Spring Break
Stay green this Earth Day
Natalie Abreu
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: Focus
On this day of celebration of the Earth, which has nourished us human beings throughout the history of mankind, shouldn't we also return the favor by making sure the Earth is as beautiful and spic and span as possible?
Though it might be hard to maintain a "green" lifestyle on campus, there are some easy, minimalistic ways in which even the busiest students can follow.
1.) Walk and bike around campus: Though this might be a harder prospect for commuter and off-campus students, walking and biking around campus produces zero carbon emissions, saves on gas, gives you a chance to burn off the calories from all that dining hall food and will allow you to actually see the beautiful changes of springtime in action.
2.) Carpool or use public transportation: Getting around more efficiently also helps in going green. Filling up a car with your fellow students will help in reducing the number of cars on the road, and thus reduce carbon emission. Best of all, it will reduce traffic and increase the number of available parking spaces. Public transportation, such as buses, helps reduce the number of cars on the road, and bus tickets prove to be a lot cheaper than gas prices in the long run.
3.) Tote, anyone?: Just imagine how many times we use a plastic bag once, and then throw it in a big plastic bag pile that rarely gets used. More environmentally friendly and fashionable ways to carry your belongings and purchases around are versatile tote, cloth and hemp bags.
"Using reusable bags is one of the easiest and most effective ways to have a positive impact on our environment," said Ronald Fong, president and CEO of the California Grocers Association to the Earth Times.
Having just one bag available during a shopping trip will also allow you to answer the question "paper or plastic" with "Neither."
4.) Shorten shower time: Yes, the prospect of a shortened shower might be a horrifying one, but think of how much water comes through the shower head every minute. Reducing a shower by even a few minutes might add up in the long run, saving gallons of water a day. A way to reduce water can be as simple as turning off the water during activities like shampooing and conditioning your hair. If you are a brave soul, try to take showers with as little hot water as possible, saving on the heating bill as well.
Though it might be hard to maintain a "green" lifestyle on campus, there are some easy, minimalistic ways in which even the busiest students can follow.
1.) Walk and bike around campus: Though this might be a harder prospect for commuter and off-campus students, walking and biking around campus produces zero carbon emissions, saves on gas, gives you a chance to burn off the calories from all that dining hall food and will allow you to actually see the beautiful changes of springtime in action.
2.) Carpool or use public transportation: Getting around more efficiently also helps in going green. Filling up a car with your fellow students will help in reducing the number of cars on the road, and thus reduce carbon emission. Best of all, it will reduce traffic and increase the number of available parking spaces. Public transportation, such as buses, helps reduce the number of cars on the road, and bus tickets prove to be a lot cheaper than gas prices in the long run.
3.) Tote, anyone?: Just imagine how many times we use a plastic bag once, and then throw it in a big plastic bag pile that rarely gets used. More environmentally friendly and fashionable ways to carry your belongings and purchases around are versatile tote, cloth and hemp bags.
"Using reusable bags is one of the easiest and most effective ways to have a positive impact on our environment," said Ronald Fong, president and CEO of the California Grocers Association to the Earth Times.
Having just one bag available during a shopping trip will also allow you to answer the question "paper or plastic" with "Neither."
4.) Shorten shower time: Yes, the prospect of a shortened shower might be a horrifying one, but think of how much water comes through the shower head every minute. Reducing a shower by even a few minutes might add up in the long run, saving gallons of water a day. A way to reduce water can be as simple as turning off the water during activities like shampooing and conditioning your hair. If you are a brave soul, try to take showers with as little hot water as possible, saving on the heating bill as well.
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