Students can go green too

With many students taking up new places on campus there is a growing need to know how to be green on a student’s budget.  Here are a few ideas to help both pocket and the environment whilst setting the foundations of a life given to good environmental practice.

> Energy saving bulbs can be purchased from many student councils and can be taken with you to your next   accommodation, or persuade the landlord to put them in as the old ones blow.
> Reuse plastic shopping bags to take washing home, grocery shopping or carrying your books in.  Some plastic bags are for life so wear them out and get them replaced free.
> Buy environmentally friendly cleaning products such as Ecover or better still make your own with basic ingredients such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.  ( see the article on cleaning naturally)
> If you have a car share it with fellow students especially on long journeys, where the company is often welcome and the shared cost of the fuel. 
> Buy in bulk.  There are a number of organic and fair trade establishments who will deliver to your door on orders over a certain level.  By clubbing together with fellow students the bulk delivery will give you supplies through the academic year, save money and packaging.  Just make sure you have vermin proof containers. Try www.suma.co.uk  and www.essential-trading.co.uk who are both co-operatives run by the workers to provide whole sale, organic and fair trade products.  Others in the field can be found on the web or look through the local directory to find local suppliers.
> Grow your own vegetables.  Even if you do not have a garden, a simple window box can produce a good crop of herbs, lettuce and tomatoes.  Simple to grow from plug purchased from nurseries or garden centres.  Keep well watered and in a good light window.  See HDRA or Garden Organic for hints and tips about small area gardening.
> To save money on bottle water buy a steel camping flask, fill with filtered tap water and take to lectures or on trips.  The steel will keep the water chilled and save on the number of plastic bottles going to land fill.  Add flavours to make the day interesting especially if you fill the night before and forget what the flavour was!
> Turn off televisions and computers at night or when going out as they will use more than one third of running power just on standby.
> Rather than turn the thermostat up if feeling chilly put on a fleece or jumper, hang thick curtains at windows and doors.  Windows can be double glazed using some DIY cling film kits available from many high street stores for a fraction of the cost of UPVC.  Also, visit www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk under DIY glazing.
> Buy from eBay as there are some real bargains to find and you can ease your conscience by buying second hand goods at great prices.
> Take you bicycle with you, as it will give you green credentials with potential partners, save money, keep you fit and help your carbon footprint.
> As a treat, the delivery of an organic box of fruit and vegetables will often pick the spirit up as will the challenge of cooking with some of the more items of interest in the box.
> Green energy is worth looking for and checking if your accommodation provider will change over.  There are several providers of the energy such as www.greenenergy.org and www.uswitch.com
> There are many other ways to cut the carbon foot print from turning off lights, turning down the heating, sorting waste into recycled boxes, walking or cycling rather than taking to the car.  Cooking together is not only sociable it too cuts down on heating bills and cleaning pots n pans.
> Volunteer in between the trips to the watering hole and lectures.  There are many small charities out there in need of a few hours help. 
> At the end of the day have fun and do your bit for your fellow human and the planet.
> Shop for clothing, books, and gifts in charity shops local to you or your parents.  Gone are the days of poor quality shops with little on offer to younger people.  The charities that run these shops realise the potential of student and young person spend so devote some of the sales area to them.  Buying from these shops you are reusing and recycling whilst saving an extra pound or two for that extra lemonade
 

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 8th, 2007 at 10:43 am and is filed under Green Student, Household. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.