Living green being expensive is a common misconception. There are many inexpensive ways to live a greener lifestyle.
Instead of buying school supplies every year, reuse notebooks, binders and other necessities. Brand new textbooks can be painful to your wallet and the environment; so an alternative is getting used textbooks from other students and campus stores or rent them.
Psychology junior Danielle Gonzalez said technology helps students go green and save money, while being convenient, too.
“E-books are great. Publishers use less paper, students carry fewer heavy books, and they are cheaper than conventional text books,” Gonzalez said. “Being able to turn things in electronically is good for the environment, too.”
UH provides recycling bins all over the campus, and art history junior Chanelle Frazier said being a student has had an impact on her recycling habits.
“I think it promotes more recycling in my habits since I see the bin. As a result, I consciously look for recycle bins wherever I go,” Frazier said. “I recycle at my house and always recycle when the option is available when I am out eating or on campus.”
UH has been introducing new programs, and initiatives to help students, faculty and staff make it easier to be green. For instance, try bringing a refillable water bottle to campus and utilizing the water stations.
Being environmentally conscious is more than just reusing, it’s about reducing.
“I think the most important things students can do is cut back. You know for a fact you’re going to need at least a bottle of water per day or more, so just get a canteen or reuse a bottle of water over and over again,” Frazier said.
Caring for the environment doesn’t stop when students leave campus. Small things done around the home, like unplugging electronics, washing laundry in cold water and switching off the lights when not in use can make a big difference.
“I forget to unplug my hair straightener, blow dryer and phone charger so I bought a power surge protector, plugged in all my stuff and just switch off the surge protector when I’m done,” Gonzalez said. “It’s so easy and I did see a smaller bill.”
Small changes can lead to a big impact, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a UH student or a Fortune 500 CEO, little things add up. By working together, we can improve our community, city and world.
