It’s time to pack those bags and head off to college! Whether you’re a first-year or a senior, the start of a new semester means new experiences and new routines. We’re here to help you keep those routines environmentally friendly with our sustainable back-to-school guide – College Edition!
Get Your Dorm Essentials Second-Hand
Lamps, coffee pots, rugs, bean bag chairs, cookware, tapestries…the list of dorm essentials goes on. Shopping for all of these items can be expensive and wasteful, especially if you only plan on using the item for a few semesters. Instead of buying new, see if you can get any of these items on Facebook Marketplace or other similar resale sites. Some college campuses are even creating their own second-hand markets, so do some digging and see if that’s an option at your university!
Stock Your Shower Caddy Sustainably
Be the talk of your shared bathroom with a sustainable shower caddy! Make your routine more environmentally friendly with our line of sustainable shower essentials, including shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in aluminum bottles. Take it a step further by switching to a reusable razor and natural loofah!
Thrift Your Back To School Fits
New year, new (to you) fits! While it can be tempting to buy brand new clothes for a new semester, consider buying second-hand to reduce your impact on the planet. Check out local thrift stores and consignment shops, or shop online with second-hand retail sites like Poshmark or ThreadUp.
Rent Textbooks
Buying textbooks every semester can be unsustainable for your wallet and the planet. Before you drop your money on a textbook, investigate if you can rent from your university bookstore or library. If not, see if the textbook is offered as an e-book, or buy the book second-hand from a peer. Don’t forget to sell it to the next student when you’ve completed the class!
Participate in Campus Recycling
Some waste is inevitable, like all the paper from those essays your professors assigned. When you can’t reuse something, make sure to recycle! Most universities offer recycling options on campus and in dorm buildings, so make sure you familiarize yourself with those processes once you arrive on campus.
Join Student Green Clubs
Joining clubs and organizations in college is a great way to meet new people and help enact change on campus. See if your campus has an existing sustainability club, and if they don’t, look into creating one! Sustainability clubs can help educate fellow students about the environment and are a great tool to work with university leadership on larger sustainability projects and policies.
Cheers to a new, sustainable school year!
For more back-to-school sustainability tips, check out this post: Go Back-To-School Plastic-Free
