How to be eco-friendly on campus this semester
In order to help save the world by cutting back on waste, one doesn’t need to completely change their lifestyle. At times, it’s the little things that can really add up. Being sustainable and green on campus is easier than one might think. Here are some ways students can make changes and live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
Bring your own water bottle
Throughout campus, there are water fountains that are designed to fit and fill water bottles, making reusing water bottles easier. According to the Recycling Coalition, Americans throw away 35 billion plastic bottles every year. Rather than being part of the problem, make a change and head over to a water fountain. Try purchasing a bottle that you can keep with you and reuse it throughout the semester or for however long your bottle lasts.
Know where you can bring your recycling
If you do happen to use a plastic water bottle or other single-use items, do your best to recycle them rather than throwing them away. Recycling bins are located all over campus, which makes this a relatively simple task.
“I wouldn’t say I’m super green, but I try to utilize the recycling bins on campus as much as I can,” said Jessica Hall, a paralegal studies sophomore. If you have different materials to recycle such as plastic, paper, cardboard and so on, stop by the sustainability wall in the Sorensen Student Center where a variety of recycling bins are located.
Bring your own food containers when eating out
At first this might seem like an awkward thing to do, but you may be surprised how much plastic and other materials you can save in as little as a week, depending on how much you eat out. Simply take a bowl, plate or reusable plastic container with you when you order your food and let the server know you are choosing to go green.
Stop using single use straws
You might have heard this by now, but plastic straws are harmful to the environment. One of the biggest problems with plastic straws is that they can’t be recycled. Even though the average straw is made of polypropylene, a recyclable material, the type of polypropylene used in plastic straw production is not accepted by even some of the biggest recycling centers, according to Residential Waste Systems.
Jarrith Parker McCoy, a junior Theatre Education major suggests that we simply drink out of cups.“If I could give one word of advice to promote eco friendly practices I’d say to please avoid straws if you don’t have special need for them.”
Ask your server to hold the straw and simply drink out of the cup. If you do feel the need to use a straw, try bringing reusable plastic or metal straws with you.
For more Review coverage on this topic:
Critical environmental issues emphasized during Sustainability Day
Managing Editor