Top Tips on How Students Can
Go Green

chillibreeze writer — Bhavana Mishra

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Today, everyone is well aware that they need to do their bit for the environment. However, we are way past the time when awareness would be sufficient. The time has come to act. This holds especially true for those who are students today – in school or college – because they have it in them to change the way we evaluate our relationship with our environment. It’s just a matter of making the right choices and some lifestyle changes. Read on to find out how you can create your own green revolution.

Save paper
Have you ever thought about the number of notebooks you have used as a student? Take that figure and multiply it by the number of students in India. A staggering figure will stare you in the face. Now, think about all the trees that were cut down to make all that paper. You will save many trees from being cut down by using notebooks been made from recycled paper. When you are done with them, don’t throw them away. Instead, recycle them.

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The photocopying machine may be your best friend when it comes to organizing notes. But it is much better to manually take notes rather than build up piles of photocopies that you promise yourself to look into later. It will use less paper and you will avoid the terror of seeing those unread notes when the exams are approaching.

Print less
Print only what you must. Use your printer wisely and select the high quality printing options only for final drafts and assignments. It takes just a little bit more effort but it surely goes a long way if you print on both sides of the paper. Bookmark sites you like instead of printing each and every one.

Dispose of your cellphones responsibly
A trendy mobile phone today is a pile of toxic waste tomorrow. It’s your best friend alright, but a major threat to the environment nonetheless. It is essential, therefore, to use it wisely. When it’s time to retire your mobile phone, make sure you don’t pollute the environment. Dispose of your phone, charger, and battery wisely. A discarded mobile phone is a repository of e-waste i.e. waste from electronic devices that is rich in lead, cadmium, and mercury.

If not disposed of properly, it can cause major problems to the environment. All you have to do is to always remember to drop all this e-waste into the collection boxes provided by various mobile service companies.

Unplug your mobile charger when not in use. Mobile phone companies have launched smart mobile phones that not only tell you when the battery is full, they also ask you to unplug the charger and save energy.

Change your laptop settings
Laptops have become more and more energy efficient with new power management options. Take the help of the available guidelines to buy the ‘greenest’ laptop. Make sure you put your laptop in the sleep mode when you are not using it. A laptop is another source of e-waste so dispose of it properly by recycling it.

Conserve energy
Whether you're at home or in school/college, always remember to switch off lights, fans, and other appliances when not in use. Take the initiative to get leaking faucets repaired. Keep your surroundings clean. Cultivate a sense of belonging for your school or college.

Go green!
Develop an incurable enthusiasm for everything eco-friendly. Instead of buying plastic water bottles everyday and throwing them, buy a reusable water bottle. Say no to plastic bags whenever you go shopping. Carry your own cloth bag and make a fashion statement.

Carpools are cool
College students can organize carpools rather than driving alone. It will make your commute safer, more fun, and also saves gas. Alternatively, you can use the public transport like the bus or metro as much as possible.

Spread the word
Join eco-clubs in your school or college. If you don’t have one, start one. Organize cleanliness drives, tree plantation drives, or street plays for school kids - anything to create awareness. Speak out for the endangered species and disappearing forests wherever you are given the platform. Instead of using social networking sites just to socialize, use it as a medium to set in motion initiatives for the environment or just to show that you care.

Besides following the mantra of ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’ develop a green conscience. Think green and more importantly, act green. Green is no longer the symbol of envy, it is the color of pride adopted by all those who share the concerns of the environment and are doing their bit for it. You, as students need to pitch in and become part of the revolution.

 

Editor's note: Most articles submitted to Chillibreeze go through a selection process. Only 30 percent of submitted articles are accepted for publication on the Chillibreeze.com featured article list. All accepted articles are edited and proofread for glaring errors of punctuation and grammar. Sentence structure is changed in certain cases and sometimes, entire sections are rewritten. If you notice any errors that have slipped through the cracks, do let us know! (Email us at info at chillibreeze dot com).

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in May, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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—About our writer: Bhavana has a master’s degree in English and a bachelor’s degree in Education and has been freelancing for two years now. A voracious reader, she feels it is almost criminal to be without a good book to read at all times. She has an incurable enthusiasm for everything to do with cooking, travelling, learning new languages and discovering new cultures. She believes in perfection and is always striving to outdo her competition, namely her own self.

 

 

 

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