When you’re in college, it’s easy to get so caught up in the busyness of everyday life that you forget to pay attention to things that matter. For example, something that can easily get left behind is awareness of one’s environmental impact. Who has time to take care of the planet when you can barely stay on top of taking care of yourself? It's understandable that, for many college students, making environmental choices can quickly slip through the cracks.
Personally, I often have difficulty motivating myself to consistently live an environmentally conscious lifestyle. I'll think to myself, "I'm going to stop using paper towels!", but within a few days I'm reaching for the roll once again. Often, a big factor in my lack of commitment is a feeling of hopelessness. After all, when 100 corporations are responsible for 71% of carbon emissions, what difference is my tiny roll of paper towels going to make in determining the fate of Planet Earth?
However, I'm here to remind you that despite how insignificant your everyday decisions might seem, you should never underestimate your ability to have an impact. In the words of Louis Spanias, “The more we tell ourselves that we can’t make a difference, the more often we take the chance away from ourselves to do so.” Don’t let discouragement stand in your way: you have a voice that you can use to shape the world around you, and it is a voice worth using.
To help you stay inspired and active in the movement to create a better planet for all, here are ten easy steps you can take to start making small (but meaningful) changes in your everyday life:
1. Replace disposable items with reusable ones
There are a wide variety of items that we use on a daily basis that typically come in disposable packaging. Things like water bottles, paper towels, and even many personal hygiene products are designed only for one-time use. Because cutting down on waste is so important for reducing climate change, consider investing in reusable replacements for these common items: metal water bottles, washable silverware and food containers, and cloth rags for cleaning.
2. Walk, bike, roller skate, etc.
As much as possible, try to limit your carbon emission output by using an alternative mode of transportation. For example, if you typically drive to class, check to see how long it would take you to walk there instead. If you do have a long commute, try carpooling with a friend rather than both making the trip in your own vehicles. Not only are options like walking, biking, and carpooling better for the environment, but they are also great opportunities to work some additional exercise or social time into your busy day!
3. Recycle whenever possible
This might seem like an obvious one, but I know from personal experience that recycling consistently can be highly inconvenient, perhaps even frustrating and exhausting. However, I encourage you to take those extra few steps toward the recycling can, or to save that plastic bottle until you have the opportunity to recycle it. It might seem like throwing away one bottle isn’t a big deal, but that apathy towards putting in the effort will only serve to perpetuate the problem.
4. Turn off the lights
This is another one that’s easy to overlook when you’re rushing out the door. However, if it’s easy to forget, that probably means that it’s also easy to do. Power plants produce 36% of greenhouse gases in the US, and taking a brief moment to turn off unnecessary electronics like lights or TVs will help reduce the overall amount of electricity used. If you have trouble remembering to turn the lights off, try leaving yourself a little sticky note as a reminder!
5. Reduce your meat and dairy intake
Cow products like milk and steak are easy things to reduce in (if not remove from) your diet. Since meat and dairy account for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consider reducing the amount you consume these particular goods. An easy option to eat greener is to choose a particular meal or a day of the week to avoid eating meat or dairy. For example, you could observe Meatless Mondays, or you could decide to eat only vegetarian foods for breakfast every day.
6. Don’t buy things you don’t need
As much as possible, avoid buying things that you aren’t going to use, especially if you’re purchasing things online. Not only does shipping involve a significant amount of packaging (which means even more waste), but if you're buying things that aren't important, you may very well end up throwing them away. To avoid making spontaneous purchases, try creating a shopping list ahead of time, avoiding online shopping, and setting limits on the amount of time you spend in a store.
7. Give away used belongings
If you do have items that you don’t use, consider giving them away to people who would use them rather than simply condemning them to the waste pile. Even if you can’t convince your friends to take your used clothes, you can donate these items to a thrift store or other institution that accepts used goods. Some (but not all!) organizations will recycle clothes and other products that they can’t sell, meaning that even your most beat-up pair of jeans can stay out of a landfill.
8. Purchase used, rather than new, items
On a similar note, consider not only providing thrift stores with your donations, but also with your business. This is especially important when it comes to clothes, since the fashion industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. The process of making new clothes can have a significant environmental impact due to energy use and water waste. When you purchase a used piece of clothing, you avoid creating demand for brand-new (and less environmentally friendly) items.
9. Invest in good quality products
When you do buy new items, make sure you’re purchasing good quality products that are made to last. In industries such as fashion, many items are made in mass quantities at low prices and low quality, which results in significant amounts of waste. Sometimes, it is worth spending a little extra for a product that will last; additionally, consider investing time into caring for the product to keep it alive as long as possible. Not only will this reduce your level of waste, but it can also help save you money in the long run!
10. Use your voice
Even if you feel like climate change is an overwhelming and impossible-to-solve problem, there are things you can do to not only reduce your own environmental footprint but also to reign in the negative impact of large corporations. Support green organizations, vote for environmentally conscious politicians and proposals, and take a few minutes to sign some petitions. Your voice may seem small – but it can help create a change!
What steps on this list do you plan to integrate into your life? Do you have any other suggestions to reduce environmental impact, both on individual and institutional levels? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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