Sustainability
Living more sustainably
Whether you’re a huge environmental activist or not, being a student can bring a few added challenges when it comes to recycling, reusing and reducing. Here are some incredibly easy ways to begin making changes to your everyday activities, so we can do our part in improving the environment.
Shannon Butcher – Journalism graduate
Reusable drinks cups
A simple way to reduce cardboard and plastic waste is by bringing your own water bottles and hot-drink flasks. You can purchase these pretty much anywhere on the high-street and even on campus, and the money saved on drinks pays for it in no time. There are also lots of water fountains across campus as well so there’s no need to worry about where to refill your water bottle.
It’s also not environmentally friendly (or good for your bank account!) to buy food every day, so just as you can bring your own drink containers, make sure to bring your food ones too. If you know you have a long day at university, get yourself a lunchbox and plan out a packed lunch before you go. This will save a lot of wasted packaging and a money as well.
Bags for life
Take your own bags when you shop, you’ll soon have a few bags lying around (most of us have a cupboard full) use them to pack away your purchases, or if not, every major supermarket has ‘bags for life’ available, which you can return for a new one once its worn out.
Shop locally
When it comes to shopping, you can be environmentally friendly too. If you know where to look you can find lots of locally sourced food vendors across Lincoln, such as the Cornhill Quarter indoor market. You can find an abundance of fresh veg and fruits as well as butchers and fishmongers – It’s always fresh, you’re supporting small businesses and it’s fantastic for the environment.
Buy second-hand clothes
You can keep it green with your clothing too, charity shops line most high-streets and Lincoln is no different. The British Heart Foundation, Oxfam, St Barnabas Hospice and many others offer masses of donated clothing for incredibly cheap prices. It’s easy to say that it’s all a little old fashioned but you would be surprised with the treasures you can grab – it just takes a bit more patience and an eye for fashion. Not only will the money go to charity, but you’re reusing clothing, thus reducing fabric waste.
Share meals
If you live with others, that means more meals and a lot more rubbish! So, why not cook together? Making one big meal to feed everyone instead of several separate ones can really help cut down on both packaging and food waste, it’s also a great, fun way to bond with your flatmates. This will mean buying food together, so why not check out our shopping tips.
Save water
Water conservation is just as important as reducing product waste and all it takes are a few simple steps like shorter showers, turning the tap off when brushing your teeth, making sure your dishwasher is completely full before using it – if you have one that is – or doing all your washing up in one go.
Estates support
The Estates team are committed to making the University more environmentally friendly.
