Drink Tap Water

Drink filtered tap water instead of bottled water.  Not only is filtered tap water healthier for your body and better for the environment (refer to Green FAQ), it is a lot cheaper.  The average cost of a water bottle is about a dollar or more, and the price of tap water in a bottle amount is a tiny fraction of the price.  If you think tap water “tastes weird,” keep drinking it and I promise you will get used to it.  I used to feel the same way about tap water and now I think bottle water tastes flat and is not refreshing whatsoever.  Buy a Brita water filter and keep that in your dorm/apartment.  It will generally be under $20 depending on what size you get and within about twenty uses it will pay itself off.  This is honestly the easiest and the best way to save the environment and save a lot of money.  Being EGOlogical has never been easier!

Recycle Your Electronics

My teammate shared with me this online recycling program called, Gazelle.  Gazelle allows you to send in your old electronics and get cash for however much they are worth based on their pricing scale.  Another awesome feature is they pay for the shipping of your items.  Once Gazelle receives your electronics, they will send them off to the correct safe electronic recycling center.  Recycling your electronics is extremely important so that their chemicals don’t contaminate landfills when tossed out.  Gazelle allows you to save the environment and make a little extra cash at the same time!  Check it out at: www.gazelle.com

Coffee

Why pay $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks when you can pay a fraction of the price by bringing your own cup of Joe from home?  Not only do you get to save a bunch of money, you can drink it on the go with a really fancy looking cup!  Also, make sure you turn your coffee maker off when it’s done and only make what you are going to drink so you don’t waste any.  If you have any left overs, leave it in the pot and warm it up in the microwave whenever.  That will reduce the amount of energy used up when your coffee pot is left on.  


If you choose to pay $5 for a cup of Starbucks coffee, bring your own coffee cup.  This will save the amount of paper used in a disposable cup and will also save you ten cents!  As part of Starbuck’s “Make a Difference” movement, they will give you a ten-cent discount every time you bring your own cup.  I know that may not sound like a lot, but ten cents does add up and eventually you’ll save a few bucks.  

Don't Move!

In today’s modern society, many public college bathrooms have automatic toilets to promote a more hygienic environment.  We are saving more people from spreading the germs built up on flushing toilets manually, however, automatic toilets have their downfalls as well.  Have you ever been sitting on a toilet and all of the sudden it flushes but you’re not done?  Then when you’re actually done it flushes again, in time using twice as much water as it should have.  Each flush can use from one to two gallons of water.  So next time you use an automatic toilet, try to sit really still so you reduce the risk of setting off the automatic sensor.  This will save your school a lot of money on their water bill, which in turn can be used for possible future projects on your campus.  

Print Double Sided

I’m sure you’ve heard this one many times and often ignore it, but I’m going to repeat it:  DOUBLE SIDE YOUR PAPERS!   You will use half the amount of paper it would take to print notes or essays making your paper last twice as long saving you twice the amount of money.  By reducing the time it takes to use up the package of paper you bought, you will eventually save a lot of money.  Some printers don’t have a double-sided printing option.  I know this is extremely time consuming, but you then must print each page one at a time.  When the printing options are displayed on your screen, press “From Page 1 to 1,” print that page, then flip the paper around in the paper holder and print “From Page 2 to 2” and so on until you’re done.  

What time is it?

When asked the common question, “What time is it?” most college students pull out their cell phones and illuminate them to view the digital time.  However, there are plenty of clocks all around you displaying the time.  Instead of wasting your phone battery to look at the time, just glance at the clocks hanging on the wall of the classroom, library, or office you are in.  By prolonging the life of your phone battery, you will have to charge it less, reducing your energy bills.  

Note-Taking

Taking notes in class is an essential part of a college student's success.  There are lots of pretty lines and margins that help you “organize” your notes.  However, who ever said you need to follow those?  You can be just as organized ignoring those lines and margins.  By writing on the entire page, you reduce the amount of pages used up in your notebook causing you to utilize your notebook for a longer period of time.  You then won’t have to buy notebooks as frequently saving you money and Earth’s precious resources.