Living sustainably sounds difficult. You may think it entails changing your entire day to day. But that’s not the case! Every small effort to live cleaner is helpful. So here are some tips for living sustainably – especially as a college student!
- Try to go plastic free! Campus is relatively plastic free, as the dining hall and EATS have opted out of single use utensils and such. So, try to not use plastic when you’re off campus, too! Try not using straws, or getting reusable bags.
- Conserve water! This can go for on and off campus living, but either way is super important. Try taking shorter showers and turning the tap off when washing your face and hands, or brushing your teeth!
- Use public transportation! Here in Burlington, public transportation is easily accessible. We have the GMT to take you to places like UMall and Trader Joes, and a lot is within walking/biking distance. We also offer CarShareVT, where you can reserve an electric car nearby (this also has a student discount)!
- Turn it off!! If you’re going out, unplug things and turn off your lights. It can save a lot of energy!
- Compost! If you’re in the dining hall you have to compost. But try using the compost bin in your dorm, or doing it at home! If you don’t have a bin anywhere in your hall, let your Eco-Rep or RA know. These are just a few tips, but are definitely helpful when living in college. I encourage you to look into more sustainable ways of living, there are a lot of helpful resources out there, like conservation.org!
Written by Quinn Bailey, March 2023