Reducing Your Carbon Footprint While in College
It seems as if the majority of Millennials and Gen Z are aware of the climate crisis we are in. Therefore, I’m not going to write about the fact that climate change is real. In this blog I want to share the ways in which I attempted to reduce my own carbon footprint while I was in college. While the vast majority of the carbon emissions are due to corporations, I wholeheartedly believe that if everyone makes small positive changes, it can have a big positive effect.
Sustainability is a topic that has been of interest to me since the fifth grade, after watching Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”. Now, if you have seen that documentary (if you haven't, I strongly recommend it), you might think that it covers stressful topics for a fifth grader. It kind of did… looking back, this was probably when my eco-anxiety began. However, living a lifestyle that helps combat climate change doesn’t have to be anxiety inducing, even when you are in college.
Keep in mind that everyone’s journey to reduce their carbon footprint is different, but here are just a few changes that I found to be most sustainable during my undergrad and that I am carrying out during grad school.
Walking/Biking/Skateboarding: Or rollerblading, or scootering, or unicycling (there was a student at San Diego State University (SDSU) that was known as the unicycle man and he would ride a unicycle around campus. What a legend). This one is the most obvious, if you live on campus, or near campus there are so many modes of transportation that don’t release any carbon emissions and they also make you move your body so it’s a win-win really.
Carpool/Public Transportation: If your commute is a bit too far to walk, then try carpooling with a friend or look into your city’s public transportation. For example, San Diego State University had a trolly station and a bus stop on campus.
Eat less meat, eat more plants: I used to think that becoming a vegetarian would be challenging while in college, but it has actually been a very sustainable and affordable lifestyle change that I have made. One doesn’t need to stop eating meat or animal products entirely to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle however, all they need to do is eat less meat. It’s a simple change that makes a huge difference on your carbon footprint. College was a time in my life where all of my close friends were trying to figure out their preferred diets and many of them eat little to no meat. I would argue college is a great time to explore this opportunity.
Oatmilk: This is another dietary change and one that I feel has a lot of pushback, but oatmilk is the most sustainable milk option. If you are indifferent to drinking cow’s milk or actively dislike it, try switching to an oatmilk. Any non-dairy milk will have a lower carbon footprint than cows milk, but oat is the winner amongst the non-dairy options. Here is a short video that explains this in further detail.
Reusing bags: You don’t need to have a cotton tote bag in order to help the sustainability movement. In fact, a cotton bag requires more energy to make than a plastic or paper bag, so the most sustainable option is to use whichever type of bag you have and use it as many times as you can. Here is another video that breaks down the pros and cons to each type of bag.
Buying less: everyone has heard of reduce, reuse and recycle, but I feel like we ignore the ‘reduce’ part. Reducing the amount of stuff you buy is the best thing to do. Asking yourself: “do I truly need this item?” is the first question, followed by “is there a more eco-friendly swap for that?”
Buying second-hand: I used to be grossed out by the idea of wearing someone else’s old clothes, but that is such a limiting mindset to have. Buying second-hand or taking hand-me-downs is now one of my favorite things. Towards the end of my undergrad, my friends and I began to downsize our closets and gave one another clothes that we did not use. This way, our old clothes got a second life. So, I guess what I’m saying is that Mackelmore actually got it right in Thrift Shop.
Reusable water bottles: At SDSU, everyone had a Hydroflask that they carried around. It was kind of a fashion trend and honestly I support that 100%. It was actually “cool” to use a reusable water bottle, which is amazing because drinking water has so many health benefits. I was happy that this practice was normalized on campus. One could also use reusable coffee mugs to reduce waste when going to the campus’ coffee shop.
In conclusion, there are lots of small ways that you can make a difference and help reduce your carbon footprint. These tips are not limited to someone in college but are simply some of the things I personally did while I was in undergrad. Everyone’s sustainability journey is different so try not to get too caught up in being the perfect “zero-waste” role model. Instead make small changes that will become a part of your new lifestyle!
Reference:
Axelrod, Joshua. “Corporate Honesty and Climate Change: Time to Own Up and Act.” NRDC, 26 Feb. 2019, www.nrdc.org/experts/josh-axelrod/corporate-honesty-and-climate-change-time-own-and-act.
