Healthy Consumerism
- Buy items that have limited packaging materials - buy in bulk.
- Donate old clothing/furniture rather than throwing items away.
- Use cloth bags for shopping.
- Buy products made of reusable material or products that can be reused.
- Use rechargeable batteries.
- Drink filtered or tap water instead of purchasing bottled water.
- Before you buy something ask yourself, "Do I really need this?"
- Use green cleaning products.
- Ask if products are green and fair trade (not from sweatshops) when you shop.
- Recycle!
Food
- Only take/prepare food you can eat.
- If you do have leftovers, be sure to eat them.
- Buy local, organic foods when possible.
- Support local farmer markets.
- Store food in re-usable containers, instead of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Energy Conservation
- Use florescent light bulbs.
- Turn off lights when you leave a room; utilize natural lighting whenever possible.
- Use cold water when washing clothes.
- Look for Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star rated products when buying new electronics.
- Turn off and unplug appliances and electronics (computers, stereos, hair dryers, televisions, mp3 players, cell phone chargers, etc.) when they are not in use.
Water Usage
- Take shorter showers
- Report leaks and drips to UHFM by submitting a Maintenance Request.
- Do not run the water while you brush your teeth.
- Do not dump anything toxic down drains, sinks, toilets or sewers.
- Wash only full loads of laundry.
Transportation
- Utilize alternative transportation options offered through Madison County Transit.
- Walk or ride your bike to class.
- Keep your vehicles tires properly inflated.
- Avoid aggressive driving - rapid acceleration and sudden stopping both take a hard toll on your gas consumption.
- Rather than idling for long periods of time, turn your engine off and then restart the car.
Stay Informed
- Keep up to date on news stories surrounding sustainability.
- Vote in the political process.
- Talk to your professors about sustainability.
- Enroll in electives related to sustainability - think about how it can be addressed through your academic discipline(s).
- Be socially and environmentally responsible with investments.
