5 Best Tips for Sustainable Student Living

As part of the Sus Living Soc, you have probably already started taking action to lead a more sustainable life. Maybe you’ve ditched plastic bottles and single-use bags and you’ve bought yourself a reusable straw. This blog post is here to help you be more sustainable at home.

How can we as college students be more sustainable at home? Whether you are living in a dorm, an apartment, or a house, sustainability can be achieved in your living space. Below we have outlined 5 easy ways for college students to start creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly home.

1. Switch to Eco-friendly bedding

We have three great options for Eco-friendly bedding!

Try Ettitude: This CleanBamboo company’s mission is to create bedding, "as soft as silk, as sustainable as hemp, as breathable as linen, but at the price of cotton." Each piece — from sheets to sleepwear and even bath essentials — is sustainably sourced, packaged, and partnered with wider charity efforts.

Check out Buffy: Buffy is on a mission to help you live comfortably—without making our planet uncomfortable. They use earth-friendly fabrics and manufacturing methods to create more sustainable products, utilizing recycled plastic, water-saving Eucalyptus and soft hemp. They also offset all their CO2 emissions.

Finally, Irish Family Owned White & Green: Why chose White & Green? Their Organic long-staple cotton creates softer, longer-lasting sheets and uses 81% less water than conventional cotton. There are no harmful chemicals nor dyes meaning their sheets are better for the planet. And finally, they are Fairtrade certified meaning they have safe working conditions, fair wages, and NEVER any child labour.

2. Utilize Houseplants to Purify the Air

Hate to say it, but some house plants are better than others. Nasa has created an incredible guide to air-filtering houseplants a great way to decorate your living space, positively impact the environment and your health!

Check out Nasa's Guide to Air Filtering Plants!

3. Buy Second-hand Furniture

Utilize Facebook marketplace, donedeal.ie, and gumtree to find slightly used furniture you can upcycle and put to better use in your own home. Charity shops around Dublin also have a great selection of furniture. Try Oxfam Home off of Camden Street or NCBI Home in Rathmines. Not only great for the environment but it is an easy way to save money and find unique pieces!

4. Switch to non-toxic cleaning supplies

One of the less glamorous parts of student living is the cleaning. But even here we can find eco-friendly alternatives to traditional products. Swap out cleaning supplies with harsh damaging chemicals and with green cleaning supplies. Ecostore has a great selection of cleaning supplies from kitchen soap to bathroom cleaner.

5. Switch to LED lightbulbs

The benefits of making the transition to eco friendly far outweigh the effort to get them switched! They are more energy-efficient therefore resulting in lower electric bills! They are a better and safer light source overall. Unlike fluorescents and CFLs, LEDs do not contain highly toxic mercury. This helps to reduce toxic waste when the LED bulbs are disposed of. Because LEDs also last longer than traditional lightbulbs, this means less waste in the form of packaging, transportation, and disposal. Switching over to LEDs is a simple way to dramatically lower your carbon footprint and build a sustainable lifestyle at home!

Thanks for reading!! We are TCD Sustainable living society, here to unite and elicit positive change in the world. Together we can learn a thing or two about environmentally friendly living and strive to make an impact with smart sustainable choices. If you enjoy what you read or have suggestions on topics you’d like to discuss next, leave us a comment! If you haven’t joined already, sign up to the Sustainable Living Society HERE. We look forward to creating a community of like-minded eco-warriors together! If you enjoyed what you read or learned something new, why not sign up for our weekly newsletter!