What You Need To Go Zero Waste In College

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So either you live in a dorm with no kitchen appliances or you live in a small apartment and have little time to make meals, either way, you end up generating a lot of single use plastic waste from wrappers and packaging of your favorite go-to study snacks. Now, you shouldn’t feel pressured to go fully zero waste. Not only can it be expensive, but it can often be very difficult to maintain as a college or grad student. However, there are still a few kitchen items that can go a long way to help you keep your trash load to a minimum. 

 

Number 1: For all you coffee-crazed college students out there, do I have a solution for you. Not only are French presses a stylish edition to any haphazardly arranged dorm or living room, but they will cut down your Starbucks visits and help you save money and the environment. 

 

Number 2: Keeping with coffee theme, a nice coffee container goes a long way. Even if you can’t resist the urge to stop at Starbucks or your local coffee shop, bringing along one of these babies is sure to prevent you from using a single use cup. 

 

Number 3: A reusable water bottle. You know the deal. You probably already have a few. Good for you if so. If not, check out some of these that not only are easy to clean but are also easy on the environment. A fun update, bring a reusable cup to parties. That red solo cup may be fun for one night, but maybe not so fun for the next 150 years…

 

Number 3: Reusable paper towels are a must if your roommates and you actually clean your dorm/house. If you don’t, then you’re already on your way to reducing waste! Nice job. 

 

Number 4: Food containers. If you have a kitchen, great, then you should be accustomed to storing meals in one of these. They’re a great option for meal prepping to help save you time and money. If you’re on a meal plan, then these are great for storing snacks from the dining hall. Need a little pick me up while studying, then just fill up one of these with your favorite cereal or fruit combinations. 

 

Number 5: Composting. Now, if you’re in the type of living situation where you have a responsible schedule for taking out the trash, 1) congratulations and 2) bring up the idea of composting. Check to see if your campus has a composting program, and if they don’t, try emailing your campus’ environmental club to see if they would be interested in launching a composting initiative.

 

Number 6: Bar soap. I’m talking bar soap for your face, bar soap for your body, bar soap for your hair. From my own experience, bar soap is typically more affordable than plastic items for the face and body. Bar shampoo and conditioner can be a bit pricier than you may be used to paying for their plastic counterparts. They do tend to last a long time, but take your own time easing into plastic-free items on this one especially if you prefer to save money on hair-care items or if you are used to using specific hair-care products. 

Number 7: A washcloth. Skip the plastic loofahs. No need to buy a fancy bath sponge, just use a nice washcloth fit for gentle exfoliation.