It can be hard to go green when living in an environment that you can’t control, such as a dorm.
Recently Ryan wrote in, “I am a college student living in a school dorm. I recycle all of the paper that comes through my notebooks, don’t drink bottled water, but I’m finding a lot of green tips nowadays are geared towards people in their own homes. Could you publish a post about how to be green in housing that you don’t even own? i.e. I don’t have control over AC/heat, hot water tanks, anything dealing with food, etc. I love the green movement but I feel like I could do more.”
Ryan, it’s great that you are thinking about this! And it’s great that you recycle and don’t drink bottled water. Those are good steps.
While you can’t control the heat or A/C, there are several things you can do, and most likely are doing to go green while living in a dorm.
You can recycle your paper, cans, bottles, cardboard boxes, etc. I would think most campuses would have easily accessible recycling on campus. If not, talk to your Resident Advisor (RA) and student services. With going green being on the tips of most tongues, it shouldn’t be hard to get some bins on campus.
While talking with your RA or student services, ask if you can post signs in common areas reminding people to turn off the television and lights when they leave the room.
Not on the first floor of your dorm? Take the stairs when possible. Encourage others to follow suit.
Since you are in a dorm, you are most likely on campus. That means walking to and from class, the cafeteria, bookstore, etc., should be very easy. Walking isn’t only great exercise, it makes a lot of sense on a college campus. Parking was a nightmare on my campus, and it really didn’t make sense to drive for 2 minutes and search for parking for 10.
If it’s rainy or snowing, opt for the shuttle system. Many larger schools have free bus shuttles running regularly.
Walking not really an option? Most campuses are bike friendly, with racks situated outside the bigger buildings.
When you do drive somewhere — a real store, movies, etc. — go with friends. This is also probably something you are already doing, but carpooling saves gas. And don’t forget your canvas bags!
If you use the cafeteria, or eat at your sorority/fraternity house, this is much better for the environment than picking up fast food for your meals. When eating in the cafeteria, you most likely aren’t using and throwing away plastic utensils, plastic wrappers, etc. My cafeteria had actual plates, cups and utensils that they washed after each use. This cuts down on the excess waste going into landfills. If you only do take-out from your cafeteria, consider eating in. You might meet new people, or at least find a quiet place to do some studying.
I did this more out of thrift than out of being environmentally conscious when I was at school, but look around for the biggest washer/dryers. The washers/dryers in my dorm were tiny, but the washers/dryers at the store about 5 minutes away were HUGE. I did not sort, just threw everything in, inserted my quarters and congratulated myself on saving some money.
Speaking of stores, look for used textbooks at the bookstore. When the semester is over, sell those books back. This not only saves you money, but also helps cut down on the paper used to print books. If possible, share books with people who are also taking your class (preferably at different times.)
If possible, take your laptop to class to take notes instead of using paper.
Are there any other green tips for dorm dwellers that I’ve forgotten or didn’t think of?
