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Tips for eco-friendly living
Housing Guide 2010
By Colleen McKinney
Utility bills draining your wallet? Looking to save a few kilowatts for Mother Nature? With the help of ECO LSU, I've compiled a list of five easy and effective tips for students who are interested in conserving electricity in their dorm or apartment.
1. Turn off your lights! Don't leave your lights on when you go to class or work. Turn the lights off when you leave a room. It's as simple as flipping a switch! Consider making the switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. CFL bulbs "use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lights," according to a tip from Matt Wyatt, co-vice president of ECO, and they last much longer than regular light bulbs. CFLs were expensive when they first came out, but now you can buy them at Big Lots for a dollar or two a bulb. If you can only afford a couple, put them in the light fixtures you use the most.
2. Unplug your stuff! After you use your toaster, coffee maker or hair dryer, unplug it. "As much as 10 percent of energy use for appliances is consumed when appliances are off," ECO says. The easiest way to do this is plug your most frequently used electronics - cell phone chargers, TVs, computers, lamps - into one power strip, and then turn the power strip off when you leave.
3. Set your thermostat properly! If you have control of your thermostat or a window unit, be careful where you set it. Heating and cooling costs make up the chunk of your electricity bill, so setting it low in the winter and high in the summer will save you big bucks. If you're cold, take a cue from the commercials and get crunk in a Snuggie. If you're hot, use a fan and a thin blanket. And use your windows to your advantage. Open them for natural light and a cool breeze. Thermal curtains are a great way to keep your room cool and dark during the hot months.
4. Save water! Take short showers instead of baths. Don't let the faucet run when you shave or brush your teeth, and only wash full loads of clothing. If you want to take it a step further, lower the temperature on your water heater by ten degrees or so. You won't miss a thing, and it'll take less electricity to heat your water, thereby saving you some cash. And take a few minutes to fix all toilet leaks and dripping faucets. A leaking toilet wastes around 8,000 gallons of water a year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
5. Paper, please! The amount of plastic used in everyday life is ridiculous. Ditch the plastic water bottles and buy a reusable Nalgene or SIGG bottle to fill. Hate Baton Rouge tap water? Look into renting a Kentwood or Abita Springs water cooler to fill your reusable bottle. Ask for paper at the grocery store, or buy reusable bags. Target offers a five-cent discount for each reusable bag used, and Whole Foods gives you ten cents for each bag. Considering reusable bags are about $1, it will pay for itself in a few months. Use washable containers to store food, not plastic bags or plastic wrap. And always recycle any plastic you use.
These are just a few ways to conserve electricity. Any student, no matter where they live, can adopt at least one eco-friendly habit in their home. Think of it as a win-win situation: a win for earth and a win for your wallet.
Originally Published: March 10, 2010