More and more there are stories about trash ending up in our oceans and the incredible amount of garbage every person generates. It's making more and more of us want to stop producing so much waste, but as a college student with little money and resources, it can seem daunting. Here's a list of a few small changes you can make to start reducing right now.
1. Stop wasting paper towels.
GiphyEspecially in a dorm, it's easy to get in a habit of using paper towels for everything from spills to a makeshift plate when you're hungry but too lazy to get out of bed. If you really want to stop going through them so quickly, buy yourself a pair of hand towels. Yes, you'll have to wash them once they're dirty enough, but just throw them in with the rest of your laundry for the week and it becomes something you don't even have to think about.
2. Ditch the red solo cups.
Yes, they're easy to buy in bulk and yes, in photos, they make it known to everyone "I was at a party" but tossing a cup after one use let alone one made of plastic is ridiculous. Washing dishes isn't fun but the next time you pregame at your place just offer your friends reusable cups and deal with washing them in the morning.
3. No more Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks.
This one's probably the hardest for all the coffee addicts, but it will make a huge difference. Make coffee at your apartment or grab it from the dining hall with a reusable coffee cup. You'll be saving money every day and saving the environment. For those of you living off campus and truly ambitious, using a French press, with its reusable filter, will truly reduce your waste.
4. Stop ordering in so often.
Ordering in is definitely a nice alternative to cooking or having to leave the comfort of your couch, but that means all the Chinese food and sushi you devour is coming in disposable, usually environmentally unfriendly containers. Go to the dining hall or learn to cook more to avoid needless waste. For those nights you can't resist some fried rice or California rolls though, invest in your own set of chopsticks to make the waste you produce a little smaller.
5. Resist the urge to use plastic bags.
Invest in reusable shopping bags. They're cheap and so much more durable. You can simply leave them in your car, so you don't forget them on your next trip to the grocery store or bring one to the mall too the next time there's a sale at Urban.
