Anxhela from Albania is a Kaplan Student Ambassador at the University of Brighton. Here, she shares her top tips for how to be more eco-friendly at university.
Since I was a child, I have always wondered where all the plastic waste goes, how we are going to survive if we use a lot of water, and whether there is enough water for everyone.
Sustainability is a topic that is still very important to me now that I am a student at university.
Being at university makes you aware of the impact that human beings have on their surroundings, and it also makes you care about the future. The main question is: how can we as students help protect the environment for the next generations?
Over the years, I have gained more knowledge about the environment, and have thought of solutions to be more responsible and save our planet.
Here are my 5 top tips for how to be more eco-friendly as a student.
1. Save water
It is really important to value what we have and not waste it before it is too late. Water is essential for our existence, so we need to think twice before we leave the tap water flowing in the bathroom while we are doing something else.
In addition, when you are thirsty, fill the glass as much as you need to drink and do not just throw away what is left, but find a plant around you and share what you have with another living organism.
2. Don’t waste electricity
Another way to be more eco-friendly as a student is to think about how much electricity you use. We all know that electricity is important for students who need to get things done while working on a computer or reading a book in the evening. But, using too much electricity can cause damage to the environment, and we will be affected by that.
My tip is to turn off the lights when you do not need them. Try and think of ways of doing your work without wasting another resource that is essential for our life on Earth. Most of the time, small actions which you think are not important make all the difference.
3. Recycle
In my country, not everyone is used to recycling plastic, but in the United Kingdom recycling is already in place.
When I started living here, I realised how important it is to separate plastic from other waste and re-use it in the future. Recycling saves a lot of our resources, so my advice is that we should think about our actions and encourage other people to do the same.
4. Donate old clothes to charity
It takes one action to change someone’s life. Every month there is something from our wardrobe which we do not like anymore, or we think we cannot wear anymore and decide to throw away. Instead of throwing it away, we can gather all our clothes we do not wear anymore and give them to charity to help others.
Just make sure the clothes you are giving away are in good condition before you donate them!
5. Use less paper
Nowadays, all the information we need can be found online and we can do all of our work on our laptops too. This makes it easier to access and share information with each other. In this case, I would recommend that we avoid using paper for taking notes or solving questions when we have ways to keep these notes safe online instead.
In conclusion, there are lots of ways you can be a more eco-friendly student, and small actions can make a big difference! If we really want to save the planet, we need to start by looking at ourselves and being a good example for others.
