Ways to Reduce Carbon Footprint as a College Student

Joining college provides you with an opportunity to learn about the world, experience a new environment, and make new friends. While experiencing the new environment, do not forget about the impact of your actions on the environment. Reducing your carbon footprint helps ensure that you promote a safer environment for yourself and those who will come after you. Reducing your carbon footprint is not a difficult task, as it involves practicing environmentally sustainable practices. Consider the following strategies to reduce your carbon footprint.

Engage in Environmental Awareness Activities

One way you can make an impact in reducing your carbon footprint is by raising environmental awareness. Many noble causes are aimed at protecting the environment, and you can take part in these causes to better understand your role in promoting a more sustainable environment and how you can influence your friends to be more environmentally cautious. An example of an activity that you can engage in is sustainable workshops that help you have a better understanding of some of the major pollutants and how to avoid using them.

Switch to a Laptop

The difference between using a laptop and a desktop is in their energy consumption. Desktops use 90% more energy than laptops. If you use a desktop to complete your assignments and other college activities, then it’s time to consider getting a laptop. You do not need to worry about the price of a laptop because many options are available that are budget-friendly to students. As a bonus, a laptop is more portable than a desktop and will make your student life easier. You can carry it around and work on assignments from any suitable place. There will be minimal chances of failing to complete assignments and relying on academic helpers from sites like https://essayusa.com/.

Walk and Use Public Transport

Driving your car to school every day is something you can avoid. Vehicles are one of the greatest air pollutants in cities. Carpooling or using public transport is a good way of reducing the pollution from vehicles. When you carpool, the number of vehicles polluting the air is reduced. Using public transport is an even better solution than carpooling as it accommodates more people and reduces the number of vehicles on the road, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint. If you live close to school, you can take the option of walking or even riding a bicycle. Unlike driving a car, there is no carbon emission associated with walking or cycling.

Turn Off Lights During the Day

Don’t be those people who keep lights on during the day while closing their curtains. It would be wise to take advantage of natural light from the sun during the day. Taking advantage of natural light only needs you to open your windows and allow light to enter the room. Using electricity for lighting will result in higher power bills alongside an increased carbon footprint.

Use Comforters and Rugs to Save on Heating

During winter, many college students use heating services to keep their rooms warm, which is important in promoting comfort. Though you might feel warm, there are instances where you might not need to use heating but instead rely on other traditional methods of keeping warm. One Eco-friendly approach is to use rugs and heavy duvets. You should only use your heating system when the temperature is too low and you feel cold. When the temperatures are reasonable, consider using a duvet to cover yourself rather than turning the heating system on.

Avoid Plastic Cutlery

Many students prefer carrying their lunch to school, which is a good idea to save on costs associated with purchasing lunch. Though the idea is a good one, it might not be environmentally friendly if you use plastic containers and bottles that you dispose of after having lunch. Every time you dispose of plastic, you increase your carbon footprint. Consider purchasing a flask and other reusable materials to package your lunch to reduce the damage you cause to the environment.

Recycle

One of the simplest ways of reducing your carbon footprint is recycling. You cannot claim to be helping conserve the environment when you constantly dispose of waste carelessly. Every time you dispose of waste, the energy used in the manufacture of the product is lost. Taking time to recycle waste, on the other hand, ensures that the energy is not lost. Many recycling bins are placed around schools and homes. Use them and make an impact in protecting mother nature.

Buy Only What You Need

Many times, people shop without taking the time to consider whether what they purchase is a necessity. Whenever you buy something, ensure it is something that you need. It is a waste of resources and environmentally unfriendly to fill your trolley with things you will end up disposing of after they go bad. Energy is used in making every product that you purchase, and this energy is lost when you purchase the product and end up not using it. Besides, unused stuff will contribute to more waste, which translates to harming the environment.

Eliminate Fast Fashion

Fast fashion is common among college students as they constantly want to keep up with the latest clothing trends. Fast fashion can look attractive, but every time you purchase clothes for the short term, you contribute to environmental degradation. When buying clothes, ensure they are clothes that you can use for a longer period, and this can be attained by purchasing from sustainable brands.

Final Thoughts

An aspect that you should think about when in college is ensuring you engage in environmentally friendly activities. Eco-friendly activities lessen your carbon footprint and support a sustainable ecosystem. There are numerous ways to minimize your carbon footprint and they include recycling waste, buying only what you need, avoiding plastic cutlery, and walking and using public transport rather than driving. If you still use a desktop, you might consider purchasing a laptop because the energy usage of the laptop is less than that of a desktop. These actions will help you create a sustainable environment for your peers and the coming generations.