In today’s society, climate change has become an increasingly prevalent environmental issue. College students are often left asking how they can live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Challenge your comfort
Being conscious of heat, air conditioning and water use can help lower the price of water and energy bills and is healthy for the environment.
“Consider turning your thermostat down in the winter time,” Makayla Bonney, assistant director of sustainability at IU, said. “In the summertime, choose to turn off the air conditioner.”
Bonney suggests keeping the thermostat around 68 to 69 degrees while at home and making use of fans during warmer months. Lowering the temperature on your water heater is also helpful.
“For every 10 degrees you lower your water heater, you can lower your energy bill, saving 3-5%,” said Bonney.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, households should set their water heater to 120 degrees, wash everything in cold water and not use the steam or heat dry.
Shop smart
Carbon emissions are one of the main contributions to climate change. Reducing food waste has the third highest impact on reducing carbon, Bonney said.
“Some of it is beyond our control, like agricultural waste, but buying only what you need and using it all up can have a massive impact,” Bonney said.
She also recommends eating more plants and less meat. Eating this way has the potential to reduce global carbon emissions by eight billion tons per year by 2050, according to the 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Students can also avoid single-use plastic when making purchases. Bonney suggests using reusable cups, mugs and grocery bags. When possible, students should recycle paper and plastic items, being sure to clean out plastics before disposing.
Resources
Students can check out a recycling guide on the sustain.iu website for more tips on what and where to recycle on IU’s campus. A recycling center is available to all Bloomington residents at 3400 S. Walnut St.
People can take electronics to Best Buy or Goodwill and batteries can be taken to buckets at loading docks of the Intramural Center, Ballantine Hall and the Indiana Memorial Union. Duke Energy customers can go online and request LED light bulbs for no additional charge.
“It's not just about our own personal actions, but asking and requesting things from businesses, landlordsand legislators,” Bonney said. “That's a really impactful way of inciting change.”
