audit
It might seem funny to do it. But why don’t you go through exactly what you do in the week and how much waste there is. You might find it will open your eyes to see what you can recycle and what you will put straight in the bin. Try to notice how much and what types of things that you throw away. Think about all the items that you throw away and whether they can be recycled or not. You might find that it will blow your mind away!
We hope you find the above tips helpful. If you are a landlord and wish to read further regarding the new Green deal energy please refer to our sister companies article Iinsure 365.
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