As students, we have the power to change how we live and what we do. We can choose to continue with unsustainable practices, or we can stop and take a moment to consider how we can change what we do to live more sustainably. It can feel difficult to make these changes while staying on top of classes, extracurriculars, and a social life. However, UMD makes being a green Terp simple, once we realize how many sustainable practices are already taking place on campus. All we have to do is take advantage of them! Below are five ways students at UMD can reduce their own carbon footprint, right on campus.

Ride a Bike (or the bus, or the metro)

Pictured here are bikes outside the Atlantic building. UMD provides plenty of alternative methods of transportation so that students can leave their cars at home and reduce their carbon emissions. Students frequently ride their bikes on the streets from class to class, take the bus down to Route 1, and use the Metro to get down to DC. These alternative transportation methods are cheaper than parking a car on campus and conserve energy because they either require no energy (as with bikes) or energy that transports several people at once (such as the Metro and the bus).

Shop at the Farmer’s Market

Emma Hammer

Students looking for a quick bite to eat should look no further than the Farmer's Market. On Wednesday's, Tawes Plaza hosts local businesses, from bakeries to farms. Not only is loading up on fruits and veggies better for student health, it conserves energy because local produce means less travel, which reduces carbon emissions from the vehicles that deliver the food. Whenever I go to the farmer's market, I like to get homemade oatmeal raisin cookies, apples, and tomatoes.

Recycle and Compost

Emma Hammer

Above are the landfill and compost bin at Tawes Plaza. A recycling bin was located nearby. The bins are clearly labeled with what should go where. Composting and recycling reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. As the bins clearly demonstrate, many different items can be composted or recycled, so there is no reason for students to keep throwing items into the trash. These bins are located all over campus, so it is super easy to use them instead of trash cans!

Grab a meal at Green Tidings

Emma Hammer

Instead of eating at a chain on Route 1, stop by the Green Tidings truck. Above is one of their menus. The truck serves food from local farmers and provides recyclable and compostable packaging. Compost is collected outside of the truck and in the kitchen. Unused food from the kitchen is composted, recycled, and donated to the Food Recovery Network (a student group that donates unused leftovers on campus) whenever possible. My personal favorites are the hot apple cider or any of the specialty lemonades.

Support the Maryland Food Collective

Emma Hammer

The Maryland Food Collective, also known as The Co-op, is located in the Stamp Student Union. The Co-op at UMD also serves fair-trade and organic coffee and tea. Fair-trade workers are paid a living wage and given a voice in the workplace, so students can feel good about the businesses they are supporting. Organic products limit pesticide use and thus contamination of our water sources and the air.

Being a Green Terp is not just an on-campus practice—it is a lifelong commitment that starts at school and spreads from there. UMD provides so many ways for students to live sustainably. The more we use them, the more we reduce our carbon footprint. With that in mind, we can work towards mitigating the impacts of climate change and reducing greenhouse gasses. A sustainable future is within reach, and UMD students can play an important role in getting there. All students at UMD need to do is take advantage of all of the sustainable practices taking place on campus!