Our Sustainability Team is working hard on new initiatives to make GCU’s campus more sustainable. Below are some tips and tricks on how you can live a more sustainable lifestyle on GCU’s campus.
- Reusable Products – Stop using single-use disposable products. Instead of using plastic utensils and paper plates, buy a set of cutlery and dishes. We’d also recommend students buy a reusable water bottle and bring a reusable bag when shopping at campus stores.
- Shop Used – Purchase used items instead of buying them new. Furnish and decorate your dorm or apartment with used items. Avoid fast fashion and only buy new clothes when you need to. Purchase higher quality clothing items that will last longer.
- Work Digitally – Reduce your paper waste by taking notes digitally on a laptop or tablet. Only print off documents that you will need for your classes. If you think that you may end up throwing away a flyer or other document, don’t take a copy.
- Shop Locally – Shop locally instead of buying products online. Shopping locally is a great way to support the local economy and reduce the carbon footprint created by shipping products from out of town.
- Donate or Resell – Donate or sell items that you don’t need. If you need to get rid of things at the end of the school year, try to resell, donate, or pass them on to younger students. GCU runs a collection drive at the end of the year so students can donate unwanted items to Goodwill.
- Carpool With Friends – When going off-campus to go grocery shopping or attending church, carpooling with a group of your friends or roommates is a great way to save money on gas and reduce your carbon footprint.
- Switch Off & Unplug – Turn lights off when you leave your apartment or dorm. When you finish charging your devices, make sure to unplug them. Unplugging saves energy and can prolong the life of your electronic devices as well.
- Run Fewer Loads – Only wash your clothes when you can run a full load. Switch to doing your laundry with cold water whenever possible. Instead of using the dryer, hang your clothes to dry.
- Recycle – Recycling helps GCU keep waste out of landfills. This year, ASGCU is working to increase the number of recycling bins across campus substantially. We’ve put up posters to help you find a recycling bin near your dorm or apartment. Also, be sure to check out our recycling bin to learn more about how to recycle correctly.
