How to Go Green as a Student

GREENandSAVE Staff

Posted on Friday 19th July 2019
How to Go Green as a Student

Developing an eco-conscious lifestyle might seem like a difficult task as a student, as you will have many papers to hand in and tests to study for throughout a course. Yet, developing an environmentally-friendly mindset doesn’t need to be difficult, as there are small changes you can make to your daily routine to safeguard the planet.

If you want to reduce your carbon footprint while growing your qualifications and skill set, read these top tips on how to go green as a student.

Recycle or Upcycle

Everyone has time to recycle, even busy students. It is, therefore, important to routinely recycle various plastics, paper and cans, which can prevent the items from filling up various landfills and damaging planet Earth. 

You also should upcycle your old clothing rather than throwing them in the trash, and you could donate or sell your unwanted furniture to ensure they go to a more loving home.

Choose an Online Course

Traveling to and from university each day will only increase your carbon footprint. An online course could be an ideal way to support the environment, and it can also save you a substantial sum, as you will not need to pay for transportation costs. 

There are also many fantastic courses available that can support your career goals. For example, if you want to embark on a career that can transform a healthcare organization for the better, find out more about a Master of Healthcare Administration online program. 

Lower Your Power Usage

While most students will need to use a laptop or desktop computer to support their studies, there are various ways they can reduce their power usage. For example, they can:

  • Turn off the lights when leaving a room

  • Shutdown electronics when not in use

  • Unplug laptop and smartphone chargers once the electronics are fully-charged

The above tactics don’t only help you to save the Earth, but they can also save you a substantial amount of money, too.

Decrease Your Energy

In addition to lowering your power usage, you also should aim to decrease your energy as much as possible. For example, reduce your thermostat by a few degrees during winter and warm up with a blanket or sweater instead. 

You also should avoid using an air conditioning system as much as possible and cool down with either a cool shower or an energy-efficient ceiling fan. A few tweaks to your home’s temperature could lead to great energy savings, which can increase your bank balance while supporting the environment.

Avoid Wasting Water Each Day

Many people unnecessarily waste water every day of the week, as many people don’t realize the pressure it can place on the environment. However, by using less water each day, there will be less need to both pump and treat water, which can reduce the money spent on energy, chemicals and the installation of reservoirs and boreholes.

Fortunately, there are various ways students can reduce their water usage each day, as they can:

  • Turn off the water when washing their face or brushing their teeth

  • Reduce their shower time by a few minutes or more

  • Steam vegetables over boiling

  • Install a water-saving shower head

Small changes to your water usage will require little effort and could help to preserve the environment.

Purchase a Refillable Water Bottle

Bottled water cannot only eat away at your finances over time, but it can also damage the environment. It was recently reported that 91% of plastics are never recycled and will become trash, but you can support the environment and your cashflow by purchasing a refillable water bottle. Plus, it will allow you to quickly and easily hydrate your body when studying for an upcoming test or sitting in a class.

Take Electronic Notes

Rather than pulling out a notepad and pen to write down important information during a class or seminar, you should take electronic notes instead. Reducing your paper usage throughout the years will save trees, and you could also access your notes on any internet-enabled device when you save it in the cloud.

Invest in an e-Reader

Another way to save on paper during education is to invest in an e-reader. You could download a variety of textbooks onto the device, which can prevent the need to carry heavy books from A to B each day. Plus, you can trust you will never lose or destroy a title during study, and you can access any book for reference as long as you have the e-reader on your person. 

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