Get Involved!
There are tons of ways to get environmentally involved on campus!
Why should you be an EcoHusky?
(as if it were even a debate!)
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We put on the coolest events |
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| We save the world on a regular basis |
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We get to play in dumpsters full of sneakers |
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We've got the coolest t-shirts on campus |
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Recycling!
Did you know that you can recycle almost ANY plastic and paper? Click here for a PDF of UConn's Recycling guidelines.
Visit http://ecohusky.uconn.edu/pcc/recycling.html to find out about Recycling Initiatives on campus!
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Reslife gives out recycling bags to all the dorms- you have the resources, please take advantage of them.
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Beer cans are recyclable too! Don’t forget about your good green habits during the weekends and make sure you recycle your beer cans and bottles.
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Have an iPhone? Use the iRecycle App to find recycling locations based on what you need to recycle all across the U.S.!
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Transportation
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Riding your bike is a great way to get around campus efficiently without the use of a motor vehicle.
New bike paths have been added down Huntinglodge Road and UConn is looking into ways to make bike transportation easier and more efficient.
http://ecohusky.uconn.edu/campusbikeplan.htm
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Walk to class: This simple form of transportation saves money, gas, and is a great way to exercise without going to the gym.
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Carpool: 1 car per 2 people equals have the amount of gas money and half the amount of emissions; the more people the better!
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Have an iPhone? Download the GreenMeter App to measure your vehicle's fuel efficiency and your carbon footprint.
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Water Conservation
Please report all leaky faucets and shower heads by calling 860-486-3113.
Why save water? Saving water protects habitats and water resources, prevents the Fenton River from drying up and maintain good water quality.
Water Conservation Tips:
1. Pay close attention to Water Conservation Advisories: These messages are distributed by the University through your huskymail to alert students, faculty and staff of water shortages. Please be sure to conserve water especially during these times.
2. Limit shower time! The average shower uses 5 gallons of water per minute! Also, try showering every other day rather than everyday.
3. Do not leave the water on while brushing your teeth or lathering soap in your hands.
4. Flushing the toilet can use up to 3 gallons of water each time -- please flush responsibly!
5. Only do laundry in full loads! If you need to wash something but don't have a full load -- combine your laundry with a friend!
6. Wear your clothes more than once -- they aren't that dirty!
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Energy Conservation
Why conserve energy? You can reduce your carbon footprint and help reduce your contribution to global climate change. The less energy you use, the less coal and fossil fuels you burn!
Click here to find out more about what UConn is doing to save energy!
Here are some energy saving tips:
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Use CFLs instead of regular light bulbs. They have an average life of 10,000 hours and they only use 20% of the electricity output of a regular light bulb.
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Purchase energy star appliances. An energy star computer uses 70% less electricity than computers without enabled power management features. Also, over its lifetime, energy star equipment in a single residence hall room (e.g., computer, monitor, and printer) can save enough electricity to light an entire home for more than 4 years.
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Unplug your appliances when not in use.
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Always turn off your lights and electronics when you leave the room.
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Turn down the temperature on your thermostat and your fridge and if you have empty space in your refrigerator, fill it with your reusable water bottles. You will have cold water available and your fridge won’t have to work as hard to cool empty air.
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Program your computer to enter sleep mode when you are not using it instead of screen savers. If you put your computer on sleep mode when idle you can save up to 20 watts which is the equivalent of removing 1 in 4 cars from the road every year
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Green Cleaning and Purchasing
Click here for Green Cleaning tips!
Purchasing:
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Use eco-friendly laundry detergent; don’t do laundry until you have a full basket and if you need something washed immediately, share a load with your roommate.
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The Co-op has an annual Sustainable Living Book Fair and Conference in April and hosts many different speakers on issues related to Sustainable Living
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If you say no to a plastic bag at the Co-op, you are rewarded with a token that you can place in a container to support different initiatives on campus. (The Green Campus Fund is one initiative.)
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Buy used textbooks and save lots of money.
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You can also
rent your textbooks through
Chegg.com. Everytime you rent a book, you plant a tree!
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Eating
Here are some tips on eating sustainably:
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Be aware of portion sizes so you aren’t wasting
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Choose fair trade coffee in the dining halls and at the UC Cafes.
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Dining Services’ Local Routes program works to help educate the UConn community about the importance of choosing foods that will benefit the local economy, the environment, and New England farmers.
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Whitney Dining Hall provides food served by Local Routes
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Green Campus Tour
There are many locations on campus where sustainability is at the forefront. Click here to take the Virtual Green Campus Tour!
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Moving In and Out
When moving in and out of your residence, please keep these tips in mind!
1. When you're packing: use resuable bins to pack your items -- you can use the bins later for storage.
2. You can also wrap your fragile items in clothes so you don't waste packaging materials. If you do using packing materials, please recycle them!
3. Make sure to bring the following items:
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Reusable water bottles are better for the environment and your bank account.
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Hand towels are a good substitute to the paper towels in the bathroom because they save paper towels and they are much softer for washing your face and hands.
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Reusable food containers don’t let extra food go to waste. Whether you brought home your leftovers from Chuck and Augie’s or loaded up on mom’s casserole when you went home, you can store it all in your reusable containers for later.
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A drying rack will reduce energy use from the dryers and will save you some extra Husky Bucks.
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CFL light bulbs are more energy efficient than regular light bulbs and they last longer which will save you money in the long run.
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A power strip will not only help you organize your room and be able to plug in everything you need, but if you just switch off the strip when you aren’t using it, you can save the energy that would have been wasted if you left everything plugged into the wall.
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A bicycle will help you get around campus more efficiently without wasting any gas.
4. UConn Public Surplus Store: Open only one day a month to the public and sells University generated furniture for ultra-discounted rates. UConn dorm desks go for just $5.
5. The Give and Go Move out Program is a great way to get rid of items you can't take with you when you leave. During finals week, collection points will be set up all throughout campus. You can also volunteer to help with this program! Click here for more information!
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Go the Extra Mile!
Want to be even greener? Here are some more tips on living green.
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