No matter what part of life you may be in, there are always small ways you can keep the environment in mind!
When I first started college, I hadn't been fully exposed to the sustainability movement. At the time, the environment wasn't much on my mind! Luckily, I made some really great friends who helped educate me about the importance of sustainability, and effectively completely changed the way I lived my life!
I know how busy you likely are. So, I thought it would be helpful if I could lay out a few ways you can try to be more sustainable while you're busy being a student! Make sure to read to the end to hear some controversial tips!! ;)
I Dare You to Make Me Not Say Water Bottles
At this point, I think I may be bringing up reusable water bottles in every eco-friendly article I write. But they are so important! When I started college in 2016, literally every person I saw was carrying a reusable water bottle with them. Even I had one! But there were moments when I still opted to buy a plastic water bottle, oddly enough.
Being sustainable is sometimes about making hard(ish) choices and consistency. It was the moment when I knew it would be easier to buy a plastic water bottle instead of, for instance, washing my water bottle! Or faster than finding a water fountain! Those small instances made it an easy choice for me to buy the extra plastic instead of making a better choice for the environment.
Remember: we don't have to be perfect to take care of the environment! We can make mistakes. Sometimes we actually have no choice other than make choices like buying plastic water bottles. But if the reason that we are thinking of buying that plastic water bottle is because of something in our control, try to stay strong!
TIP. If a common reason you find yourself needing to buy plastic water bottles is that you forgot your reusable one at home, try purchasing an extra, smaller water bottle to keep in your backpack or car!
Get School Supplies From Recycled Sources
Another way we can try to be more sustainable students is by purchasing materials that come from companies that care for the environment! Inevitably, you will need to use some paper materials, pens, backpacks, and so on.
There is a tricky issue with this tip, however. Greenwashing is when a company or product presents itself as "green" or "eco-friendly," when it is no better than its nonsustainable competitors. Companies can easily get away with vague green language that incorrectly presents their products as great sustainable alternatives. I know that this can make the search for true eco-friendly products feel really frustrating. The amount of research that has to be done is overwhelming!
Here are some products that I feel are truly sustainable, to help ease your load of research!
TIP. An easy way to cut down on a lot of your paper usage is by going digital! Now, computer parts stay in landfills for much longer than paper does. However, if you already have a computer or tablet, making digital notes and flashcards is a great option! I used my iPad for my notetaking in school, which I loved since the physical writing of taking notes helped my memory a ton! I still use that same iPad to this day to help run my business.
and onto the most controversial tip...
Do You Really Need That Textbook?
The reality is, every single person I talk to post-college agrees that they hardly EVER used their textbooks! No matter what school they went to, textbooks were almost always completely useless. I completely agree, too. I was a nervous student and was always the person who got the textbook anyway because "well what if we actually need it for this class?" Spoiler alert: I was wrong almost every time!
Many college students are aware of this issue. A lot of my professors are too, and some would even avoid asking us to get a physical textbook altogether. Plus, they're expensive! There are almost always digital versions of the textbooks, too, that are much cheaper than their print version.
My official tip is to try and limit what physical textbooks you buy for classes. Opt for the digital version if you need it! Another huge perk of having a digital textbook - you can keyword search it and find what you need instantly. And, remember that you can always purchase the physical book at a later date. So if you discover that you actually really need the book, you can always get it then!
I know there may be some unique situations where you need to get a physical textbook. In that case, my advice is to rent the textbook instead of buying it. This way we cut down on the number of printed copies needed, get to reuse what has already been made, and pass it on to the next student. I bought a good amount of textbooks that I legitimately have not looked at a single time since the class ended! I didn't need it for future classes at all. But if you feel like you do need it, many schools allow you to purchase the book you're renting for a discounted price.
What Do You Think?
Are there any tips I missed? Leave them in the comments below! Being sustainable in college can seem challenging, but remember an accumulation of small eco-conscious decisions can make a huge difference :)
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