Use the used: Sure, this may be your first home away from home, and we understand the urge to decorate with all the coolest new stuff from Target or Wal-Mart. Just consider, for a second, how much waste that would mean, assuming most freshmen get relatively new stuff every year of school. See what we mean? Instead, why not check out great used sources of stuff, like local resale shops, eBay Local, and Craigslist. You'll be guaranteed to have a really unique room décor, and you'll have money left over to throw wild parties (Um, we mean library study snacks).
Paper please: Sure, it's not the sexiest of materials, but there are plenty of paper options for dorm decor that can be recycled when you out-grow them in a few years. Check out paper wall tiles from MioCulture, paper window treatments from Redi Shade, or make your own paper lamp shades.
Re-used doesn't have to mean repulsive: Just because you got used stuff, doesn't mean it has to be old and moldy. This is college. You're supposed to be wild and experimental. So go crazy. Why not try sewing some cushion covers, or pillows for that old couch. Or invite some of your new friends over for a painting party on that old dresser and table. Unleash your inner crafter with great magazines like Make, Craft, or Readymade.
Charge up your toys: For all the portable electronic gizmos in your life, consider feeding them green power with a solar charger. Some look like notebooks, cell phones, flowers, or are built into backpacks. Your MP3 player, laptop, PDA, cell phone, and camera can all be charged with portable solar, and you'll never find yourself searching for a plug.
Wear it more than once: It doesn't go for everything (unmentionables and socks come to mind), but the simplest way to cut back on your laundry's impact is to--duh!--just do less of it. Wearing your clothes more than once before tossing them in the dirty pile is the first step in greening your laundry habits. The United Nations Environment Programme crunched the numbers and discovered that you can consume up to five times less energy by wearing your jeans at least three times, washing them in cold water, and skipping the dryer or the iron.
Choose concentrated detergent: Concentrated laundry detergents have reduced packaging and a smaller carbon footprint (because more useful product can be shipped using less space and fuel). Plus, they deliver more bang for the buck. One brand, called Cot'n Wash, has received high marks from TreeHugger readers. Some big-time retailers such as Wal-Mart now sell only concentrated laundry detergents; soon it may be the only kind you can get.
Cultivate good water habits: All the water that goes down the drain, clean or dirty, ends up mixing with raw sewage, getting contaminated, and meeting the same fate. Try to stay aware of this precious resource disappearing and turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving and always wash laundry and dishes with full loads. When washing dishes by hand, fill up the sink and turn off the water. Take shorter showers or, as the old joke goes, shower with a friend: Treehugger TV shows you how. To put things in perspective, take a quick look at your next water bill when it arrives. It probably won't be costing you too much, but the average household consumes multiple thousands of gallons each month. See if you can make this number go down. If you're the graphing type, go nuts.
Be the first to comment on this article!