Go green: The current phenomenon that is sweeping the nation is the result of hundreds of species disappearing and ecosystems caving in.
More and more, society is seeing environmentally-friendly clothing and products to ensure that the common person can help save their share of the earth. On the college scale, there are a few ways you can help out in your residence hall or apartment.
Take it from me, living in a dorm can definitely be trying at times, but don't fret. There are ways to cut down on wasting energy and reuse what is already around you.
There are usually two windows in each dorm room. Use these windows instead of four fans scattered around the room. It's especially helpful to open the top windows at night if a top bunk or loft is being used. A breeze can still be felt instead of turning a fan on high and hoping a bit of cool air will reach the top bunk.
The recycling bins that come in each dorm room should actually be used for recycling bottles or cardboard, not as extra storage or a makeshift sled in a winter snowstorm. The recycling bins are right next to the Dumpsters so there's no extra effort involved in disposal. Brush your teeth at the same time as your roommate instead of doubling the amount of water being used. (Sure, it might be weird, but think of the baby polar bears you're saving in the North Pole.)
If you haven't had the misfortune of experiencing a freezing cold dorm shower, you will realize soon enough that showering at random times throughout the day takes around 45 minutes just to get lukewarm water. Instead of running the water to warm it up, why not try to take a shower when the majority of the people on your hall are? It won't waste water, plus you'd be surprised at the juicy gossip you can hear in the shower rooms. Try not to take 30-minute showers either. It's not smart to stay in the dorm showers for more than 10 minutes anyway for fear of the sporadic fire drills.
Walk or take the bus to the grocery store. The buses are already running whether you take them or not, so why waste your own money on gas that will end up hurting the environment? Another possibility is to wait as long as possible to do your laundry without having to wear the same clothes three times in a row. The lines are always long for washers, and you'll have larger loads than if you do it twice a week.
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You silly Liberals kill me. You're saying if I brush my teeth with my roomate that I will save a polar bear? Wow! What if I don't have a roomate? What if we have different bathrooms? What should I do oh mother of earth? I'm not a big recycler, not because I don't care about the earth, I just enjoy making people like you mad because you are way too overboard on this stuff.
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I am waiting for the next Jim Jones to come along and convince people the best way to save energy is offing yourself. Think of the carbon footprint that would be reduced.
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Really, people, we all need to strive for that ideal carbon footprint: a homeless person. You can live in that discarded cardboard TV box. Think of the energy savings!
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