Eye Opener: Photo Essay

Hello everyone!

Alright, so I know that all too often people think, "Well, what can I do? I'm just a college student," when it comes to being more environmentally friendly. We tend to think that "going green" is out of our control because we can't afford it, or because we live in rental housing -- the list of excuses can be quite long. Other times I hear my peers (and I'm not picking on anyone in this class, I'm talking about all college students in general) say they'll become more conscious of the environment "once I have my own house" or "once I'm out of college." Admittedly, I'm definitely guilty of this myself sometimes.

The question we need to be asking is, WHY WAIT? There are numerous ways that we can lessen our impact on the environment right now! I know we all know this, and we have all learned about new creative ways to do so over the past couple of weeks through class discussions and everyone's Share and Voice posts.

The purpose of my photo essay is to reinforce the idea that college students can -- and are -- making a difference right now, despite our temporary housing situations, limited budgets, hectic schedules, etc. All of these photos were taken at residences of UMD students and show simple ways to make your home, and life, a little bit greener.





Take turns among housemates making family-style meals. You'll use less electricity when cooking, less water on the dishes, and even less packaging because food will be purchased in bulk. As a bonus, you'll gain extra time on the nights it's someone else's turn to cook. Even if it's impossible to gather everyone for a meal, it is always nice to have leftovers waiting after a long day at school and work.




Find creative ways to reuse items, such as turning an empty jar of pasta sauce into a cool-looking drinking glass!
























For items that can't be reused, be sure to recycle them.





Start a compost in your yard for food scraps and yard waste. This one was made last summer and used diligently until winter.







Speaking of food, try to purchase organic and local foods whenever possible.



Keep reusable bags in your cupboard or by the door so it is easier to remember them when heading to the store.














Buy natural cleaning products, or better yet, make your own.





Forget about those old, uncool, energy-wasting light bulbs...










...and switch to more efficient bulbs instead.



































Save energy by hanging clothes up to dry instead of using a dryer. This works especially well in summer when clothes can be hung up outside on a clothesline.




Keep the thermostat turned down, especially during times when no one is home or at night when everyone is asleep.

Make sure that precious heat is not escaping from your house - or that cold air is sneaking in. Plug up any holes...




















...and put plastic over windows during the winter months.


















Minimize vehicle use by biking and walking. It can be done, even during Duluth winters.


I hope this has inspired you to look for changes that could be made in your own homes!

Thanks for reading!