There are dozens of ways to reduce the carbon print and have a greener lifestyle. In this blog post, I will share the best sustainability tips for college students you can use right now. Read on to find out how to reach your goals of becoming a sustainability-oriented student.

College life can be challenging. Deadlines, countless tasks, sleepless nights, and never-ending stress make students anxious and may not allow them to enjoy their time in college. But it doesn’t have to be this way, for example, thanks to online services that help with college essay writing, anyone can reach out for professional help 24/7, getting great results with minimal effort.

However, student life doesn’t have to be tough on the environment! Here are some simple sustainability tips for college students that are easy to implement, for example: use less paper, use energy-saving settings on your devices, shop local, reuse, recycle, and much more! Let’s make Earth a happier place, one small step at a time.

Sustainability Tips for College Students

Here are the secrets to making your college life more sustainable:

1. Use less paper

Hey there! When it comes to going green on campus, every little bit counts. Want a quick and easy tip? Use less paper.

Opt for recycled paper products and try to cut down on printed assignments by taking notes on your laptop or phone. Also, try to use fewer paper towels and use cloth towels instead.

Moreover, if you need to print something, always print double-sided and use scrap paper for notes.

Those are small steps, but they can make a big difference in reducing waste. So let’s make our campus a little greener, one sheet at a time!

2. Use Energy-Saving settings for your gadgets

Check the preferences of all the gadgets you use and switch to energy-saving mode. Those settings will help you to use less electricity. Moreover, the battery life of your laptop, tablet, smartphone, headphones, and smartwatch, will benefit as well.

Also, consider implementing some working tips that can make you greener in your life. For example, falling asleep in front of a streaming video is a habit that you should reduce.

3. Stick to local purchases

Want to make a difference while still going about your daily routine? Consider buying local! But before you run off to the farmer’s market, here’s a fun fact: buying local doesn’t just mean shopping at your neighborhood store. You can also reduce your carbon footprint by holding off on buying new stuff from the local supermarket and waiting for your mom to send you a care package from home instead. It’s a win-win: your wallet and the planet will thank you.

Always think over your purchases before you make them. Is it essential to purchase something abroad, or can you stick to local purchases?

4. Smart shopping

If you often go shopping, stop asking for paper bags and never ask for plastic ones. Instead, just purchase a lovely cloth bag or several ones of different colors. Such bags are easy to take with you, even in a pocket. Also, if you are not going to do a lot of shopping, you might not need a bag at all.

In addition, consider BPA-free bottles for your drinking water, reusable mugs for tea and coffee, etc. This approach can also save you money, in fact, some cafes may offer discounts for clients who bring their own cups.

5. Unplug your devices

All students use loads of digital devices. This is a normal situation in our fast digitalized world. When you are charging lots of gadgets often, you use a lot of electricity, which makes your life less green. Try to be thoughtful when you are using your devices. For example, you do not have to charge your iPhone when its battery is well charged.

In addition, by improperly charging your device, you may reduce its battery lifespan, and the last thing you want is to contribute to increasing the already elevated amount of e-waste we produce every year.

Switch off your devices instead of leaving them in standby mode to be more sustainable. Items not constantly plugged in should be switched off or eventually used in standby mode.

When leaving your apartment, it’s always better to switch off the gadgets you are not using.

6. Avoid wasting water

One of the best tips to make your life in college more sustainable is avoiding water waste. First, there are many ways to conserve water. For example, when you are not using water, turn it off, and avoid staying longer than necessary under the shower.

When you are taking a shower, remember that you want to be more sustainable and make your time in a shower shorter. When doing laundry, consider starting it only when you have a whole washing machine load. Check the water-saving hacks in the video below:

7. Join a sustainability club or organization on campus

Find a local group that works on sustainable college life and surround yourself with like-minded people. When you become a part of an environmentally conscious community that shares interests with you, it helps you organize your green initiatives better.

Surrounding yourself with people who share the same vision for the environment, you will grow a lot, and hopefully reach your personal green goals. So, what are you waiting for? Start looking for sustainability groups on campus right now.

8. Reuse and recycle

Each person who decides to go green and make his or her life in college more sustainable should know the 6 Rs of sustainability, especially reuse and recycle.

Reusing and recycling are among the most effective ways to improve environmental sustainability. For example, if you have a habit of wrapping the food you take with you to college in plastic wrap, stop doing it and choose recycled contents that will let you pack your food sustainably.

For example, you can also recycle organic waste. In fact, many students who can use backyards for sustainable purposes have started composting organic waste.

9. Donate stuff you do not need

Each student has all kinds of stuff he or she does not use. To make your life greener and more sustainable, you need to check the items you own and decide what clothes, furniture, cell phones, dishes, computers, toys, etc., you no longer use. By donating all this stuff to the local nonprofit organization, you will do two good things: first, you will go green, and second you will improve social sustainability and support your local community.

If you need help deciding whether you need an item you own or not, there is a rule that if you are not using something for at least one year, you will likely never use it anymore.

10. Rearrange your room

One of the simplest ways to make your life more sustainable is moving your working place closer to the biggest window you have in your room. Students spend a lot of time doing their homework and do not think that using electric lamps is not a green option. If you move your table closer to daylight, you will reduce your carbon footprint.

The same goes for heating and cooling your room. Do your best to arrange the furniture to help you minimize the use of a heater or cooler.

11. Stick to sustainable brands

Anytime you are going shopping, you should consider the brands you choose, check the labels, and ensure that this brand is sustainable. Avoid products that contain specific elements, such as CFCs. Do not purchase any items that destroy the ozone layer.

12. Always look for information

Switching to a more sustainable life will be easier if you look for actual information anywhere you can find it. For example, you can take a class dedicated to green life or read one of the best books on sustainability. Some colleges provide additional lessons to students who want to make their living during their years in college and after more sustainable.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end of this blog post! Now that you’ve learned some awesome sustainability tips for college students, it’s time to put them into action.

Remember to check your gadget settings, reduce paper usage, and find your eco-conscious community on campus. Additionally, try to use less water and donate any unused items to support a social initiative.

Let’s all strive for a greener future, one conscious choice at a time. Good luck, stay motivated, and happy eco-living!