Energy saving has been one of the most pressing topics in the past years. Not only does efficiency save you money, but it also reduces water and air pollution and helps conserve natural resources. As a result, the more people adopt an energy-efficient lifestyle, the healthier living environment we can create for people everywhere.
Although this topic is big and important, most students never think of it while in college. Living in a dorm and not paying the bills, young people don’t always recognize how many resources they waste. But the truth is that, according to studies, the annual energy use of a single dorm room can generate as much greenhouse gas as the emissions of a car driven for over 150,000 miles. That is, even if one in 10 students adjusted their lifestyles, we could avoid millions of pounds of carbon pollution that has a devastating effect on our environment.
Okay, the reasons are pretty clear. But how can students adopt energy-saving practices in a dorm? Being busy with loads of homework, young people can find it hard to get started. However, you can always say, “please, write my college paper,” to let professionals handle your tasks while you delve deeper into this topic. Read on, and we will share a few starting tips with you that will help you change your life right now!
Source: unsplash.com
Turn Things Off
The first and the easiest energy-saving trick is also the most obvious one – keep everything that you don’t use at the moment unplugged or turned off. It might be tough at first. However, when you get into the habit of unplugging and turning off items routinely, you will significantly reduce the waste of electricity and make a significant contribution to saving the environment.
Tweak the thermostat
Typically, while living in a dorm, students will have control over the temperatures in their rooms with the help of thermostats. And you can use this to make your dorm greener. The trick is simple – keep the temperature slightly cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer. Tweaking the thermostat a few degrees down or up will let you offload your heating and cooling system. As a result, you will not consume as much electricity.
On top of that, you might even get health benefits from this tip. According to studies, keeping the temperature colder at night can improve sleep.
Invest in Blinds and Curtains
It always feels nice to have lots of daylight in your living area. Nevertheless, when you have no blinds or curtains at all, you might get too much sunlight during the day. In summer, this might heat up your room too much and make you want to turn on the AC. But if you have curtains to block out the excessive sunlight, you can keep your space relatively cool. In winter, on the contrary, you might want to get more sunlight to warm the room naturally.
If you invest in blinds and curtains and use this knowledge, you will be able to gain more control over the temperature inside your dorm and also offload your heating and cooling system.
Shop for LED Light Bulbs
We all know that students live on tight budgets. Therefore, when it comes to shopping for different domestic goods, such as light bulbs, they tend to look for the cheapest options available. Our next tip is to change this habit and shop for LED bulbs instead. Such bulbs are typically more expensive. However, they use less energy than any other type of light bulb. So if you want to make your space more eco-friendly, you will need to pay a little extra on this one, though it’s worth it!
Reduce Your Waste of Water
When speaking about energy efficiency, many people only think about electricity, which is wrong. In fact, an excessive waste of water also wastes energy, as it’s required to extract water from the ground, purify it, pump it to your dorm, etc. Thus, if you want to go green, you have to get more thoughtful about your use of water as well.
To reduce waste, first of all, stop leaving the water running. When doing your morning rituals, washing the dishes, or doing anything else, be sure to turn off the faucet while it’s not in use. The second tip is to change your showering habits. Try to take shorter showers to reduce the waste of water and energy. And also consider using colder water for the same reasons.
Source: unsplash.com
Reduce the Use of the Hair Dryer
The next tip might not always be applied, especially in winter. However, when possible, try to skip the hair dryer. First of all, hair dryers are rather damaging to your hair. So if you stop using them as often, you will do yourself a favor. And secondly, such devices can use too much energy too. As a bonus, you will also make your room more efficient if you let your hair dry naturally from time to time.
Use Stairs Instead of the Elevator
In some large dorms, there are elevators to make it easier for students to get around. Of course, this can be very beneficial in some cases, especially when you need to deliver something large or heavy to your room. However, there is no need to use the elevator all the time.
If you make it a habit to use stairs instead of the elevator, you will conserve energy and make a positive change. At the same time, you will also improve your fitness and health. So it’s a win-win deal.
The Bottom Line
Now that there are so many concerns about global warming and climate change, saving energy is becoming more important than ever. Getting started is never easy, especially when you aren’t sure where to start. But, luckily, you do now!
With the tips from this guide, each of you should be able to live a more efficient and eco-friendly life even in a dorm. Start with small steps now to make a big change in the future!
