Being a college student is most likely the first time many kids get a taste of living on their own and being an adult in a multi-family environment. I was no exception. College tours had taught me that almost every campus had buildings that were “completely green” or that the cobblestones were made from reused materials. But my expectations differed from reality.
I moved into the typical college dorm offered by my university but with that came the frustrating realization that there was little that could be done in terms of improving my living situation in a ‘greener’ way.
Here’s the picture: I moved into a room with one non-fluorescent overhead light, several minimal pieces of furniture, a window, and noticeable water damage on the ceiling that had been none-too-secretly covered up with a thin layer of paint. In my dorm it was typical for each floor to have separate sex bathrooms, a common room, a garbage chute, and one small rectangular bin that had two circular holes on top for recycled bottles. Sure, it fit the college proto-type as a dorm that had seen a lot of wear and tear over the years but by the end of the year even the non-eco conscientious students could tell it needed some work.
Early on, my roommate and I decided to use our respective garbage baskets in a collective manner, designating one for recycling and the other for trash. Both of us came from families who were aware of the waste we created and so every scrap of paper, piece of plastic, even contact solution package was put in the recycling can if possible. But alas, we had a problem.
On the floor, they only supplied us with a bin for recycled bottles or a garbage chute. At a learning institution such as a university, it comes as a surprise that despite the numerous papers we had to write there was no place for recycled papers in our dorm. We would have to leave the building if we wanted to put them in a paper-recycling bin of some sort.
Therefore, we did what we saw as the only option, lifted the lid to the recycled bottles bin, and dumped the papers, etc. inside. We hoped for the best. When we got packages, we left the big boxes next to the bottle bin and took the chance that the custodians would know of a better to place to put them. Who knows if the boxes were actually dumped, re-used or recycled.
Even before moving in, I, like most other college students, was inundated with ads and posters for college supplies and furniture. Many stores, like Bed, Bath & Beyond, conveniently offered a system where you scanned the items you liked at your local outlet and picked them up at the nearest store in your college town, which I’ll admit definitely cuts down on shipping. Not to mention, BB&B sells more than one can imagine, including fluorescent bulbs (which I bought!) and even eco-friendly detergents.
But I can’t help but realize, after-the-fact, that I could have been greener. I could have bought my nightstand from an outlet that sold used furniture or bought my supplies from an environmentally friendly supplier. Doing a search now, brought up several sites that offered tips and places that offer such services.
True, I did manage to bring my own desk lamps and writing utensils from home, but the bulk of my furniture and supplies were bought, brand new, from Staples or Bed, Bath & Beyond. Yet, I can’t speak on behalf of what everybody else on the floor did, as I know some students were definitely aware. For instance, there was a petition sent around to the girls about turning off the lights in the bathroom whenever exiting, which had moderate success, more so after a small note was placed as a reminder. And I even heard of someone in the dorm who had her own pet earthworms that she used to compost stuff in her room. I would also like to commend her for bringing her own bamboo utensils to various eateries.
But what could be said of the dorms themselves? There was much left to be desired. Yes, I know people will respond with “Well, what did you expect?” but hear me out.
When a huge storm hit the East Coast, there was no place left dry. Literally. The signs of water damage revealed themselves as water dripped from my ceiling and nearly missed flooding my laptop. I mopped up what water I could but I had no idea of the seriousness of the situation.
A week before I was to move out and a month after the storm, maintenance came to size up the damage. The water had seeped into almost an entire wall of my bedroom and created a weird brown pattern on the ceiling. They warned me that I shouldn’t be using the wall socket near my bed, since there was water in the walls that could lead to serious problems. I guess I was lucky considering I had unknowingly been using it for my phone charger.
Yet, what strikes me most is how they went about handling it. My room deserved special attention and I was told that they would “deal” with the wall that sounded hollow as soon as I vacated. But from what I could remember of its original condition, I wasn’t sure how well it would be repaired. Others on my floor had similar issues.
My neighbor’s curtain rod had been drilled into the wall and fell down because water had eroded the plaster and caused the screws to fall out. Another friend had plaster from her ceiling fall onto her head, pillow, and bed while she was sleeping. A couple days after she called it in, maintenance responded. Instead of doing something to solve the recurring problem, they merely wanted to paint and patch things up, which is exactly what they did. I know there must be better ways to fix water damage.
While my university did have its drawbacks, there were also advantages and glimmers of hope for the future! An email was sent around before holiday breaks reminding all students to unplug utilities and turn off lights before leaving. They also had initiatives wherein if one completed an environmental survey of the dorms, campus, and student habits, prizes would be awarded to participants.
The girl who ate with bamboo utensils was also part of a college group that offered a decent price for buying vegetables from local farmers (a CSA), which also I signed up for. They have at least 60 participants signed up for the first year. By splitting the cost with my roommate and a friend, it was affordable for our student budgets.
There was also a vegetable garden that I saw some students watering but I never saw or heard of where those home-grown vegetables ever went. Also, I had friends who petitioned for a diesel-fueled food truck to come onto campus and sell healthy treats that were grown, cooked, and sold by students (see their Youtube video here). Although making it into the final round of contenders for financial support, I’m not sure what finally became of their brilliant idea.
The university does offer one eco-friendly brownstone that is sought after by green students. It’s not officially listed on the website, although I hear that they are intent on monitoring their consumption and waste. It comes with a heftier price tag than the typical dorms, which is unfortunate for those of us who strive to be greener on a budget.
On the housing website, there is a recent update advertising a dorm is being renovated and made more eco-friendly with such amenities as dual flush toilets, Energy Star appliances, occupancy sensors and a host of other refreshingly bright green and practical upgrades.
Of course the onus of eco-friendly living doesn’t just fall on the institution. Admittedly, we students create a fair amount of waste. Plenty of people get rid of binders of papers and work, as well as throw away hangers and even furniture that they don’t think they’ll need anymore or can’t fit into their summer storage unit.
The college offers a nice book buy-back deal where they offer cash for used books that will then be re-used. There was also a book drive box for unwanted books sponsored by a campus group, but there were no other signs of recycling or re-using initiatives that I could see. (Did I miss an email?) A box for clothes or hangers and a sign-up sheet for recollected furniture would probably be practical and well received.
In addition, while everyone is packing up their folders, brushes, books, and clothes, they have to find boxes to put them in. Sometimes storage facilities offer a box or two at a certain rate while others resort to buying bulk, but I found a greener way.
I canvassed the local stores and super market for any unwanted boxes of which I found plenty. Despite having to duct tape the sides together, my clothes fit into the boxes of eggs and frozen fries quite nicely and I didn’t have to pay a penny. My friends were even asking me if I had extra ones.
Now after all of this I’m not saying that my college is a horrible place that doesn’t care about the environment. My observations are simply a critique on what more they could do that would enhance student consciousness and enable greener behaviors.
Guest post by Monica Jean, currently a college student majoring in history at one the countries most venerable institutions of learning.
Other articles of interest:
GreenRenters.org recently posed the question on their website, “Would it bother you if people saw your energy consumption?” 
