Green Living Guide
Find tips for green living below!
Only Bring/Buy What You Need
Many students over pack and end up buying/bringing clothes and items they’ll never use.
Not Everything Has to Be New
Reuse your high school backpack and dishware, towels, and bedding from home.
Research Your New Living Space
Find the dimensions of your dorm on the Building and Room Information webpage. This can help you determine what items you’ll have room for, and you’ll save money by downsizing and avoiding over-buying.
New-to-You
Promote a circular economy by buying items for school from thrift stores. With the rise of online thrift stores, buying secondhand has never been easier or more accessible—your wallet and environment will thank you.
Water Bottles
Bring a reusable water bottle with you. Hydration stations are located throughout campus. Water pitchers and filters are also great for reducing single-use plastic waste. With a reusable bottle and pitcher, you’ll save money and prevent thousands of water bottles from ending up in the landfill.
Laundry
- Most of the energy used for a load of laundry goes to heating the water—washing your clothes with cold water not only saves energy and money, but your clothes will last longer, too.
- Do fewer larger loads instead of multiple smaller loads.
- Buy a drying rack and skip using the dryer—it’s better for your clothes and you’ll help save energy. Most drying racks fold down very compactly, so when you’re not using them, they won’t take up a lot of space and can be stored easily.
In Your Dorm/Apartment
- Turn off all lights when you leave.
- Unplug all cords from wall outlets when not in use to avoid consuming ghost electricity.
- Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth (I’m sure you’ve heard this one before, but lots of people still do this).
- Buy a water pitcher and filter and store it in your fridge—you’ll have ice cold water whenever you want it and can save up to 300 plastic bottles per filter.
- If you don’t already have one, buy a reusable water bottle—you’ll save money and reduce the amount of plastic you consume.
Metals
- rinsed and dry aluminum cans or jars
- bronze
- tin
- copper
- steel
Mixed Paper
Any white and mixed office paper including:
- magazines
- printer paper
- notebook paper
- construction paper
Cardboard
Make sure the cardboard is clean (not contaminated with food or grease) and break it down so it’s flat.
Plastics #1-7
Ensure the plastics are rinsed and clean before you place them in the bin.
Glass
- all colored and clear glass
- ensure the glass is rinsed and clean before you place it in the bin
Electronics
- batteries and other e-waste
- these materials can’t go in the usual bins: fill out a work order for e-waste recycling pick up or go to the basement of the library where the e-waste wooden bin is located
The Loop
Take the Loop bus—it’s free for anyone with a valid Purchase ID. The Loop travels to White Plains and Port Chester and the schedule can be found on the Campus Shuttles webpage.
Bicycle
Bring your bike to campus! Register it for free at the Office of Parking and Transportation and park it at any of the racks on campus. Winter storage is offered through the Office of Residential and Student Life.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The SDGs are a set of 17 goals that were developed by the United Nations. They are an urgent call to action for all countries to curb the climate crisis and ensure social equity. SUNY Purchase joined the UN Global Coalition in 2021 and included the SDGs into its Learning Outcomes for the 2021-2027 Strategic Plan.
Visit the Sustainable Development Goals website for more information.
Environmental Studies Major and Minor
The environmental studies BA program at SUNY Purchase reflects the interdisciplinary focus on the interactions among the sociopolitical, economic, and ecological systems where the natural world and human society overlap.
This new approach offers challenges and opportunities for those motivated to help improve the health of our environment and the quality of human existence.
The program culminates in the senior project—a research project undertaken in collaboration with a faculty member. Senior research projects vary widely in topic and method, but all incorporate a common theme: environmental impacts cannot be addressed without consideration of human society.
Other Classes
The importance of sustainability is highlighted in other majors and minors like sociology, anthropology, gender studies, liberal arts, global black studies, biology, new media, and philosophy and critical thought.
Office of Sustainability Internship
Learn more about these internships on the Internship Program webpage.