College is a great time to start developing more eco-friendly habits. Check out this article for a few ideas.

Pollution is one of humanity’s biggest problems. According to Dosomething.org, around 40 percent of the lakes in America are too polluted for fishing, aquatic life, or swimming. Over 14 billion pounds of garbage (mostly plastic) are dumped into the ocean every year. The U.S. produces approximately 30 percent of the world’s waste. It’s about time we all make a small effort to minimize our carbon footprint and preserve the earth’s resources for future generations.

College is the perfect moment to start your journey to a greener lifestyle. By embracing eco-friendly habits you’ll not only help the planet, but save some cash as well. And we all know that living on a college student’s budget is no easy task. Here are a few tips to get you inspired.

Leave Your Car Behind

Cars are a major cause of global warming - they account for nearly one-fifth of all U.S. emissions. Moreover, as oil becomes increasingly difficult to extract, burning gasoline will only become dirtier. Luckily, most campuses are pedestrian friendly; some of them even offer walking and biking trails, along with public transportation. Park your car and make it a habit to walk, ride, or bike whenever possible. If you live off-campus, see if you can’t carpool with some friends. You’ll save plenty of money on gas.

Be Thrifty

We humans generate an impressive amount of waste; a real shame, since we could easily reduce it by reusing items and refraining from buying anything we don’t need. If you’re looking to furnish your dorm or college apartment, hit local thrift stores and yard sales. Your budget won’t take as bad a hit and you’ll keep those old items from ending up in a landfill.

On the same note, borrow anything that you don’t plan to use on a regular basis. Going for a camping trip? Don’t buy a tent; instead, see if someone has one they could live without for a few days. Throwing a party? Ask your friends to bring dishes, glasses, or anything you’re short of.

Green Your Shopping

The first thing you can do to green your shopping is to ditch the plastic bags. According to Metabolix, an innovation-driven bioscience company, compostable bags are a great alternative. Next, look for products with as little packaging as possible. You can also buy items in bulk whenever you can afford to, in order to cut packaging waste. Unfortunately, excess packaging is still an inevitable outcome of shopping.

On the same note, visit farmer’s markets more often. By buying locally you get the freshest possible produce while supporting area businesses. You also do your part in offsetting the impact of transporting food long distances, so you’re cutting the environment some slack.

Take Notes on Your Laptop

Instead of wasting tons of paper, bring your laptop to class. You’ll have a better chance of keeping your documents organized this way, and you’ll reduce paper waste. Reducing paper use saves valuable natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, and saves energy. According to EPA, paperboard products represent the largest portion of our municipal solid waste stream. If you’re one of those people who has to hand-write notes, or your professor doesn’t allow laptops in class, make sure you always recycle paper you’re done with.

Textbooks

Buying textbooks will drain not only your budget, but the world’s paper resources as well. Be diligent and search for used textbooks at both online and offline stores. Alternatively, consider renting textbooks or sharing them with a friend. If you can find an online or ebook version of the textbook, these are usually cheaper and more tree-friendly.

Carry Around a Reusable Water Bottle

Americans buy around 30 billion water bottles per year, on which they spend no less than $11.8 billion. We’ve already established that plastic is harmful for the environment, so carry a reusable water bottle with you instead. You can look for a stylish one that fits your personality. It may take some time to get used to carrying a bottle around, so buying one you really like will make it easier for you to remember to grab it along on your way out.

Green is the new black. Despite popular opinion, a more eco-friendly lifestyle doesn’t have to be expensive or inconvenient. With just a few tweaks to your everyday habit you’ll manage to have a positive impact on the environment and save some cash at the same time. Be the change you want to see in the world.