The majority of college students may not have the money to make significant lifestyle modifications. The most urgent issue of our time is the movement to stop climate change. The effort to stop climate change must involve all of us, and a big part of that is living sustainably. But what exactly does living sustainably mean?
A sustainable way of life involves producing less garbage. However, this calls for changing how we purchase and consume food, clothing, and even devices. Educating ourselves on how to exercise their political rights is equally necessary. These minor adjustments can help college students live more sustainably and environmentally friendly lifestyles.
THRIFTY BUYING
60% of all apparel produced will be discarded after one year.This implies that the entire amount of water and energy needed to create these clothing was also a waste. The only industry that contributes more to global pollution than the fashion industry is the oil industry. By purchasing eco-friendly clothing, you can make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change. However, many college students cannot afford to shop at stores like Madewell and Reform because of their high prices. In addition to being more affordable than major companies, thrift and vintage stores make it simple to find fashionable clothing. When you need a new t-shirt or blouse, head to your neighborhood store rather than Topshop or Vans.
VEGETARIAN MONDAYS
In terms of lowering carbon dioxide emissions, if every American skipped one supper of chicken each week in favor of vegetables and grains, it would be equivalent to removing more than 500,000 cars off American highways. Meatless Monday is not only inexpensive but also good for the environment. An average household of four can save between $80-$100 a month by replacing meat with beans, legumes, eggs, almonds, and seeds.
CUT DOWN ON PLASTIC USE
The greatest class of municipal garbage in the US is packaging. 10% of waste in the US is made up of single-use items, and things we produce, use, and discard account for 29% of the nation’s emissions of greenhouse gases. Making single-use things requires a lot of energy. In addition, hazardous substances like benzene and vinyl hydrochloride, which are dangerous to people, are used in the production of plastic. We can reduce the 1 million plastic water bottles that are purchased every minute worldwide and the 7.5 million straws made of plastic that are left on American shorelines by substituting reusable water bottles for plastic ones.
USE A REUSABLE COFFEE CUP
Every minute, consumers use more than 8,000 Starbucks paper cups worldwide, which comes to more over four billion each year. Starbucks coffee cups are not recyclable since they are lined with plastic, which adds to the problem of plastic pollution. The use of reusable coffee cups is an excellent approach to lessen the quantity of plastic in the environment.
BUY A BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSH
Since one toothbrush takes 400 years to disintegrate, every toothbrush ever produced is still in use today. Purchasing a bamboo toothbrush that can be composted would reduce the amount of plastic in the environment.
UNPLUG YOUR ELECTRONICS AFTER YOU’RE DONE USING THEM
Numerous people leave their phones, hairdryers, TVs, computers, and other devices plugged in all day. Having those things connected in can get expensive. The total electricity produced in 2018 accounted for 37% of all carbon dioxide emissions in just the United States. This proportion indicates that one of the major causes of climate change is electricity. You may reduce your carbon footprint by simply disconnecting your electronics after using them. You can also save between $100 and $200 a year if you live outside of campus and pay your personal utility bill.
JOIN A CAMPUS CAMPAIGN
On the grounds of your university, there are a variety of free and simple methods to participate in climate change advocacy. There are chapters of groups like Extinction Rebellion and ZeroHour all around the United States, particularly on college campuses. There are also initiatives to green your own campus, such as divestment initiatives and initiatives to put solar panels on campus structures. You may increase awareness about sustainable and why it’s vital by speaking out about climate change.