Thanks to the Flexcar program, earlier this week I had the opportunity to drive a hybrid car for the first time. It was really cool - sort of like driving Honda's version of the Millennium Falcon.
In fact, I was so distracted by the gadgetry that I got myself into a minorly traumatizing minor collision with a minorly stationary object. Thus, like most of my first times, my first time driving a hybrid car resulted in amazement, tears and the realization that it would take a lot of apologizing to earn a second time.
This wonderful/traumatic experience got me thinking about other ways - other than crashing extremely fuel-efficient cars, that is - that I can live my life in as environmentally sustainable a way as possible.
After a bit of research, I'm proud to present some simple, easy-to-follow tips for how you, as a busy student, can reduce the environmental impact of your daily life:
Start composting. Most people think that compost heaps are only for farms or hippies' backyards. Not true! Starting a compost pile in your dorm room is as easy as designating a large pot for the purpose and tossing in your banana peels, apple cores and any other organic refuse. Your roommate might object to the smell at first, but it's a small price to pay for saving the environment.
Turn off lights, TVs and computers when no one is using them. Experts estimate that 15 percent of energy is consumed by appliances that don't actually need to be on. You can put up little signs around your room or apartment to remind you and your roommate to turn things off when you leave the room or aren't using them anymore.
Also considering instituting "dark hours." Just tell your roommate that you're going to turn the light off (and enforce it there!) at, say, 10 p.m. or whenever you finish your homework, whichever comes first, or later, depending on how much homework you have. Yes, your roommate might have to develop some new routines, but it's time for us to live simply so that others may simply live.
Eat lower on the food chain. This sounds wacky, but it's true. Eating high on the food chain (like larger animals and fish) consumes more energy and resources. Eating low on the food chain (think veggies) is the most environmentally efficient diet.
But how are you going to get proper nutrition without breaking the bank or going to the farmer's market every Saturday morning? Just take delicious meats from your roommate when they're not paying attention. This can be as simple as swiping a slice of roast beef from the mini-fridge, or as elaborate as telling them that their crush just vomited in the salad bar and taking the tuna off their sandwich while they turn around to look. Remember once the animal has already died anyway, the environment doesn't care who eats it.
Do laundry as infrequently as possible. Just one load of laundry consumes tons of electricity and water and produces gallons of toxic runoff.
The best way to minimize your laundry needs is to re-wear clothing. Now I know what you're thinking: Won't my friends think I smell bad? Only if you're re-wearing your own clothes. I recommend borrowing your roommate's clean clothes and then folding them and putting them back in your roommate's drawer when you're done. There's no need to ask them before doing this. What type of heartless, selfish person wouldn't let you wear his or her clothes for the environment?
Don't flush the toilet unnecessarily. Much like doing laundry, flushing the toilet consumes energy and water, and results in stuff that we probably don't want flowing into our lakes and streams. I don't want to be gross about this, but basically you want to make each flush count as much as possible.
I recommend waiting until you hear your roommate walking to the bathroom, and then dashing out of the room while shouting "Me first!" Make sure you get to the toilet right before they do, and drop off your hot, steaming load of environmental conscientiousness. Leave without flushing, and as you walk past your roomie give them a sincere, caring look, and say "Just doing my part."
Murder your roommate. Each human being on this planet consumes resources and energy, and generates garbage and pollution. Frankly, getting rid of one is the best thing you can do for mother earth.
As an added bonus, their body will count as "organic refuse." (Hello, compost!) It might be murder, but in the end, isn't not saving the environment murder too?
