Back-to-School in Sustainable Style

The College Edition, Part 1

You (or your child) are going to college! It’s time to start thinking about the big move, and moments of big change are opportunities for big impact. Take this opportunity to start familiarizing yourself with new ideas to shop smart and be enviro-friendly. Stay tuned for more next week! 

In this column series, we will not only help you make climate-positive buying choices, we will also save you money! We have cataloged tons of Tips & Tricks for Sustainable Living on our website page, so take some time to go through each section and discover tricks that make sense for your lifestyle. If you try a tip that doesn’t work out, don’t despair, just try something else! Here are some highlights:

Eating and Drinking:

First things first, research a refillable thermal beverage container.They are perfect for taking coffee to your early morning classes then refilling with the beverage of your choice (and free water) all day. For those late night study sessions when all the cafeterias are closed, default to a 4-cup coffee maker with insulated carafe and skip the single-use pods. Who drinks just one cup anyway?

For food storage, think silicone containers like Stashers. They are perfect for carrying snacks in your backpack when you have back-to-back classes or for storing leftovers in your dorm fridge. Wash out, dry, use again!

Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies: 

Did you know that laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, hand soap and body wash, all of which come in heavy plastic bottles, are mostly water? Keep you and your dorm room fresh and clean with plastic-free, easy to store and easy to use products highlighted in our newsletters “Pitching Plastics Around the House” and “Plastic-Free Self Care.” With our Tips & Tricks for Sustainable Living, you can also avoid single-use pods, dryer sheets and wipes.

Bedsheets and Towels:

Buy 100% cotton! Not only are fabrics containing synthetic fibers made from fossil fuels, they leach microplastics into our water system. Additionally, they are hot to sleep in and don’t absorb moisture as well. Pro tip: look for sheets and towels in the same color family so you can wash them in the same load.

Clothing:

It’s a well-known fact that dorm laundry facilities suck, so buying a drying rack is a great investment that saves money and carbon! And remember that there’s no room in a dorm to store tons of clothes, so skip the plastic-heavy fast fashion.

Watch for our column next week, when we’ll talk about furniture, electronics and how to make the actual move. 

The Environmental Action Committee’s next meetings are July 18 and August 15 at 4 pm. Email environment@lwvchicago.org for the Zoom link!