Sustainability is a trending topic, also among students. While it may seem difficult to adopt a sustainable lifestyle in a dorm room, there areseveral simple and affordable ways to minimize your impact on the environment. In this blog we share five valuable tips to make your student room more sustainable.
1. Reduce electricity consumption
- Turn off electrical appliances completely instead of leaving them on standby.
- If possible, use a laptop instead of a desktop computer, as laptops generally consume less energy.
- Set your display to sleep after 5 to 10 minutes of inactivity, and close your laptop screen when you're not using it
- Use energy-efficient LED bulbs instead of traditional incandescent bulbs.
- Make use of natural light and turn off the light when you leave the room.
- Invest in a power strip with an on/off switch to avoid standby consumption
- Replace the lamps of your desk lamp with environmentally friendly versions, the so-called compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).
2. Limit water use
- Take shorter showers. Set a timer or play a short song while you shower to remind yourself that you're saving water.
- Use a water-saving shower head.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or washing your hands.
- Repair leaking faucets or toilets as soon as possible.
- If you wash your clothes in the common laundry room, wait until you have a full load to save water.
- If you wash dishes by hand, use a dishwashing pan instead of leaving the tap open. This way you can reuse the water.
3. A sustainable design
- Buy second-hand furniture or ask fellow students if they have anything left over. Of course, you can also post a call in local Facebook groups.
- Use sustainable and recyclable materials such as bamboo, wood or recycled plastics.
- Decorate your room with plants, which will not only purify the air, but also create a relaxing atmosphere.
- If you only need temporary furniture, such as a desk or chairs, consider borrowing it from fellow students or family members.
- Optimize the space in your student room by investing in multifunctional furniture, such as a bed with storage space underneath or a desk that can be transformed into a dining table.
- Give old accessories, such as pillowcases, curtains or decorative items, a new life by reusing them. Join our upcycling group on Facebook for inspiration.
- Buying a brand new laptop can be extremely expensive. Fortunately, there are websites and stores that sell refurbished tech items, such as Apple and Coolblue.
4. Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Avoid using disposable items such as plastic bottles, cutlery, and cups. Instead, consider reusable alternatives.
- Place waste bins for recycling in your room and make sure you separate waste properly.
- Participate in recycling programs at the university and encourage fellow students to do the same.
- Learn more about ' minimalism' to reduce your consumption.
- Recycle with these 5 simple steps.
- Have items you have left picked up by Byewaste.
5. Energy-efficient heating and cooling
- Set the thermostat to a lower temperature in winter and wear warm clothing indoors.
- Use draught strips to reduce heat loss and save energy.
- Keep the curtains closed to keep heat out during hot summer days.
- Take advantage of natural ventilation by opening windows and doors to let in fresh air. This reduces the use of air conditioning and fans.
- Read our blog about 'Smart solutions for a cleaner world'.
We wish you every success in makingyour room more sustainable. Do you have any tips for a sustainable student room? Laat het ons weten!
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