Act Now!

Don’t use being a student in college as an excuse to not go green. Colleges around the country have implemented programs to inform and keep up with the environmentally friendly society we are living in. Therefore, I’ve compiled a guide to going green for the typical college student. Read and learn!

Of course, Coffee Goes Green’s favorite way to be environmentally friendly…

RECYCLE!

@ The University of Michigan:

If you live in a Campus Residence Hall…
All student rooms are equipped with a blue M recycling tote.
So Students- it is up to you to move the recyclables to the recycling closet; but Waste Management Services & University Housing gives you the bare bones to get going.

Recycling Closets are scattered among floors of Residence Halls.
Cans are labeled for Paper or Container Recycling, along with clear instructions on how to categorize your recyclables.
Don’t know what goes where? Don’t want to embarrass yourself? Check out this chart. It should help.

If you live off Campus in Ann Arbor….
City provided recycling bins or carts could be placed curbside to be picked up on a weekly basis. These bins are free of charge, so make sure you get them!

Drop-Off Recycling Stations are available to sell items you can’t put in the bins.

To read more on where the recyclable materials go after you sort them, go to http://www.plantops.umich.edu/grounds/recycle/residence_hall_recycling.html.

Other Recycling on Campus…
Campus Envelope Recycling- Redistribution of used campus envelopes
Using 55 envelops as many times as possible saves 1 tree.
If we used all 500,000 new campus envelopes purchased in a year to the fullest extent, we could save almost 9,100 trees!

Check out the Recycling Cans scattered all throughout campus. Take advantage of them!

Buying Green: The University encourages buying goods locally to support our local Ann Arbor environment. Check out http://www.procurement.umich.edu/greenpurchasing.html to support the cause!

These are only some of the initiatives MICHIGAN is taking to go green. Read up on everything that U of M is doing at www.recycle.umich.edu.


Off Campus Alternatives:

The ReUse Center- Operated by Recycle Ann Arbor to encourage economic growth through reuse of resources.
www.recycleannarbor.org

The Green Fair- Ann Arbor’s Mayor hosts an annual fair held on Main Street featuring free information on protecting our environment, environmental nonprofits, a clean energy expo, alternative fuel vehicle showcases, along with live music and refreshments.
Read up on 2009’s Green fair at http://www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/systems_planning/Environment/Pages/GreenFair2009.aspx
And check back for the date of the 2010 Fair! Support A2 and get information on keeping our environment safe.

Earth Day – April 22nd, 2010. (40th Anniversary this year!)
Earth Day is one day per year that is dedicated to implementing change. This one-day has the potential to bring about historic changes in climate policy, renewable energy and green jobs; all of which can inspire change among our entire community. By taking small steps in our homes, our schools and our businesses, we should be able to make a huge difference.
So check out: http://earthday.net/earthday2010
For all of the opportunities to get involved on Earth Day!

BEING GREEN ON THE SOCIAL SCENE:

Green Partying = Sustainable and Renewable energy-powered breweries + environmentally conscious drinkers.

Before planning your next party, think about these ways to keep it more environmentally friendly!

Organic Beer!
Choose organic ale instead of a Bud light.
Same good taste – but no toxic-pesticides, artificial fertilizers, chemical preservatives.
Some choices are: Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada, and Cascade Green.

If you aren’t daring enough to go for the Organic Beer, you can still go green by drinking less from kegs, bottles and cans, and more from the tap!

If you do buy bottles, buy without paper labels.
52 % of alcoholic beverages purchased in the U.S. are beers. Each of those bottles, of the 52 %, has two paper labels on it. The paper just goes to the trash- so save the planet and go paperless!

Avoid disposable “Red” cups. Reusable cups are a small way to help out. Encourage your party guests to bring them; or provide them yourself. But Disposable cups cannot be recycled; so choose the alternative!
It takes a significantly larger amount of energy to manufacture and dispose of disposable cups than reusable’s. 15 uses of a glass, reusable cup, equal the use of one paper cup. Choose wisely.

GREEN DATING:

“Going Green” is probably not the first thing on your mind when you are going on a date. But, you can be environmentally friendly; while dating!
Choose green restaurants that serve locally grown food, organic drinks, and use reusable materials.

Find an Organic Restaurant near you:
http://www.localharvest.org/restaurants/

Skip the flowers and go for chocolates.
Spare our environment the use of carbon, gallons of water, and shipping costs to bloom the flowers that your hometown doesn’t have in the winter. Chocolate’s the way to go!

http://www.nicobellaorganics.com/

BE TECH-SAAVY WHILE SAVING OUR PLANET:

Being a college student requires lots of technology. Laptops. iPods, Cameras, Thumb Drives, CD ROMs, Cell phones, etc. These items are essential for us college students, so why not make a change by looking out for more environmentally friendly technology?

Buy used gadgets!
Re-using is a great way to lower its carbon footprint, but also to extend the lifecycle of the product. A lot of times we get rid of things that still have a little more life in them. Give them another shot, buy used!

If you don’t want to buy used, but still need some new gadgets, recycle yours! You may not want to buy used, but someone else will.
Buy back programs exist in many stores, so that your items can be refurbished and brought back to life for another use.

Check out the materials used to make your gadgets before purchase. Though it is not that easy yet; companies are building more environmentally friendly products. Research before you buy!

Don’t want to give up your cool gadgets? You don’t have to.
Check out http://www.envirogadget.com/ and read about all the new technologies that are helping our planet while they help you!

POST-COLLEGE LIFE:

College seniors: Before finding a place to live out in the real world, find a property that comes with running water or has room for wind turbines. Take advantage of sun, build with solar materials, and use day lighting technology to make use of natural lighting.

Switch to GREEN POWER!
Call your provider, and see if they offer a “green alternative”, such as solar, wind, geothermal or hydropower. Don’t know your local providers? Check out http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/pricing.shtml?page=1

Doing all of these at once may be a bit overwhelming. So pick a few that are manageable for you, and take small steps at a time. Every effort makes a difference!

Resources:

Books
Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century
By Alex Steffen, Albert Gore (Foreword by), Sagmeister Inc.

Going Green
By Harvard Business School Publishing

No Impact Man
The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the process
By Colin Beavan

An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It
By Al Gore

Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying
By David Bach with Hillary Rosner

It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living
By Crissy Trask

Silent Spring
By Rachel Carson

The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living
By Josh Dorfman

Web
http://www.thegreenguide.com/
http://planetgreen.discovery.com
www.treehugger.com
http://www.nrc-recycle.org/localresources.aspx
http://www.recycle.com/