Go Green

It’s not that easy being green. Being a newbie is a rough experience. You’re new in town, you probably don’t know anybody, it’s difficult! But that’s not the kind of green we’re talking about. Being green means being sustainable and reducing the amount of waste you produce as an individual. Each year on Earth Day, organizations around the country do their best to raise awareness for the cause and educate people on the ways they can cut down on their waste. What can you do to lessen your impact on the planet? 1.Invest in Canvas We all have that plastic bag in our apartments that’s just filled with other plastic bags. Do you ever use any of these? Probably not. You just keep collecting them. Invest in a couple of good, canvas bags instead. Before heading out the door to go grocery shopping, grab them and you won’t have to worry about carting home anymore plastic bags to feed your other plastic bag. Just make sure you wash your canvas bags regularly. 2. Cut the Plastic The average American uses around 167 disposable water bottles each year but only recycles 38 of them. If you stacked the number of bottles used each year end to end, you would be able to stack them to the moon 10 times or span the Morgantown Marathon over 87,824 times. The next time you go to reach for a bottle of water before heading to the Student Rec Center, instead consider a glass water bottle. You’ll look more stylish and you’ll create a lot less waste. 3. Attend an Event This week, in honor of Earth Week, WVU is hosting a slew of events celebrating the Earth and spreading the word about conservation. See the EcoCar3 Team transforming into hybrid cars in the Statler College of Engineering. (April 19th) On April 20th, test your knowledge on all things environment related and see a stormwater demonstration to find out how your actions affect waterways. Make sure to pick up your free plant. April 22nd holds quite a few events for you to attend starting with crafting rugs out of old plastic bags. If you’re deft with your hands, you’ll excel at this immediately! An area near Falling Run Road is due for a bit of a pick-me-up early in the morning. Join a stormwater specialist in this ‘wastelift’. There are so many opportunities to make a difference this year for Earth Day and Earth Week. How will you do your part this year? Share your sustainability tips with us on Facebook and Twitter.