BY: Allison Stewart
Simple Changes to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Looking for easy ways to reduce your waste?
Living a green lifestyle may seem difficult at first thought, but it is more manageable than you think. As college students, we are faced with the difficulties of doing well in our classes, paying tuition, balancing our priorities and more. Thinking about our carbon footprint can easily fall to the back of our mind. Luckily, there are simple choices that can make a huge difference.They take little to no time—only a simple commitment is needed to keep our planet beautiful.
One of the main challenges I believe college students face is a busy schedule. After all, we all have lives outside the classroom. We often reach for whatever is quick and easy. This usually means we are consuming pre-packaged foods and single-use plastics. In other words, we are creating a lot of waste. Following the simple steps below can immediately cut out unnecessary waste.
1. Skip the straw, or invest in reusable ones
Most straw packages come with a convenient scrubber, making the cleaning process quick and easy.
Is a straw really a necessity? Once you train your mind to realize it is not a big deal, you will be surprised how many times you used one for no reason. Of course, you need a straw for thicker liquids, such as smoothies and milkshakes. There are a variety of straws you can easily carry with you anywhere. They range from foldable key chains to easy-to-wash metal straws. All you have to do when you are finished is wash out the straw.
Another perk is that you never have to worry about not having a straw when you leave a drive thru. Convenience will always be with you wherever you go.
The price is even better. For under $10, you can own your own personal straws. Places like amazon.com can have them delivered to you faster than ever. The turtles will thank you for sure!
2. Switch to reusable silverware
This cutlery set ensures you are ready to eat any meal.
Another easy way to cut out plastic is switching to reusable silverware. Do not worry—this does not mean carrying around your fancy forks and knives. Many places offer bamboo utensils that come in convenient packages. This makes it easy to place in your purse, car and backpack. Just like straws, all you have to do is wash them off when you are done.
Amazon.com and Etsy are just a few of the many places that carry reusable utensil packs. Prices range from $8-$30. Some of them even have straws included, so you have the best of both worlds!
3. Forever say farewell to plastic water bottles
With endless options available, you can have fun choosing the style of your water bottle.
Making sure you get your daily ounces of water is a must, but the plastic sure is not. Investing in a reusable water bottle will not only reduce your waste, but also save you money. Why pay for water when you can get it for free? On our campus, we have refill stations in almost every building. By simply purchasing a reusable bottle upfront, you never have to pay for a water bottle again.
You can purchase one of these bottles at almost any grocery store or retail store. You can find a variety of fun prints and colors. Many people like to decorate their bottles with vinyl stickers. This can easily become a creative project. Bottles even range in size, so if you want to get all of your daily ounces in one container, you can.
Starting your journey to reduce your carbon footprint really is as easy as one, two and three. Once you get into the habit of choosing a greener lifestyle, you will be pleased at how much progress you can make.
