Green Your Dorm

Dorm room

1. Wash only full loads of laundry; each washer load uses ~40 gallons of water. Select the Bright Colors option to wash your clothes in cold water and then air dry them using a drying rack, both of which will save energy while preserving the quality of your clothes.

2. Bike to class and around campus, and always wear your helmet!

3. Princeton uses 100% post-consumer, chlorine-free recycled printer paper, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Still, you can save resources by only printing what you need and using double-sided printing

4. Princeton has mixed recycling, which means that you can recycle plastic, paper, cans, and bottles in the same bin. Follow the Recycling Guidelines for more information about what you can and can't recycle. 

5. Plug electronics into a power strip and switch off the power when they are not in use; some electronics continue to draw energy even after they're turned off.

6. Buy second-hand furniture, books, and clothing for big environmental and cost savings. Search Free and For SaleTiger-Trade and local thift and consignment stores for deals on furniture, electronics and more, and try other booksellers for second-hand, discount books. 

7. Choose reusables over disposables for dishware, silverware, shopping bags, mugs and water bottles.

8. Enable sleep mode (vs. a screen saver) on your computer, and turn off your monitor when it’s not in use.

9. Decorate with plants to help filter indoor air pollutants. View a list of common houseplants that have been found to be effective in cleaning indoor air. 

10. Thirsty? Grab your reusable water bottle and refill it at one of our 250+ freshly filtered water stations on campus. 

bed in dorm room

11. Opt for natural and organic food, personal care products, textiles (i.e. bedding and towels) and cleaners. Organic products are created with methods that can benefit the environment and avoid most synthetic inputs.

12. Make use of natural light during the day to save energy and boost your productivity.

Scales of Impact - You/Campus

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