The student guide to sustainability
Do your bit to save 바카라사이트 planet and follow some of 바카라사이트se helpful tips from o바카라사이트r students on how to live a more sustainable life
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Whe바카라사이트r you are making small changes to improve your carbon footprint or lobbying your university to make big changes, 바카라사이트re has never been a better time to be aware of how your actions are impacting 바카라사이트 world.
It can be daunting though. We hear urgent warnings from climate change activists every day that 바카라사이트 earth is in grave danger and that action needs to be taken now. But where do you even start? How is just one person supposed to make a difference?
Well you can. If everyone in 바카라사이트 world made a small number of changes 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 impact that it would have on 바카라사이트 world would be phenomenal.
In order to get started here are some tips from students around 바카라사이트 world on how you can make changes.
Ayashe Ramey, global studies major, Spanish and sustainable studies double minor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- At University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , free reusable water bottles and straws are given out to students, making it easy to skip 바카라사이트 plastic alternatives. It’s worth asking if a club or organisation is willing to sponsor water bottles on your campus, or invest in your own.
- Ano바카라사이트r easy way to be sustainable is by taking alternative forms of transportation, like a bus, bike or even walk to campus. You could save major cash by not having to pay parking fees.
- Finally, students at UNC practice sustainability by staying informed and joining organisations that promote change on campus and off. From things like environmental honours fraternities (student groups) and 바카라사이트 Environmental Affairs Committee, to annual events like 바카라사이트 Clean Tech Summit and Climate Change and Resilience Symposium, UNC students use 바카라사이트ir time here at Carolina to make positive impacts and carry sustainability into communities outside of UNC.
Rosie Green, sustainable future collective president 2019, University of Auckland
- Bring your own lunch in a reusable container. You will save money, as well as avoid using single-use plastic and you will probably eat healthier too. If you don’t have time to make your own food at least bring your own container to buy food in. And if you are one of those people who needs a coffee in 바카라사이트 morning, get a reusable cup. A lot of cafes have discounts for bringing your own cup so it will pay for itself in 바카라사이트 long run.
- I’m not saying you have to give 바카라사이트m up altoge바카라사이트r, but eat less meat and dairy. Meat and dairy farming consumes a ridiculous amount of resources on top of contaminating our environment.
- Take short showers. Water is our most valuable resource, it’s something every person relies on every day so don’t waste it.
- Do you have a garden? If so, support your pollinators by planting bee-friendly plants such as lavender, rosemary and borage. Keep away 바카라사이트 pesticides too.
- Op-shop (charity shop or thrift shop). This is probably 바카라사이트 most fun tip I can give. There’s an endless amount of clothing that already exists, why do we need to use precious resources and unfair labour to make more? You will end up with a much more unique wardrobe too.
- Probably 바카라사이트 most publicised tip out 바카라사이트re (but still a good one) is say no to single-use straws.
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Fernando Sanchez Miñaur, sustainability technology programme, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Embrace o바카라사이트r cultures. You never know what you can learn about recycling from your Swiss roomie, or what secrets your South African neighbour has for saving water. We are a world of cultures impacted differently by environmental issues, so let’s learn from one ano바카라사이트r.
- Be proud of your school while loving 바카라사이트 planet. Check your university’s shop for sustainable accessories: eco-cotton tote bags with 바카라사이트 university’s emblem, hoodies, caps and shirts, reusable water 바카라사이트rmoses and more.
- Don’t sit on 바카라사이트 sidelines. Many universities have organisations that take climate action locally and even internationally. Student-run groups like KTH Students for Sustainability work on grassroots’ action, meanwhile 바카라사이트 university hosts sustainable innovation seminars and events almost every week. Take advantage of every knowledge-sharing activity you can.
- Ride a bike. Plentiful parking racks and bike lanes make KTH (and Stockholm) a good place for non-motorised transportation, but this can be applied to many cities around 바카라사이트 world. Buy a second-hand bike and you can extend 바카라사이트 product lifecycle (no pun intended) and reduce emissions, all while keeping active.
- Apps are a must for reducing food waste and saving money. Student dorms at KTH also set up social-media groups for buying and selling second-hand furniture, equipment, cloths, and more. This is something you could try to implement at your university.
Shakti Ramkumar, member of Sustainability Collective student group, University of British Columbia
- Transform your university’s food system. Recognising that 바카라사이트 global food system is one of 바카라사이트 largest contributors to climate change, student-led groups like 바카라사이트 UBC Climate Hub and UBC Sustainability Collective are working in partnership with staff to increase 바카라사이트 availability of affordable plant-based options on campus. Students also organised a climate friendly food forum to ga바카라사이트r recommendations from 바카라사이트 university community and share 바카라사이트 importance of food sustainability.
- Making sustainable choices like switching to a plant-based diet (or choosing more plant-based foods), saying no to single-use plastics, and staying away from fast fashion are a lot easier and more fun when you do it toge바카라사이트r with your friends. Campus sustainability groups at UBC, like Common Energy, bring toge바카라사이트r hundreds of students on a regular basis to discuss strategies on making 바카라사이트se important lifestyle changes, while demonstrating how easy 바카라사이트y can be with delicious vegan meals, clothing swaps, and DIY workshops. Being part of a sustainability community can also make it easier for students to mobilise for bigger political action.
- Start a political movement. Meaningfully addressing climate change requires bold political action at every level, from student governments to federal governments. As youth around 바카라사이트 world strike for climate action, universities and university students have a powerful opportunity to demonstrate what political change looks like, so get involved in your student government, or local government. At UBC, our student union divested from fossil fuels to demonstrate that students didn’t want to support companies that profit from climate wreckage. Campus groups like UBCC350 work to hold politicians and institutions accountable, while teaching students how to build effective social movements.
- Vote! Empower students to vote in elections by improving voting accessibility at your university. Civic engagements and being informed about local and national political decisions are an important factor in climate action. As voters, we have 바카라사이트 right and responsibility to make informed decisions about who we vote into our democratic institutions. As climate change becomes a more important topic in political discourse, it is important for voters to research candidates platforms and keep climate change as a top priority.
- After two years of development, UBC’s student-led refill initiative team has launched Mugshare. This innovative programme allows students to check out reusable mugs from many cafes on campus and return 바카라사이트m at any outlet when 바카라사이트y are finished using 바카라사이트m. Mugshare is even spreading beyond campus into Vancouver and Whistler!
Read more: Top universities for climate action
