How to Be Sustainable in College (Without Breaking the Bank)

Let’s be honest: a lot of eco-friendly advice or tips can feel all-or-nothing. It might make you think you need to go zero-waste, never fly again, eliminate all plastic from your life, or grow your own food just to help the planet.

On a college budget, that’s really not happening. Campus life is busy, messy, and produces a ton of random waste. True sustainability isn't about buying new products; it’s just about being resourceful with what you already have.

To save you time, everything below is broken down into quick bullet points. These are my top pieces of advice to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly life on campus. Pick and choose whatever tips work for you. I hope you find something valuable here! 

The Backpack Staples

1. Bring your own utensils: Throw a regular metal fork and spoon from home into a little pouch in your bag. Use them instead of the plastic cutlery at the dining hall to help reduce single-use plastic waste.
   
   
2. Ditch plastic bottles: Keep a reusable water bottle and a travel mug with you. Most campus cafes will give you a discount on your drink just for bringing your own cup.
   
   
3. Buy snacks in bulk: Grab the big bulk bags of pretzels or chips instead of individually wrapped single-servings. It’s way cheaper and decreases plastic packaging.

Smart School Supplies

1. Go digital: Use apps like Notion or GoodNotes for note-taking to eliminate paper waste.
   
   
2. Scan handouts: If a professor hands out a physical packet, use a free app like CamScanner to digitize it immediately, then throw the paper into the recycling bin.
   
   
3. Never buy new textbooks: Rent digital versions on Chegg or VitalSource, or ask upperclassmen if you can buy their old physical copies for an affordable amount.
   
   
4. Refillable stationery: If you prefer physical writing, buy refillable pens instead of cheap disposables, and look for notebooks made from 100% recycled paper.

Navigating the Dining Hall

1. Start with smaller plates: "All-you-care-to-eat" dining halls make it easy to waste food when you're starving after class. Start small because you can always get seconds.
   
   
2. Save your leftovers: Keep a few tupperware containers in your dorm. If you grab takeout food and can't finish it, store it in your mini-fridge for a late-night study snack.
   
   
3. Use the compost bins: Check if your dining hall has a designated compost setup. Scraping your food scraps in there keeps organic waste out of landfills and helps the planet.

Dorm Furniture & Clothes

1. Use move-out week: Don't buy a brand-new microwave or mini-fridge. Check student GroupMes or Facebook groups during the spring move-out window. Graduating seniors usually sell appliances cheap, or give them away for free, so they don’t have to pack them.
   
   
2. The "One-In, One-Out" rule: Before you buy a new clothing item, try to force yourself to sell, swap, or donate an old one to keep your closet minimal.
   
   
3. Host a clothing swap: Get your friends together in the dorm common room to trade clothes. It’s a completely free wardrobe refresh, without purchasing anything new.
   
   
4. Skip fast fashion: When you do need to shop, stick to thrifting or apps like Depop so you aren't supporting cheap clothing that falls apart in three washes and is horrible for the environment.

Energy & Cold Laundry

1. Eliminate energy use: Plug your TV, microwave, and chargers into a heavy-duty power strip with an on/off switch. Flip it off when you leave for the weekend or long breaks.
   
   
2. Adjust your thermostat: Turn off your AC or heating when you head out to class for the day instead of using it in an empty room.
   
   
3. Wash on cold: Only run full laundry loads to save water, and switch the dial to the cold setting. It uses way less energy and keeps your clothes from shrinking or fading.
   
   
4. Shorten your showers: Cutting your shower time down by just a couple of minutes saves a massive amount of heated water over the semester.

Free Transportation

1. Walk, skate, or bike: Campuses are designed to be walkable. Walk, bike, or skateboard to class instead of paying for a rideshare or driving a car for a short five-minute trip.
   
   
2. Use your student ID: Most colleges partner with the city to give students free or heavily discounted bus and train passes. Look up your university shuttle routes and use them.
   
   
3. Carpool for errands: If you need a car for a Target or grocery run, coordinate with roommates. It splits the gas money and cuts emissions in half.

In Conclusion: Small Habits, Big Impact

You don’t have to live a flawlessly zero-waste lifestyle to make a difference. Consistency matters way, way, way more than perfection. Small daily changes are the best way to start, but large-scale change happens when students work together to push for institutional policy updates. (Joining clubs is a great way to do this.) 

If you want to see your campus adopt better recycling processes, use less plastic, or more solar energy, some suggestions on getting involved in the community are:

• Joining a student sustainability club to help organize campus projects.
  
  
• Voting in student government elections to support candidates who care about green initiatives.
  
  
• Volunteering for a weekend campus cleanup or helping out at a local community garden.

Being sustainable doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Just use what you have, take advantage of campus resources, and give it your best shot. Doing something is always better than nothing!

One More Simple Swap

Sustainability doesn't have to mean changing everything at once. Sometimes, it's simply about looking at the products you use every day and asking whether there's a reusable alternative.

Period care is one place where a small change can make a meaningful difference. Heralogie period underwear is designed to replace disposable pads and tampons with a comfortable, washable option you can wear again and again. Made with thoughtfully selected materials and designed for long-term use, it's one more simple way to reduce the amount of waste created by everyday routines.

Because sustainable living isn't about perfection, it's about the choices we make consistently.