5 Simple Things Each Student Should do to Save the Environment

The problems of ecology and environment have become one of the most important issues of modern society. Eco-friendly lifestyle turned from the trademark of distant hippie communities to the new norm of life. Sorting trash and participating in giveaways are now trendy. But what can we do to become more aware of ecology without changing our life so much?

1. Trash reducing

There are different ways of doing that. First and foremost - the less trash you leave after yourself, the less you'll have to sort later. Think about permanent shopping bags instead of plastic discardable ones. Buy a nice foldable coffee cup to take with you (a bottle for water or thermo cup for tea will do great too). Buy products without packaging when it's appropriate - by the way, they are usually cheaper. The trash that is left is usually paper or fabric and a small amount of recyclable plastic and glass. It will be easy to sort it and put it into the right trash boxes. Read some materials online on informational sources and free essay websites like Study Moose or even on social media about the impact of trash on our planet to motivate yourself to change.

2. Organic local food

Buying organic food isn't only a fashion trend. By doing this you support local businesses, small farms and facilities - it is pleasant to pay someone you know and can say "hello", not an abstract company. Also, food from small farms are usually grown using less drugs and chemical pesticides, so you may enjoy healthier and tastier meals (yes, natural food usually have richer taste and flavor, because the farmers care about quality, not quantity). By choosing local food you reduce carbon dioxide emissions - the food from abroad has to be transported to your store. We don't mean you can't have a single exotic fruit in your fridge! Just opt for local food in general and this will do a lot for the ecology!

3. No "fast fashion"

Aren't you tired of your favorite trendy clothes being an obsolete rag next season? We're wearing red and long today, we'll be wearing green and short tomorrow. Fashion magazines shame us with phrases: "Throw up your X, it's time to wear Y!" while X was praised only a month ago. We don't know if just wearing whatever suits you and makes you feel good and comfortable is care for ecology or psychological state, but it's definitely a good thing! You may also look through sales and clothes exchange party, where you can bring clothes that don't fit you anymore for whatever reason - and take something new, brought by someone else, instead. Changing the wardrobe without spending a single dollar is great, isn't it?

4. Just clean it!
Sometimes we have to wait for eternity until the local services come and clean an abandoned park, plant some trees along your street or do something else. But we don't really have to wait, because we can do it yourself. It seems to be an ungrateful job, but if you look at your neighborhood as at the extension of your own home, the place you see every time you leave your apartment - you will be more than glad to tidy it up! Of course, you don't have to do this alone. Ask your neighbors to help, create some public spaces or just clean up the part of your street! The bonus effect that people don't like to trash on the place they have just cleaned - so if some of your neighbors have bad habits, they may quit them!

5. Help others start

Some people, just like we did before, think that ecologically-friendly lifestyle demands some horrendous self-restrictions or tree-hugging. Just tell them about these points above, gently help them to start and the world will become a bit happier place!

See it? Being eco-friendly is a piece of cake! (Though the cake should be made from local ingredients and in recyclable packaging). You don't have to change all your life, just develop some great habits and Mother Earth will be grateful for it!