Students share tips for saving energy and cash

Although it is hard enough for college students to get eight hours of needed sleep, have three nutritious meals a day and still get to class on time, it is not impossible to believe that students would be willing to give up a half-hour a day in order to help save the earth. Perhaps it is unrealistic to assume that one person can make a significant difference, but collectively anything is possible. Here are five simple steps, taken from About.com’s article "Green Living: Five Ways to Help Save the Planet in 30 Minutes or Less," that Drew University students can take while living in dormitory rooms.

First, use bicycles or ZipCars. Drew has two programs that, if they were widely used, would reduce the pollution caused by motor vehicles. The bicycle program allows any student to rent out bikes that can be used for transportation on campus or in town. The university also has a ZipCar program with energy-efficient automobiles that students can easily rent. And of course, there is the option of using the most energy efficient mode of transportation of all—walking.

Second, eat your vegetables. The lesson our mothers taught us is important not only for our own health, but also for the planet. Eat less meat and more fruits, grains and vegetables. The reason is simple: raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas than raising fruits and vegetables. If students demanded more vegetables than meat, it is likely that the Commons would respond by reducing the amount of meat purchased and cooked. Off campus, consider Saladworks instead of Rod’s Steakhouse.

Third, use only reusable shopping bags. If all students made a small investment in reusable shopping bags and used them whenever they went to Whole Foods or Stop & Shop, it would make an enormous reduction in the amount of non-biodegradable plastic that now goes into local landfills.

Fourth, use only energy-efficient light bulbs. Almost every student has both utilitarian and decorative room lights. Many of them come with traditional incandescent bulbs. Changing them to compact fluorescent light bulbs or LEDs takes very little time and has to be done only once. A recent study showed that if this change were made across the country, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 billion pounds—the equivalent of taking 7.5 million cars off the road. At Drew University alone, the environmental improvement would be stunning.

Five, pay bills online. A tremendous amount of paper could be saved if every Drew student paid online. Currently, envelopes with statements often travel from the company to the student, from the student to home, and from home back to the company. Signing up for bill paying online is simple and quick. Think of the trees that could be saved.