How to Go Green: Dorm Rooms
by Team Treehugger, Worldwide 
on 09. 8.08
Photo credit: Getty Images / James Woodson
Every year, intrepid young men and women set out for college. Even more exciting than this, is that for many of them, it's their first chance to live away from home. But, with the excitement and fun of furnishing a new dorm room comes a price. Every year, college students (and their parents) generate thousands of tons of garbage, because of the choices they make in buying furniture and accessories. Luckily, getting your dorm room to be green has never been easier. All it takes is a little effort, a little creativity, and a few tips and tricks. Click through for the best ways to make it happen.
From keeping it local, to finding good stuff on the cheap, to saving energy without sacrificing performance, there are tons of ways to make your new home away from home a greener place to live. Check out more tips, dig deeper into what makes a green dorm, and get examples of the greenest dorms out there, in our guide for How to Go Green: Dorm Rooms, over on Planet Green. And, while you're at it, be sure to take a peek at the guide for How to Go Green: Back to School and all the other guides for How to Go Green.
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Planet Green and Redwood Creek Announce the $50,000 Great Outdoors Grant Winner
- The Week's Best DIY Projects: Kid-Friendly Coloring Books, Energy-Saving Chargers, and Woven Coasters
- Reuse Those Plastic Cups As Earrings
- 5 Reuses for Altoid Tins
- Mini Blinds are Boring—Craft Them into Chic Fabric Shades
- Build a Greenhouse without Going Broke
A few more tips form a rising college senior.
About summer storage: some schools let you keep stuff on campus, but if not, or if you need access to stored stuff before fall, there are a lot of self-storage places around. Rent a u-haul van, split the cost with a roommate. After you consider how much it costs your parents to move you out, you might find it is cheaper to store it.
About used stuff: all that stuff freshman buy, seniors throw away. A lot of schools collect used stuff at the end of the year to re-sell to students the next year. Often the proceeds go to good causes. Ask your school.
Beware fridges shared by a whole floor or dorm. Having one for yourself or your suite may use more energy, but you won't have to put your leftovers next to semester-old milk.
Save your boxes. Collapse them and stick 'em behind your dresser until you move out in spring. I've been using the same set of cardboard boxes for 3 1/2 years, though I've added a couple of new ones each year and retired the really cruddy ones.
In addition - Emory University's Green dorms are featured on Coca-Cola's 'Live Positively' site in the web series 'Real Savvy Families' - http://www.livepositively.com/multimedia_center