College life offers the perfect opportunity to develop lifelong, sustainable habits. Whether you’re a first-year student or returning to campus, making eco-conscious choices can reduce your environmental impact while often saving money too. Here’s how to make your college experience both successful and sustainable.
Before heading to campus, invest in reusable alternatives that will serve you throughout your college years and beyond.
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Stock Up on Reusables
Start with the essentials: every student needs reusable water bottles (consider getting both an insulated bottle for hot drinks and a lighter one for everyday use), travel coffee/tea mugs, and a set of reusable utensils. Pack cloth napkins, a few natural fiber reusable shopping bags, food containers in various sizes, and reusable straws. These items will help you avoid the massive amounts of single-use items that campus dining and local eateries often provide.
Don’t forget the less obvious reusables: dryer balls for laundry, rechargeable batteries, refillable pens, and reusable cleaning cloths. Are you a coffee lover? Then, consider a French press or pour-over coffee setup instead of single-serve pods. If you’re planning to do your grocery shopping instead of hitting the cafeteria, add produce bags and a cooler bag to your list.
Smart Electronics and Energy Choices
When shopping for dorm appliances, prioritize ENERGY STAR-labeled products for items like mini-fridges, microwaves, and electronics you’ll use regularly. Choose LED bulbs for all lighting needs – desk lamps, string lights, and any fixtures you can control.
Combat “vampire loads” (energy drain from electronics in standby mode) by using smart power strips that automatically cut power to devices when they’re not in use. Unplug chargers, coffee makers, gaming systems, and other electronics when not needed.
Consider the environmental impact of your tech choices: Refurbished electronics work just as well as new ones with significantly less environmental impact. When possible, repair rather than replace devices, and take advantage of campus or local electronics recycling programs when items truly reach end-of-life.
Sustainable Packing and Moving
Moving to college generates enormous amounts of waste, but thoughtful planning can dramatically reduce your impact.
Pack smart by using suitcases, bins, and crates that will serve double duty as storage in your dorm or apartment. Avoid single-use plastic bags unless you have a specific plan to reuse them. Protect fragile items by wrapping them in clothes, towels, and linens instead of bubble wrap or packing peanuts.
If you need additional packing materials, newspapers and paper ads are highly recyclable options. Consider renting moving supplies from companies like Big Green Moving Boxes or similar services in your area. These durable, reusable containers eliminate cardboard waste.
Moving Day Strategies
Preparation is key to a sustainable move-in day. Research your destination in advance: know exactly where you’re going, where to park, and what the campus recycling system looks like. Understanding whether your new location uses single-stream recycling, requires sorting, or has composting programs will help you pack appropriately and reduce stress on moving day.
Save and flatten cardboard boxes for future moves rather than immediately recycling them. If you won’t need them again, offer them to other families who are moving in – this creates a helpful community connection while extending the boxes’ useful life.
Building Sustainable Habits
Start Small: Focus on one or two changes at a time rather than trying to overhaul everything at once. Success with small changes builds momentum for larger shifts.
Find Your Community: Join environmental clubs, sustainability-focused living-learning communities, or volunteer with campus green initiatives. Having like-minded friends makes sustainable choices easier and more enjoyable.
Track Your Impact: Many students find motivation in tracking their sustainability wins, whether that’s money saved by using a reusable water bottle, pounds of CO2 avoided by biking instead of driving, or meals made from food that might be wasted.
Think Long-Term: The habits you build in college often carry into your post-graduation life. Investing time in learning sustainable practices now pays dividends for decades to come.
Campus Resources and Beyond
Most colleges now have sustainability offices or green initiatives that can connect you with resources, funding for sustainable projects, and like-minded community members. Take advantage of campus gardens, composting programs, fix-it clinics, and sustainability-focused events.
Sustainability isn’t about perfection, it’s about making progress through better choices when possible to achieve a low-impact lifestyle. Every small action contributes to a larger positive change, and college is the perfect time to experiment with and establish these essential habits.
Your college years are the ideal time to build the knowledge, skills, and habits to help you live more sustainably. Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can – both your wallet and the planet will thank you.
Check out How To Plan a Low-Waste Move for more ideas that will be especially helpful on move-out day!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on July 29, 2020, and was substantially updated in August 2025.
