CollegeCandy » green living

Going Green: The Resolution You Can Actually Keep

Elizabeth - UC Berkeley — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:30:01 +0000

Whether we like it or not, January is quickly approaching. And we all know what that means. Yup, that’s right – it’s New Year’s Resolution time. While self improvement is a noble aspiration, it is also an excellent way to make you feel like ish come February when you haven’t made any strides toward your goal.

This holiday season, I urge you to make a resolution that you will actually keep, and that is to take better care of your environment. Not just because it’s a good thing to do, but also because it’s a gosh darn easy resolution to stick to. Having a greener existence is all about baby steps, which translates into easy success without all of the leg work. Here are some of my favorite tips to get you going to a greener and happier you!

Potential Resolution #1: “I will get all of my books from the library.”
First of all, this is probably something most of us do on a regular basis anyways. Second of all, it saves you money and storage space. Buying books not only wastes a lot of paper and binding materials, but it also takes a lot more energy to package and transport. If you absolutely need to have a certain book at hand, such as a textbook for a class, see if any of your friends are in the class and ask them to go halfsies on the book. You’ll save money on those ridiculously expensive textbooks and you always have the option of checking it out at the library if you get in a bind.

Potential Resolution #2: “I’m no longer going to put up with junk mail.”
Now you really don’t have an excuse not to pick this one up, considering that nobody actually enjoys getting junk mail. The first step is to go paperless with as much as you can – bills, bank statements, etc. Then check out Precycle. For a minimal fee, Precycle will stop most of your junk mail and send you a reusable shopping bag with 2 CFL light bulbs. It’s pretty much the same thing as adopting “getting cool free stuff” as your NY Resolution.

Potential Resolution #3: “I’m going to put a water bottle in my toilet’s water tank.”
Ummmm….WTF?
I promise there is sound evidence behind this one. According to The Daily Green, filling up a water bottle with water and a little sand and placing it in the water tank will make your toilet use less water when flushing. How, you ask? By displacing the water in the tank so that it can’t fill up all the way and thus, uses less water per flush. Some other great ways to reduce your water bill include turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth, timing your showers so that they don’t exceed 10 minutes, and keeping a cold pitcher of water in the fridge so you don’t have to keep the faucet running to get to the right temp. And how easy are all of those!?

Potential Resolution #4: “I’m going to save on gas.”
And guess what? It doesn’t even include driving less! Just driving the speed limit, especially on the freeway, can increase the efficiency of your car and save on gas. Also, if you have the choice, take the route that has the least stop and go. For example, opt for the freeway over going through town, unless there is tons of traffic on the freeway. Also, try to plan your errands out in advance so you can avoid the rush hour and get all of them done in one fell swoop. Lastly, keep your car in tip top shape and it will use less energy. Pay special attention to your tires – flat tires are less efficient and cause your car to use more gas to go the same distance.

So which one will it be? Let me know what you resolve to do this New Year’s and how you’re gonna stick to it!

You Can Recycle More Than Just Beer Cans

Elizabeth - UC Berkeley — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:30:17 +0000

We live in a world of disposable everything. Cups, plastic bags, razors, boyfriends; you name it, you can find it in a disposable form. And although this makes our lives terribly easy, it also makes our landfills terribly full.

By just being a tad more conscious of your recycling options, you can make a huge difference with relatively minimal effort. Here are some common products that you can recycle right in your home town!

Batteries – These babies are full of heavy metals and toxins that are of special concern to soil and water contamination, so be sure to recycle them! Keep a box in your room so once those batteries from your remote control (or any other battery powered “appliances”…) burn out you can send them in to be recycled. Batteryrecycling.com has a good program where you can send in pretty much any commercial battery for recycling, or you can check out any local recycling centers in your area to see if they offer this service.

Laptops – I don’t know about you, but I have definitely made my way through computers. My most recent, Doris, has a cracked screen and a dead battery. Who in their right mind would want to take her off my hands? Gazelle.com, that’s who. They offer laptop recycling services and even offer payment for some laptop models! If poor little Doris can have a $30 value, just imagine what your old laptop can fetch!

Clothes – As college girls, I’m sure we’ve all become familiar with the beauty that is Goodwill. There is no better excuse for buying new clothes than donating the old ones to a good cause. But what about those that are just too threadbare to donate? Surprisingly, you can donate them anyways! Goodwill and the Salvation Army send out these clothes to “rag sorters” which recycle the fabrics themselves. Another good option for running shoes in particular is Recycled Runners, a company specializing in recycling and donation of running shoes. Hit up their website for donation info and sights in your area.

Glasses – Although we hate to admit it, most of us sport a pair of spectacles now and again. Now I’m sure you look fabbb in your Polo readers, but what about those fug pink wire ones in hidden your closet from 6^th grade? Believe it or not, thousands of people are without glasses when they really need them. Donate them via New Eyes for the Needy or drop them off at your local LensCrafters to ensure that they are handed off to somebody who really needs them.

Medications – Even if your new birth control meds make you bitchy, never ever flush them down the toilet! Pharmaceuticals can seep into our water supply, polluting local bodies of water and even our own drinking water! Instead, find a local pharmacy with a “take back” program for any over-the-counter drugs, personal care products, and prescription drugs and spare the fishies your terrible PMS symptoms (joking!).

Anything else – If you can’t find a good place for it, just donate it or, better yet, put it on Craigslist! Craigslist perfectly embodies the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”; no matter what you have you are bound to find someone else that has been dying to find it. What’s more, they’ll even come pick up your junk and might even pay you for it! I really can’t think of a lazier way to make money while exercising your eco-friendly side.

Even if your junk isn’t on this list, it can probably be recycled! Check Earth911.com before you throw anything away – it’s a great resource for recycling info! It even has a search tool so that you can find a local drop-off site for all of your unwanted junk. Happy recycling!!

Smart, Savvy, and Sustainable Shopping

Elizabeth - UC Berkeley — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:30:30 +0000

As you may have gathered from my previous articles, I am a shopaholic. Even if I have no money, I can’t help but scour the internet for deals at the online sample sales (seriously, check out Ideeli, it’s amazing). And even though I can’t always buy sustainable products, I still try to buy in sustainable ways.

Here are my favorite shopping tips to don’t just save the environment, but they can also save you money.

Read on, my fellow “Frugalista” (thank you, Target.)

Shop in stores. Preferably ones you can walk or carpool to. Retailers get their shipments in bulk, which decreases the amount of packaging material used to deliver the products. When you shop online, shipping costs (and all that wasted paper and cardboard) can add up quickly, so spare yourself and hit the local mall (with your reusable tote!). Be sure to try on before you buy so you can avoid the extra gas needed to return something to the store.

Look for local labels. Try to buy from companies that are based in the your state to cut down on energy needed for transportation. If that’s not possible, look for brands that produce their products within the United States. American Apparel, C&C Cailfornia, Splendid, J.Crew, Lucky Jeans, Joe’s Jeans, True Religion, Juicy Couture, 7 For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, and Rock and Republic (just to name a few) all manufacture their clothing in the U.S.

Shop smart online. If you’re going to shop online, be sure you do it in an ecologically responsible manner by using the following tips.

Buy in bulk. Wait until you have a large order before ordering online or combine with friends to save on the environmental and financial costs of shipping.

Ditch the rush order stress. Plan ahead so you don’t have to choose expedited shipping over standard shipping rates. This also gives the Postal Service a chance to fill up their trucks with packages before shipping them out. More packages = fewer cross-country trips = a happy planet.

Choose your delivery address wisely. Be sure to have your packages delivered to a convenient address. If you have them delivered to your apartment, for example, be sure that your roommates will be around to pick it up for you. If they aren’t available, leave a note on the door telling the postman that he can just leave the package on the doorstep without a signature. This avoids the annoying and fuel-guzzling trips back and forth to the Post Office.

Switch to Paperless Statements. Once all your earth-friendly shopping is done, you’re going to have to pay that credit card bill. But make Mother Earth proud and do it all online. No more 5-page bills coming to you in the mail. No more wasted paper (and money!) on mailing that check back to the company. It’s the greenest way to pay.

From Red Cups to Green Alternatives

Elizabeth - UC Berkeley — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:30:01 +0000

We college students are pretty accurately stereotyped. We party hard, sleep late, and cram for finals until the wee hours of the morning. Luckily for us and the environment, a lot of these common habits can be easily “tweaked” in order to save energy and resources. And as a college student myself, I give you my solemn oath that these steps will not affect your party or study life in any way.

Here are some of the most well-known college kid characteristics and how you can change them to better our earth:

We are constantly glued to our laptops. And no matter whether you’re Facebooking or researching the native crops of Haiti, you’re still using lots of energy. Now I’m not stupid – I wouldn’t dare suggest that you cut down your Skype time just to save the Earth. Really all you have to do is cut down your energy usage when you’re not actually on the computer (i.e. sleeping or boozing). How do you do this? Unplug your electronics! Computers practically use as much energy when they’re in standby mode as they do when they’re actually in use. So if you’re leaving the room for a good amount of time, turn off your computer and unplug all of the plugs in your outlet if possible.

We are messy and we have our clothes to prove it. I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to eat or drink anything without staining whatever I’m wearing. This is especially tragic when you happen to be wearing one of those “dry clean only” numbers, which of course, are always the cutest. But don’t run off and spend last night’s tips on pricey dry cleaning before you try some other easier, cheaper, and more eco-friendly tactics. Believe it or not, some “dry clean only” garments (such as silk and wool) can actually be hand washed with cold water. Of course, give it a test run before you wash and potentially ruin your favorite silk dress. If that doesn’t work, seek out “wet cleaning” or “green dry cleaning” locations by searching at GreenEarth Cleaning’s website.

We pull all nighters to finish those last minute term papers. But don’t make the environment suffer alongside you! Use your paper wisely – double side it (you can change the feature on your printer) for drafts and even for your final paper. Most professors don’t really care whether your paper is one or double sided. You can save even more paper, ink, and moolah by simply reading over your paper carefully before you print it out. I’m sorry, but printing out a paper 50 times just because you keep forgetting to use spell-check is just ridic.

We fund America’s red cup industry. I will bet that 9 out of every 10 parties you attend you can be found with a red cup in your hand. However, using a different red cup with every drink can be pretty wasteful. What’s more, you never really know where those cups have been before they reach your lips. I don’t know about you, but I’m not really down to catch the Swine. Solve all these problems before they start by bringing your own cup. Think about it – you can decorate it your own way (helloooo, Pimp Cup!), you don’ t have to share it with any creepy randos, and you’ll look far less suspicious when your grandma decides to check out your drunken facebook pics.

Earth Friend Gen: Naked Bicyclist For Peace

Jess - NYU — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:36:45 +0000

We all love the environment — some of us just love it more than others.

Gennifer Moss is one of those people. Earth Friend Gen (as she likes to go by) routinely rides around her Portland, Oregon town on a bike… naked. Why does she do this? Because she wants to promote peace.

“Peace begins with ourselves, our minds, spirit, hearts and souls,” Moss says, “and our bodies are an integral part of ourselves and I was created in God’s creation and no part of me is obscene.”

I think what she’s doing is great. Combining green living and being naked is the perfect way to get people to pay attention to a good cause. My only question?

How does she protect her vajayjay?



CC’s Secret Intern Diary: Eco-Friendly Vinyl Bullsh*t
CC Staff — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:30:34 +0000
[When CollegeCandy put out a request for a Secret Intern to write an Internship Diary, we got some truly cringe-inducing stories, but “Elisa’s” experience trumped all. 
Currently, “Elisa” is interning for a big, flashy 5th Avenue designer. Sounds awesome, right? Well, read the second installment HERE, and then read on…]
I am now the Google master.
This past week I’ve literally spent 6 of the 8 hours I’m here “researching” for things that do not exist whatsoever. I understand that she’s trying out the whole green idea, but lady, let’s be reasonable here. Recycled clear vinyl bags? Uh… hello? CLEAR VINYL. I have no idea what kind of company makes shopping bags that are clear, and vinyl, and recycled.
I must have gone through hundreds of “eco-friendly” tote bag sites that have all been rejected because they are not clear. LET’S COMPROMISE HERE… FOR THE EARTH! Aside from researching for these vinyl bags, I also researched sample cups (which also had to be clear), and eco-friendly ice cream cups.
Yeah… eco- friendly my ass.
She needs to give that dream up.
If my time isn’t being spent researching, it’s definitely spent calling this list of, oh I don’t know, 600 people?! It had magazine editors and reporters from all over the place and I had the amazing task of calling each and every one of them… to ask about useless information.
Not only that, I had to keep watching my back to make sure the accountant lady didn’t want to kill me for being so “loud”. Some people… I swear. If it wasn’t for Facebook, I would literally die in this place. At least they don’t notice me stealing candy from the back…
And I’ve finally figured out why New York people can stay so thin…
Food is way too expensive to eat every day.
Big highlight of the week?
The items have now gone on super sale, and I may be able to afford them.
Oh… and celebrity sighting number 2: Lisa Marie Presley!! Let me tell ya… from the way she looked, she made me do a double take.

         


Going Organic: Not As Hard (or Pricey) As You Think
Olua - Washington College — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:00:28 +0000
So by now, the majority of us are back at school, making attempts at being organized that we know will never last the entire semester, scanning our syllabi in horror and stocking up on the snacks we know we’re going to need for those nerve-grating late nights.  But while we’re preparing to study up, a lot of other people who aren’t even in school are doing a little bio homework of their own.
Living green is getting more and more popular, not to mention much easier.  There are tons of organic choices lining supermarkets, pharmacies, even clothing stores.
But how do you even know what to pick while you’re cruising through the aisles?  You want to help out Mom Nature, of course, but you don’t want your wallet to go the way the polar ice caps are going.  Here are five of the best methods to save earth and your money, a little bit at a time.
5)  Always always buy your fruit and veggies organic:  It’s healthier for you, and since it’s gotten so popular, it’s just the same price, and sometimes cheaper.  If you can, try to buy local produce; it supports your local farms and sometimes you can even see where it’s grown, if you live nearby.  (Quickie tip: while you’re shopping, just bring a backpack or a canvas bag instead of wasting the paper and plastic bags at the store.)
4)  Speaking of organic, don’t forget to buy your soaps organic too:I suggest Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.  They come in quite a few amazing scents (I love the peppermint), and the liquid soaps are AMAZINGLY versatile.  You can use it for soap, laundry detergent, and even shampoo – and they come in big enough and affordable enough containers for you to be able to do so.
3)  While we’re on the topic of staying so fresh, so clean, here are three especially great energy and money saving laundry tips:  For one, cold water for all your clothes.  It saves the energy that’s needed to heat the water, and it’s especially good for colors that run and/or fade, as well as wool.   See?   Your mom knew what she was talking about.
For another, there are cold water versions of most of your favorite name brand detergents that don’t run very expensive and you can sometimes even find them on sale.
It will also save you a lot of money and save everyone else a lot of energy to airdry your clothing.  Just pick up a rack and tada! – dry clothing while you sleep.  (Or at least as long as you should be sleeping.   I know you’re really up watching Project Runway and American Idol.)

2)  Oh, and did you know that you can get organic clothing too:  I mean, I knew, but it’s insanely popular now, and insanely easy to find!  One of my favorite brands is the Life Is Good stuff; I have about three or four of their shirts, and they’re easily some of my most comfortable clothing.   Any clothing you get that says “organic” somewhere on the label, you’re set.

1)  We all know that it’s all well and good to say this stuff, but it’s one thing to say it and another to do it:   That’s why there are all kinds of pledges and promises you can make.  One of my favorites is the Yahoo! Green Pledge.  They have a ton of things you can do right there, and you can go hardcore or just take it smooth and work your way up. The best part is that it  tells you just how much you lowered your carbon emissions, and who doesn’t like a to have a little friendly competition to see who can save the most?  I save 1.01 tons of carbon a year.  Bet you can’t beat that.  (Seriously, I dare you.)
I know just as well as the next chick that it’s hard to devote to any sort of green living.  It seems pretty much impossible at first (“There’s no WAY I can live without styrofoam carryout containers, are you serious?!“), but a little bit at a time makes a hell of a lot more difference than you’d think.

         


Walking the Green Runway
Lauren - University of Michigan — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:01:08 +0000
Every day – without even trying, it seems – I see more and more people going green. And it makes me so happy! It seems like everyone’s catching the bug.
NBC did an entire week of prime time programming that incorporated green story lines, green facts, and tips for going green. Even I learned tons of new information and ways to reduce my carbon footprint a little more.
Also on last week was a small part of The Sundance channel’s large series called, Big Ideas for a Small Planet, “a documentary series presenting the forward-thinking designers, products and processes that are on the leading edge of a new green world.”  The episode I caught covered clothing and the ways new earth friendly designers are creating products that help – not harm – our planet, while still being totally hot.
One fantastic Green company is Patagonia. Did you know their soft and furry jackets are made from recycled pop bottles? In fact, making Patagonia products actually keeps 2.5 billion pop bottles out of landfills each year! (And my Diet Coke obsession is not helping things…)
Even better, when your Patagonia jackets/shirts/anything get worn out and old, you can bring them back to any Patagonia retailer to be recycled. The material can be broken down and recycled into new products an infinite number of times! Think about all those materials you are saving.
Other Green clothing designers like Linda Loudermilk are making an easy change by using more earth friendly materials. For example, adopting organic cotton instead of the regular stuff. Why? Maybe because over 25% of the world’s pesticides are used in cotton. Ew! Not only is that bad for the environment, but who knows what it is doing to us?
Organic cotton doesn’t use pesticides. Sure, it is more expensive, but that is because more needs to be grown to get as much as its non organic counterpart. The good news is that the more people buy it the more the price will come down.  And that will do wonders for the earth and our health.
Other materials making their way into the fashion world: hemp satin, bamboo denim, milk, seacell cotton and many more. The clothes look exactly the same, but work with the planet instead of against it.
Finally, we never think about it, but fashion is always changing. Like Heidi Klum says, one day it is in and the next it is out. And what do we do? Throw our old stuff away…65 pounds of it a year! That is a whole lotta trash. One way to keep our clothes out of the dumpster is a brilliant new trend sweeping the nation: the Swap O’ Rama Rama. People bring in old and unfashionable clothes and designers/seamstresses make it into something awesome. Skirts into drapes. Drapes into dresses. You are literally taking your own trash and making it into a new treasure: something new, something different, and something that you can feel totally good about.
This new fashion movement is yet more evidence that it is possible (and so easy!) to live a more green lifestyle. Bring on the milk pants!

         


The Best Concert on Earth
Lauren - University of Michigan — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:00:18 +0000
As many of my close friends know, I have recently gone a little green. Not green with envy (though I do envy every single person still in college); green like the plants and the trees and all the good things that make this planet so beautiful.
Oy. Now I sound like I’ve gone a little granola too.
Anyways, I have become quite conscious of the effects I have on the environment and have been taking strides to change. I have made small changes – like bringing my own travel mug to coffee shops – and I have made big changes – like replacing my gas guzzler with a more fuel efficient, Jetta.
I haven’t always been this way. In fact, it took a little man named Al Gore to really make me stop and smell the roses…and realize that my giant SUV and constant runs to Starbucks could make those roses obsolete one day soon. And even though people make fun of me for being earthy (like my paper-plate loving brother) or hate me for forcing new conservation tactics (like my printer loving bosses), I really do feel like I am making a difference. 
And clearly I am not alone.
In fact, in honor of this beautiful planet we call home, a lot of super fab people are getting together on July 7th to make some sweet, sweet music while spreading awareness of environmental issues.
The concert is called Live Earth and it features musical artists playing concerts in 8 different countries worldwide. And I am not talking some random American Idol cast-offs. I am talking about people like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer, Smashing Pumpkins, Madonna and more. This event is gonna be hot (which is mildly appropriate since its all about Global Warming).
Tickets are still available if you are near New York…or feel like traveling to Brazil, Australia, Germany or any of the other awesome locations. Check out www.liveearth.org for all the info, including even more tips for going green like me.