Sustainable Living Tips

While it is important for organizations of all kinds to think about how to better serve the environment, as institutions of education it is essential for colleges and universities to lead and educate about sustainability-related issues. As residents of the Marist College campus, read below for tips on living sustainably.

• During the day: let sunlight in through windows facing the sun by opening your curtains. The solar energy helps keep your room warm and reduces heating needs. At night: Close curtains to provide added insulation in cold weather.
• Run the washing machine and dishwasher only when you have a full load to save energy and water.
• You can save energy dollars by using hot water only for heavily soiled laundry. Select the “bright colors” setting for most of your laundry needs. Ninety percent of the energy your washer uses goes toward heating water.
• Check the lint filter in the dryer before each load. Lint buildup blocks airflow and lengthens drying time, increasing energy use.
• Purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use less energy than incandescent and last longer.
• Eliminate wasted energy: turn off appliances, lights and equipment when not in use. Don’t forget to turn computers and printers off at the power strip. Phantom load, or the energy used while appliances are turned off accounts for a huge amount of the energy we consume.
• Enable energy-saving features on your monitor and personal printers.
• To conserve energy purchase a “smart” power strip to automatically turn off equipment.
• Purchase Energy Star-labeled equipment and use power –saving features.
• Yes, it’s true, screen savers actually use energy! An easy way to reduce the amount of energy your computer uses is to set the monitor to sleep. Learn how at www.energystar.gov/powermanagement.
• When feasible, use stairs rather than the elevator.
• Did you know that in Dutchess County you can recycle empty and clean number 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 plastics? Did you know that anything that isn’t glass or plastic is a contaminant? Please recycle properly!
• What’s the best way to save 3 gallons of water a day? Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or shaving! Take shorter showers and use less detergent when washing your dishes to also reduce water waste.
• Learn more about sustainability on the Marist campus >>