Calling all college students: school will begin soon and there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the carbon footprint of your dorm room.

1. Make someone else’s garbage your treasure. Browse Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for futons, desks, chairs, etc. instead of spending a fortune buying new furniture.
2. Sharing is caring. Do you and your roommate really need separate mini-refrigerators and TVs?
3. Think organic. Consider 100 percent organic cotton or bamboo linens and bedding.
4. Take charge. Use power strips to easily manage your appliances and unplug whatever you aren’t currently using.
5. Turn off the lights and all appliances when you’re not in the room. Encourage dorm-mates to do so in lounges or other dorm common areas too.
6. Choose energy-efficient products such as CFL/fluorescent lightbulbs and Energy Star rated appliances.
7. Invest in a reusable water bottle. It will cost less than $15, and some cafes give a discount when you use a reusable bottle for drinks.

After you have mastered your dorm room, encourage your university to go carbon neutral. Carbonfund.org partners with a number of colleges and universities to reduce their carbon footprint and support third-party validated carbon reduction projects. Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .