It’s clear that the United States has a waste problem. But for many college students, doing something drastic, such as buying a hybrid car or installing solar panels on one’s roof, are out of the question.

So what can UA students do to help maintain the environment?

A lot, as it turns out. Here are seven reasonable, cost-effective suggestions:

1. Turn trendiness to thrift

After drinking an über-popular bottle of Dasani or Aquafina, buy a one-gallon water-purifying container, which is not more than $20 at any Target or Wal-Mart, and then pour the purified water into the used bottles.

This cuts back on the need for recycling the plastic and you get the same pure water.

2. Save some for the fish

The average water faucet flows about three gallons of water per minute. If you turn off the tap while brushing, this will save water from being wasted.

If you’re living off campus, you could install a shower aerator, which mixes air into the water stream, maintaining water pressure while reducing consumption – it may lower water usage by 50 percent.

3. Go cold

Washing clothes in cold water eliminates 90 percent of the energy involved with heating the water before and during the wash cycle, not to mention running the machine itself. In fact, most liquid soaps are designed to work equally efficient in cold water and hot.

“”I wash all my clothes in cold water anyway because it keeps the color longer,”” said Jessica Wofford, a journalism sophomore.

4. Skip In-N-Out for a day

Most fast food is packaged with excess wrappers containing paper, styrofoam or cardboard. The latter two are environmentally harmful and are seldom recycled.

By limiting yourself to no fast food for a day, this would pull back on the trash coming from the hundreds of fast food restaurants located in the city.

5. Bring home superhero plants

Particular green plants can remove indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene, a chemical popular in cleaning products.

If you don’t have a green thumb, English ivy, peace lilies and golden pothos are all toxin fighters that are rather simple to take care of – and all of them facilitate fresh air.

6. Think about the long haul

When moving into a dorm or apartment for the first time, resist the urge to buy paper plates and cups and instead opt for cheap dishes that can be cleaned and not thrown out after a single use. This is more cost effective as well as eco-friendly.

7. Turn trash to treasure

From semester to semester, many students throw out books, electronics, old batteries and even shoes deemed too dingy to wear.

Instead of creating waste, think about your local Salvation Army or the Primavera Foundation. Both organizations take goods that are no longer needed and are sold or given to those who are not as fortunate.

“”I donate a lot of my old stuff to the Salvation Army because it goes to people who need it more than me,”” said David Arellano, a recent graduate of Northern Arizona University.

Students said if people did at least one of these things regularly, it could make a significant difference.

“”If more people tried, made an effort to be more efficient, not just the campus but at home and when they are out, of course it would help the ecosystem as a whole,”” said Vanessa Richards, a biochemistry senior.

“”I think we should be more conscious of the environment,”” added journalism sophomore Sarah Logan. “”I think UA is such a big community that if a majority of students went green it would help the environment and Tucson as well.””

Sources:
tidessharedspaces.org
nesea.org
boomers.msn.com
The Undercurrent (Buena Vista University)
thegreenguide.com