Balancing classes in college is hard enough. Trying to live a life outside academics can be even more difficult.
A college student reached out in the r/Anticonsumption subreddit for tips on living an eco-friendly life in a limited environment.
"I know the basics — the best things are what I already have, but local if you're going to buy, buy second hand. So what do you do when you don't have transportation?" the original poster said. "What do you do if a thrift store doesn't have what you need? Or if there aren't any thrift stores? I come from a pretty eco friendly home. … I've been making do with just cleaning plastic utensils and reusing plastic bags."
Colleges across the U.S. are making their existing resources more eco-friendly and creating new eco-friendly resources for students.
While exact percentages vary, it is clear that many college students care a great deal about the environment. Some people who are starting their adult lives want to mitigate the effects of climate change on their communities in whatever ways they can.
Several people offered great suggestions for the OP.
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One commenter said: "1) Dumpster diving at moveout is a great way to keep usable stuff from going to the landfill. And 2) If you have the time and energy, you can join or organize a sustainability group to organize initiatives like this."
A University of California, Los Angeles professor found a mini-fridge in a dumpster during move-out week.
Another commenter said: "One more thing is to network with other students, clubs, and groups. Sometimes they have resources or swap events you wouldn't know about otherwise. It's a good way to stretch what you do have and meet people."
Networking and finding camaraderie as a college student can make living and caring about the environment a little bit easier. While joining a sustainability club won't solve the problem of the overheating planet all at once, it does mean that a student doesn't have to feel like they're the only person in their area who cares about the environment.
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The OP also responded: "I'd like to thank every person who answered with valuable suggestions. I posted this, not just for myself, but for other college students as well. … All these tips listed were not advertised to me even in a mandatory First Year Studies course, I learned them through my own research."
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