Green Living Guide

Home

Reduce and Reuse

• Reuse envelopes, advertisements and used paper for notes.
• Share magazines and books.
• Wash and reuse dishware and utensils when possible. Avoid disposable/overly packaged products.

Save Water

• Report or replace leaky faucets/showerheads. Install a low-flow showerhead, if possible.
• Take shorter showers. Don't run the water before getting in. Turn off the shower/faucet when lathering, shaving or brushing your teeth.
• Use a refillable water bottle. Fill it at home or a campus hydration station.
• Wash only full loads of laundry. Use cold water and air dry when possible.

Save Energy

• Use natural light when possible. When you can’t, use compact fluorescent bulbs or LED lights.
• Close window shades in the summer to keep out heat. In winter, open them during the day to let heat in.
• Set your computer to enter sleep mode when not in use and turn it off overnight.
• Unplug appliances/electronics when not in use and unplug your charger once your phone is charged.
• Don't use power strips to turn on your computer and desk equipment at the same time.
• Turn off unnecessary electrical devices when you leave a room for more than 10 minutes.
• Turn off and defrost your refrigerator over long breaks/vacations.

Dining Hall

• Eat locally grown food when possible.
• Take only what you will eat and limit the use of paper napkins to reduce waste.
• Dispose of waste in the correct container. Ensure recyclables are free of food/liquid.

Store

• Buy environmentally safe cleaning products.
• Buy locally grown produce and products made in the U.S. to help save fossil fuels.
• Buy recycled and/or durable products instead of disposable items.
• Buy used furnishings, books and clothes instead of new items.
• Carry a tote bag so you don't have to use a plastic bag.
• Check plastic items to make sure they’re labeled 1-7 and are recyclable.

Office/Workplace

• Bookmark webpages instead of printing them for research.
• Edit on-screen, not on paper, and use email to minimize paper use.
• Use electronic platforms like the NIU event calendar to advertise events instead of paper posters.
• Use both sides of the paper when printing/photocopying. Use the low-quality setting to save ink when possible.

Classroom

• Read assignments digitally when possible and don’t print unnecessary items.
• Print assignments on both sides of the paper or submit them electronically, if OK with the professor.
• Rent books or buy used books when possible.
• Use your laptop or a refillable binder instead of a notebook. Use recycled paper and take notes on both sides.

Laboratory

Students

• Use the smallest possible amount of chemicals by following instructions and measuring precisely.
• Prepare chemical waste for disposal following provided instructions. Don’t pour hazardous chemicals down the drain.
• Reuse solvents when cleaning glassware. Use fresh solvent for the final rinse only.

Instructors

• Ensure chemicals are clearly and properly labeled.
• Provide students with proper waste minimization and disposal instructions.
• Design experiments to minimize hazardous chemical waste. Replace toxic reagents with less hazardous substances.
• Order reagents in exact amounts to avoid leftovers and distill/recycle solvents for use in demonstrations.

Art/Photography Studio

• Use nontoxic, biodegradable art supplies, including water-based paints.
• Modify spray-painting techniques to minimize over-spray.
• Use biodegradable, nontoxic cleaners, such as lavender oil for cleaning brushes. Reuse cleaning solvents, using fresh solvent for the final rinse only.