In college, living eco-friendly may not be your first priority. When things are just easier to-go or disposable, being ecologically conscious is not a focus. However small choices can have a large impact, and before you know it, conscious decisions have become habits and you are helping keep the Earth cleaner one day at a time.
Actually, use the recycling bin.
You know those blue bins you have all around school? Or those giant dumpsters with the recycle sign on them? Learn to use them! First, look at what you can put in the bins! Paper, plastic, cardboard, and metal cans are just some of the objects that you can recycle. If you think about what you throw out in a week, I'm sure that you would be surprised at how many items you could recycle rather than throw out.
Save money by returning bottles and cans.
Recycling bottles and cans most definitely makes a difference, yet some people need more of an incentive to sort out their garbage and make a few extra trips out to the dumpster. What about money? College students, and basically everybody, need to be budget conscious. Whether pre-gaming before a night out or using plastic water bottles daily, you would be surprised at how many you accumulate in a week. If you live in a state that charges you the 5-cent deposit, with just 20 water bottles or soda cans, you can save a dollar. A fun way to collect bottles and cans with your friends is to save up the money from returning bottles and at the end of the semester, treat yourselves!
Bring a reusable coffee mug when going to a cafe.
Usually in the mornings, I will bring a travel mug to the dining hall and fill it up before leaving so I can have some energy to last through the morning. However, many cafes offer a discount if you bring a travel mug to fill up. This way, not only are you saving a plastic, paper, or styrofoam cup, but you are saving some money! When watching your money, you can make your coffee budget stretch all the way through finals.
Bring your own bags to the grocery store.
This may seem obvious, but for college students this should be a no-brainer. I'm sure everyone has at least one or two shopping bags laying around. Rather than sitting in the back of a closet, take them out the next time you run to the market. This one won't usually save you money, but saving plastic bags and adding a pop of personality to your shopping trip is never a bad thing.
Use a reusable water bottle.
Using a reusable water bottle is so easy and will save you money in the long run. It seems like so many events are handing out free water bottles that you may not even need to purchase one! You can save money without having to buy cases of water bottles, and make healthier choices by passing on a soda when you have water right by your side.
Use reusable storage for food instead of plastic bags.
In college, things are all about ease. When you are packing, you probably aren't thinking about bringing glass Mason jars and loads of tupperware. However, you could save plastic bags by carrying around snacks in a Mason jar. This way not only do you have adorable snacks, but just a quick wash and you are ready to reuse your jar or tupperware for any other need you have.
Making small decisions and choices are not too intimidating, right? By recycling just one aluminum can you save a gallon of gas by preventing the mining of addition aluminum to create another can. Cool, isn't it? By realizing that your actions have tangible and sizable impacts, choosing wisely really does impact the world.
