by Lisa Forrest
Do you ever feel as if most of the world is oblivious to the state of the environment? It’s easy to get down about making real changes– but there are simple things that you can do to make a real difference! Mike Tidwell, author of the Ravaging Tide, has created a list of 25 things that every college student can do to help curb climate change:
Adapted from The Daily, independent student newspaper for the University of Washington.
- Be optimistic! Solving the problem of climate change is possible! Learn the facts about climate change.
- Get involved. Urge your congressperson to make the environment a priority.
- Stop using disposable plastic bags at the grocery store, only 3 percent of which are recycled each year. Instead, buy reusable grocery bags.
- Turn off your computer each night before bed, which could save 83 percent of its carbon emissions.
- Unplug your cell phone charger when it’s not in use, as well as other appliances around the apartment.
- Use the cold cycle of the washing machine for washing full loads of clothes, which saves 6.5 pounds of carbon emissions per load.
- Bring your own coffee cup to your morning coffee shop to reduce waste.
- Instead of buying bottles of water, invest in a reusable one and fill it at water fountains.
- Refill printer ink cartridges up to four times at an office supply store.
- Use both sides of paper and then recycle. Only 9 percent of the 8 million tons of paper used each year is recycled. Print double-sided.
- Run the dishwasher only when it is full, and instead of using the dry cycle, let dishes air dry with the door open.
- Clean the dryer’s lint trap after each load of clothes.
- When you leave a room, turn off the lights.
- Buy local food whenever possible. The further food travels, the more carbon is emitted.
- Switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
- Don’t worry about preheating the oven when baking, except when making bread or pastries.
- Cut as much beef out of your diet as possible. The meat industry is responsible for 18 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
- Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.
- Buy eggs in cardboard containers, which are more biodegradable.
- Recycle your newspaper.
- Ride the bus as often as possible or ride your bike or walk wherever possible.
- Have a box set aside for recycling in your room — paper, cans, plastic and glass.
- Take shorter showers.
- Reuse wrapping paper, bows and ribbons.
- Recycle your batteries to reduce the 179,000 tons of them that end up in landfills each year.
What other ideas do you have to add to the list?
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