Back to School

At the Organic Spa Magazine our saying is “It’s A Lifestyle..Live it”. As many students leave home and start living the dorm life it is important to make sure they are informed on green living.  Sharing the responsibility of taking care of our planet does not just fall under making sure you are taken care of.  It is also about making sure the environment you are living in is as well.

The resources on how to are endless, everyone is joining the green movement and I am glad to be working with a magazine that cares so much about the planet and your wellness.  

http://www.projectgreendorm.com is also a great resource and an example on how to live a green dorm life. They are a national movement to educate students on how to not only live green but help students to become advocates in their community. 

Here are some tips on how to make your dorm room a bit more eco:

The first thing to do when walking into an empty dorm room is to clean it the green way.  Do not use harsh chemicals that will stick around and could be toxic.  Simple soap and water or green cleaning products, such as Green Works, will do the job just the same and you will be able to breathe afterwards.

Second, check what kind of lights the room is using.  If you have no power over what kind of lights have been installed conserve energy as much as you can.  Living on your own now means being conscious of turning off those lights or unplugging appliances that are not in use.  The responsibility falls on you.

When doing laundry in your dorm try using cold water as much as possible.  Heated water takes up a lot more energy than you realize, when all you can do is simply switch it to cold instead. 

Do you really need to use the drier for everything?  A clothing rack is not the most attractive thing standing up in your room, but it does say, I care about the planet.  You clothes might thank you as well.

Living on your own means paying for bills.  Even if it is something simple like a phone bill, most companies now offer a go paperless option.  I pay all my bills online, there is no point in receiving a bulky bill in the mail that you will probably never open anyway.  All it will do is accumulate clutter and that is never a good thing. 

Now that you are set up and your room is clean you are ready to move in and decorate.  Dorm rooms tend to become stuffy over time and one way to fix that is by decorating with a plant.  Plants take away the pollutants in your living space, plus look nice.

When buying groceries for your little refrigerator try to buy locally and organically.  The same goes for being careful on the items you purchase for your room.  Everything from a blow drier to your comforter.  You want to be good to yourself, and when you will spend the money you might as well spend it on something that is worth while. 

Now on to your wardrobe.  New clothing is always nice, wonderful actually.  So are vintage or special thrift store items.  I am not saying only shop at a vintage or thrift store, however looking into is not a bad idea.  Not only is this good for your wallet, but the unique items you might find will help you stand out from the crowd of jeans and sweatshirts.

Now look around the building, do they reuse, reduce and recycle?  Make sure to follow those rules and you will be living eco in no time. You obviously do not want to be annoying, but reminding others to do the same is doing your part for the planet as well.  Sometimes people forget or are not aware of these options.  Gently, become an active voice for living green. 

Many universities are now implementing programs to educate and remind their students to do their part for the planet and their own well being by going green.