Personal Actions: What You Can Do

Ways to Reduce Your Footprint While:

• In Your Room
• In the Classroom
• In the Dining Halls and Cafes
• In the Laundry Room
• In the Library
• In the Bathroom and Kitchen
• Shopping

Although this list is written for dorms and college libraries, many of these practices can be applied to offices, apartments, homes, and more.

In Your Room

• If you have the option, only run your heat and air condition when you're in your room (information about how to operate your units can be found here)
• Instead of adjusting the temperature in your room to be more comfortable, adjust your clothing - put on a sweatshirt or take off a layer
• Invest in LED lights for your personal lamps
• Use natural sunlight whenever you can
• Only turn on your lights when you need them - and don't forget to turn them off!
• Unplug unused or less frequently used items - they're still using energy
• In the winter, and in the summer if your dorm has AC, make sure your windows are closed tight - leaky and open windows require a lot more energy to keep your room comfortable

In the Classrooms

• Shut off all AV equipment after use
• Turn off the lights 
• Use natural lighting during the day

In the Dining Halls and Cafes

• Take as much as you're willing to eat - you can always go back for more 
• Limit the number of take out containers you use
• Eat in before choosing to take out
• If you decide to eat on the go, ditch the plastic utensils - keep a set of reusable utensils in your bag!
• Bring your own travel mugs instead of taking a paper cup
• Don't use a straw

In the Laundry Room

• Use the drying racks located in the laundry rooms
• Use cool water - it makes your clothes last longer, and your clothes are still just as clean as if you used hot water
• Only do laundry if you have a full load
• Do your laundry less frequently - rewear items before washing
• Use eco-friendly laundry products
• Empty out the lint in the dryer

In the Library

• Print double sided
• Print two pages per side
• Do your readings on your computer instead of printing
• Use black and white ink instead of colored ink

In the Bathroom and Kitchen

• Don't run the water while you're brushing your teeth or washing dishes
• Shorten your shower
• Use slightly cooler water than you usually do - heating requires energy too!
• Turn off the lights when you leave
• Recycle! Toilet paper and paper towel rolls, plastic bottles, and more can be recycled

Shopping 

• Look for items that are fair trade or organic
• When buying items in containers, look for plastics, metals, and glass that can be recycled
• Think about whether or not you really need it before you buy it
• Buy food items in bulk - doing this reduces the amount of packaging
• Always bring a reusable bag!
• Buy things used - thrift stores, free boxes, and other places of resale are great resources
• Consider shopping at a local store before going to a chain store
• If given the option, request an e-receipt instead of a paper receipt