Save the Planet - Starting With Your Little Corner of It

Save the Planet - Starting With Your Little Corner of It

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Goucher has embarked on a far-reaching campaign to promote environmental sustainability throughout our academic and co-curricular programs. You can join us by integrating sustainable practices into your life.
Here are some tips to help you get started:

In the dorm

• Use compact fluorescent bulbs, which last longer and use less energy than regular bulbs.
• Turn off unnecessary electrical devices when you leave a room for more than 15 minutes.
• Enable your computer to go into "sleep mode" when not in use.
• Do not leave computers on all night.
• Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use.
• Unplug cell phone charger when charging is complete.
• Use natural light rather than electric whenever possible.
• Pull down window shades at night in the winter and during the day in the summer.
• Go old school -- try a standard phone with a cord instead of a cordless model, which requires constant energy.
• Turn off and defrost refrigerator over long breaks.
• Don't use power strips to turn on your computer and desk equipment all at once.
• Buy inexpensive mugs and plates that you can wash rather than disposable ones and avoid over-packaged takeout food.
• Reuse envelopes, advertisements, and previously used paper for notes.
• Buy a water filter and refill a reusable container instead of buying cases of bottled water.
• Share magazines and books.

In the bathroom

• Take shorter showers; don't run the water before getting in, and turn off the water when lathering.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and shaving.
• Report leaky faucets and showerheads.
• Don't use the toilet as a garbage bin. Toss tissues and waste in trash cans.

In the laundry room

• Only wash full loads of laundry.
• Wash your clothes in cold water.
• Air dry whenever possible.
• Use products containing the least amount of bleaches, dyes, and fragrances.

In the classroom

• Use refillable binders instead of notebooks or use a laptop.
• Use recycled paper.
• Take notes on both sides of paper.
• If it’s OK with your professor, hand in assignments by printing on both sides of the page. 
• Unless you’re handicapped, don’t use automatic handicap doors.

In the laboratory
Students:

• Never pour hazardous chemicals down the drain.
• Use as small an amount of chemicals as possible by following instructions and being exact when measuring out starting materials.
• Reuse cleaning solvents such as acetone and alcohol for initial cleaning of dirty glassware, using fresh solvent for the final rinse only.
• Prepare chemical waste for disposal as per instructions in the hazardous waste management program.

Instructors:

• Always provide proper waste minimization and disposal instructions to students
• Redesign experiments to minimize hazardous chemical waste and to replace toxic reagents with less hazardous substances.
• Order reagents in exact amounts to avoid leftovers.
• Distill and recycle solvents for use in demonstrations.
• Make sure chemicals are clearly and properly labeled.

In the art and photography studio

• Use nontoxic, biodegradable art supplies.
• Replace oil-based paints with water-based paints.
• Modify spray-painting techniques to minimize over-spraying.
• Use biodegradable, nontoxic cleaners.
• Minimize use of cleaning solvents for brush cleaning by reusing dirty solvents for first rinse and fresh solvents for final rinse only.
• Clean brushes with lavender oil instead of turpentine.

In the dining hall

• Eat locally grown foods.
• Carry a reusable cup or water bottle. Some water bottles come with built-in filters if you're worried about the quality of the tap water.
• Limit the use of paper napkins.
• Only take what you will eat to limit food waste.
• Do not remove reusable plates, bowls, cups, or utensils from the dining facilities.
• Dispose of waste in the correct container.

In the store

• Carry a tote bag for shopping so you don't have to use a plastic bag.
• Purchase durable rather than disposable products.
• If you get a plastic bag, reuse it.
• Go vintage. Buying used clothing saves money, decreases the use of resources to make clothing, and puts a dent in the problem of sweatshops.
• Also buy used furniture and books.
• Buy recycled products, such as paper, and get environmentally safe cleaning products. Check out the options at Goucher's bookstore.

In the workplace

• When you print or photocopy, use both sides of each sheet of paper.
• Save pages that you've printed and use the backs to print out drafts and other things you don't have to turn in.
• When possible, use your printer's low-quality setting to save ink.
• Bookmark webpages instead of printing them for research.
• Edit on screen, not on paper.
• Use e-mail to minimize paper use.
• Advertise events using e-mail and by posting on the Digest or in mass publications such as the Quindecim rather than papering the campus.