Bee Sustainable: How to go zero waste in college

Written by Julia Gralki. Photo Courtesy of Envato Elements.

The start of the new school year is like a second New Year’s Eve: Another chance to set new year’s resolutions. If you’re still looking for resolution inspiration, here is one for you: Go zero waste.

While the “zero” in zero waste can be daunting, it doesn’t mean that you can’t produce any waste at waste. Instead, going zero waste is an attempt to reduce waste.

Here are a few tips on how to go zero waste in college.

Use fully recyclable planners and notebooks

I don’t know about you, but I always get excited about buying a new planner and planning the next few weeks at the start of the school year. While planners and notebooks are very helpful during the year, they become useless once it is over. That’s why you might want to look into buying fully recyclable notebooks instead.

A notebook with spiral binding will NOT be recyclable because it is hard to separate the different materials. A lot of notebooks also have plastic covers or coating, which has them end up in the trash as well.

However, there are a few companies that sell fully recyclable notebooks. Make sure that they only contain paper – no plastic coating or spiral binding of any sort

Switch to shampoo and conditioner bars

Looking at your shower caddy right now, you might find it very plastic-y. Shampoo, conditioner and body soap generally come in plastic bottles. But did you know that you can buy conditioner in bars?

Many companies sell shampoo and conditioner bars, and surprisingly, they last much longer than their plastic-bottled counterparts. They also take up much less space than bottles and are easy to travel with.

Get plantable pencils

As art students, we go through pencils quickly, some of which aren’t recyclable. To fix this issue, you can switch to plantable pencils. They contain no plastic in or on them and their packaging. When the pencil gets too short, you can stick it in a pot of soil and watch a plant or flower grow out of it.

Sustainable cleaning supplies

If you’re new to college, you might have experienced a bunch of people trying to give you cleaning advice. However, you might not have heard this one. Instead of getting single-use wipes and sponges, you can opt for a reusable cloth. You can use the cloth to wipe your desk clear of dust or to wash your dishes, and afterward, you can pop them in the washing machine or hand-wash them.

When it comes to cleaning supplies, find a brand that offers natural and sustainable dishwashing liquid, toilet cleaners, and glass cleaners.

Buy groceries in bulk

It is almost impossible to go zero waste when grocery shopping, but at least you can try to reduce the amount of plastic you buy with your groceries. For example, you can buy your food in bulk and bring a reusable tote bag. Some stores let you fill bags and containers with food such as lentils, rice or pasta. Other long-lasting foods like nuts and seeds are also easy to buy in bulk and in large quantities. That way, you will avoid plastic packaging and save money in the long run. In Savannah, the best places to buy groceries in bulk are Brighter Day and Whole Foods.