College life is a unique period where independence, budgeting, lifestyle, and leadership intersect in various ways. Certain choices can have a major environmental impact, while others can promote positive change. Campus life presents an ideal opportunity to reconsider waste and embrace a cradle-to-cradle mindset, where items are reused instead of being thrown away.
Here are eight easy ways to get started on creating a greener campus:
- Rethink Shopping: Make Smarter Choices
- Invest in quality products that last.
- Say no to seasonal shopping hauls and trends, and only buy what you truly need. Use ad blockers to reduce impulse spending.
- Embrace second-hand clothing to combat fashion waste and save money. Check if your campus has clothing swap events or consider starting one yourself.
- Reduce Food Waste
- Start a campus gardening club to grow your produce and reduce packaging.
- Set up composting stations to turn organic waste into ‘black gold’.
- Consider community fridges to share edible food and minimize waste.
- Opt for plant-based meals—they’re good for your health, your wallet, and the planet.
- If tea or coffee is still served in paper cups, consider implementing a No Paper Cup Day’ each week.
- Champion Energy Conservation
- Switch to LED bulbs across campus to reduce energy usage.
- Unplug devices when not in use to prevent phantom energy loss.
- Organize daily walkthroughs to ensure lights and electronics are turned off. Inspire others with an ‘Energy Leader League’ to make saving energy fun!
- Report leaks promptly to prevent wasting thousands of gallons.
- Install water-saving aerators to reduce water use without losing functionality.
- Collect cold shower water for uses like watering plants or flushing toilets.
- Collaborate for a Circular Campus
- Properly sort waste with clear signage to encourage recycling.
- Partner with local farms or businesses to recycle hard-to-handle materials.
- Explore campus resource exchange programs to strengthen ties with the local community.
Smart Tip: Keep track of what you throw away, and see if there’s a way to reuse it or reduce the waste when you buy it next time.
- Engage Your Peers
- Host clothing and dorm item swaps to extend the life of your things and reduce waste.
- Organize friendly competitions between dorms to see who can reduce more waste over 30-90 days.
- Universities in the U.S. and Canada compete annually in the Campus Race to Zero Waste (formerly RecycleMania) to track and improve waste reduction efforts.
- Fix Items Before Replacing Them
- Repair, mend, or alter clothing and other goods to make them last longer.
- You don’t have to be a repair expert—someone on or off campus may know how to fix your things for you.
- Leverage Campus Sustainability Resources
- Join eco-conscious clubs, participate in sustainability programs, and connect with faculty doing related research.
- Reusable bags aren’t just for groceries—they’re great for carrying clothes, books, and more!
Incorporating these sustainable practices into your college life isn’t just a personal choice—it’s a collective effort that makes a lasting impact. By embracing these habits, you’re reducing your environmental footprint and inspiring positive change on your campus and beyond.
The secret sauce? Sometimes, using what you already have is more sustainable than buying a new ‘green’ version.
