Each day, the choices that we make impact the environment. Things like how we choose to travel and the products that we make a part of our daily existence can affect the quality of the air that we breathe and the water that we drink. It also determines what types of environmental hazards we expose ourselves to, in the form of sanitation issues, indoor air pollution, and toxic substances. When you become a college student and move into a dorm, it is your first chance to really choose how you impact the world that you live in. Here are some tips to make your dorm an eco-friendlier environment provided by professional dissertation writers.
#1: Carpet (or Not) Based on the Weather
A great way to reduce the carbon footprint in your dorm is to minimize the amount of time you need to use heating and cooling. When it is hot outside, make sure that the tiles of your floor are exposed. This will keep your room cooler. If you live in a cold environment, buy some throw rugs to help insulate your floor. This will help keep your dorm room toasty, without cranking up the heat in your room. Another cool tip is to shut blinds during the summer to stop heat from entering your dorm room, or to hang blankets over the windows during the winter to help keep it warm inside.
#2: Unplug for a While
Even something as small as unplugging your laptop and computer charger when they are not in use can reduce energy consumption, making a small (but still significant impact) on the environment, says MyEssayGeek expert Amanda Melton. Other things that you can do is be sure that you turn off your lights, fans, and heating/cooling units when you leave the dorm. You should also avoid falling asleep watching television, and allowing it to run without an audience all night.
#3: Make Conscious Decisions About Furnishings
One of the great things about furniture is that it can last for decades. Instead of going out and buying brand new furniture, check out secondhand shops. It is easy to sanitize furniture and some places do it for you. You can even ask you parents for some hand-me-downs, saving the environment and cash. This decision helps the environment by reducing carbon emissions that are used to manufacture and transport furniture.
You should also be conscious about the energy-consuming devices that you bring along with you from home. Do you really need a separate mini-fridge from your roommate, or would it be better to set some boundaries and share the space? You may want to opt out of a microwave too, in favor of lower-energy consuming hot plates and mini-grills.
#4: Reuse Your Decorations
If this is not your first year of college, chances are you have seen students fill their rooms with posters and art, only to carelessly rip them down and toss them at the end of the year. Instead, take the time to re-use your decorations. Choose things like cloth tapestries that are easy to remove and reuse. Alternatively, purchase frames for your paintings and posters, to preserve them and make them easy to re-use.
#5: Use Energy Consciously
Even small decisions can greatly impact your energy consumption, thus improving the eco-friendliness of your dorm. USA Today recommends some of these ideas:
Using a desk fan instead of an air condition
Making coffee with an electric kettle instead of a microwave
Purchasing a drying rack for your clothes, instead of using the school dryer
#6: Make Your Food Decisions More Environmentally Sound
Eco-friendly cooking can even mean adjusting the foods that you eat. A big step is choosing locally-produced foods, because an impressive 13% of greenhouse gas emissions come from transporting foods. Choosing organic foods can also make a difference, because fertilizer often contains high levels of fossil fuels.
#7: Use Water-Preserving Practices
Even when your area is not under drought warning, you should take steps to reduce your water consumption. Instead of letting your water run when shaving or brushing your teeth, turn it off. When drinking water, opt for tap water over bottled. Bottle water is made of plastic that can take hundreds of years to disintegrate in a landfill. If you are worried about impurities, splurge on a water filter. You can also reduce your ecological footprint by storing water in the refrigerator if you like it cold, instead of letting the tap run each time you want a cool drink.
College is a big step for many reasons, one of them being that it is the first time that you get a chance to make decisions about the space that you live in. By doing this in a way that is conscious of the environment, you can help make your dorm an eco-friendly space. By reducing your carbon footprint and choosing to re-use instead of waste, you are doing your part in making the planet a better place.
To read more awesome college tips, take a look at the other blogs on College Basics.
