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Green Guide

Green Guide

Green Guide

Tips for Students

  • When moving to campus, coordinate with your roommates to avoid bringing duplicate items. Fewer appliances and electronics means more energy saved!
  • Are your leftovers really worth it? Defrost and unplug your mini fridge and other appliances before break periods to conserve electricity.
  • This dorm isn't big enough for the two of them; if you have a unit with a kitchen, put it to some good use, save energy, and leave your mini fridge at home!
  • Combination MicroFridges have it all! They're more energy efficient, cost effective, and safer to use than a separate microwave and fridge. And we weren't paid to say that!
  • Yeah cardboard boxes are great and all, but have you tried moving into your dorm with plastic bins? They're sturdier and reusable!
  • Save your money, gas, and planet by taking the shuttle, walking, or biking to Downtown Bethlehem instead of driving.

  • Keep your car up to snuff with routine maintenance in order to reduce repairs and be more fuel efficient.
  • Relax. Stay awhile! By remaining on campus between classes and activities, you can decrease emissions.
  • Want to be healthy and sustainable at the same time? Walk or bike to campus if you live close enough.
  • Make a buddy! Carpooling with another commuter will save gas and help with parking.
  • Going to Downtown Bethlehem? So is the shuttle! Use it instead of driving to save gas and money.

Tips for Faculty & Staff

  • Instead of using paper, utilize Canvas for assignment and assessment submissions. The trees will certainly be happy you logged on. Get it?
  • Why waste a clean sheet? Encourage students to print on both sides of the paper they use for hard copy submissions.
  • Let's get digital, digital. Have students use their iPads and other electronics to take notes.
  • On warm days, get some vitamin D and save energy by having daytime classes outside in natural light.

  • Arrange your office hours in a way that requires less trips to and from campus.
  • Escape the office now and then. Hold meetings outside on warm days to reduce energy consumption.
  • Let there be light! Leave the shades open in your office during the day to let in natural light and reduce energy usage.
  • Electronics deserve some rest too! Unplug them before vacations or extended breaks. 
  • A power strip can be a powerful ally in being sustainable. Plug your electronics into one and shut it off when you leave the office.

  • Who needs the hassle of printing a ton of flyers when you can instantly post programs and events on the ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« app or other social media?
  • Save paper by having electronic program assessments. Google Forms, the ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« app, and other online resources can come in handy here!
  • Get in touch with the great outdoors! Holding programs and events outside can make them more visible to students as well as reduce energy consumption.
  • Work smarter, not harder. Save money, time, and electricity by reusing materials for annual events.

  • Planning ahead can work towards saving the planet. Schedule your classes and office hours in a way that minimizes the number of trips you make to campus.
  • Walking and biking are great ways to get to campus without using fossil fuels. They're also great ways to stay healthy!
  • Tired of not being able to find a parking space? Reduce emissions and the number of cars in the lot by carpooling with another faculty or staff member.
  • Keep your car up to snuff with routine maintenance in order to reduce repairs and be more fuel efficient.
  • Going to Downtown Bethlehem? So is the shuttle! Use it instead of driving to save gas and money.

General Guide

  • Don't be a vampire. Open your blinds and curtains during the day to avoid using electric lights.
  • Shut off the lights wherever you can, especially in unoccupied rooms. They say there's no such thing as ghosts, so don't leave the lights on for them.
  • CFL bulbs: long lasting and both energy and cost efficient. Incandescent bulbs: not so much.

  • Use less energy by turning the temperature lower in the winter and higher in the summer.
  • Batten down the hatches! Close all doors and windows while using hot or cool air.
  • Going away for an extended amount of time? If it isn't necessary, turn off air conditioning and heating in your home to save energy.
  • Who says your outside fashion needs to change when you're inside? Dress for the weather when you're indoors to become less reliant on heating and cooling.

  • Help your eyes and the planet by reducing the brightness of your screen. It saves electricity.
  • Let your computer rest; it's earned it. Use Sleep Mode instead of a screensaver to use less energy.
  • Not using a charger? Don't leave it plugged in! It's still using electricity.
  • A power strip can be a powerful ally in being sustainable. Plug your electronics into one and shut it off when you aren't using them.

  • Are your leftovers really worth it? Defrost and unplug your mini fridge and other appliances before break periods to conserve electricity.
  • Look for ENERGY STAR symbols on appliance packages.

  • Strive for five (minutes) in the shower. That's about how long most songs are on the radio, so you can do plenty of singing in that amount of time.
  • Lower the water temperature. It might feel like torture, but it's good for the planet and a quick way to wake yourself up!
  • Be sustainable while tending to your pearly whites! Turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth.
  • Who needs a thousand plastic water bottles when you could have a single reusable one? Use it to save money and the environment!

  • Wash it all! A full load of wash reduces energy and water usage.
  • Clotheslines and drying racks are excellent alternatives to using dryers. They also don't need electricity!
  • Use cold water when doing your laundry. Not only will it save energy, but it might prevent your red shirt from turning your white socks pink.
  • Clean out the lint screen before using a dryer. It helps with the machine's effectiveness and reduces the risk of the whole thing setting on fire. Doing laundry is bad enough without needing a fire extinguisher.

  • Try being a vegetarian once a week to cut back on meat production energy. Eating more green might make you more lean in the process too.
  • Local foods require less packaging and travel costs. Stock your kitchen with them, and enjoy dining sustainably.
  • Reduce energy when cooking with pots and pans by using lids to retain heat.
  • Buy groceries in bulk rather than single frozen meals to reduce excess packaging.
  • Take only as much food as you can eat, and only as many plates and utensils you need.
  • Scrape your plates to dispose of food in the trash and recycle everything else possible.