Sustainable Living in Residence Halls

Recycle

  • Learn what is recyclable and follow the recycling signage in the trash room.
  • Sell back your used text books to the bookstore.
Recycling Infographic

Use Less Paper

  • Only print when necessary.
  • If printing is a must, extend paper margins and consider printing either single spaced or 1.5 spaced instead of double spaced.
  • Use double-sided and black and white default settings for all printers and copiers.

Transportation

Walking is a great alternative and great for you! Bike to campus or consider utilizing a bike-share or scooter-share program. Use the GoCentroBus app to determine bus routes and schedules on campus.

Conserve Water

Low flow shower heads have been added to the Residence Halls. Take shorter showers. Turn the water off when brushing your teeth.

Conserve Energy

  • Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
  • Use a smart power strip for your electronics and chargers. Smart power strips only supply electricity to devices actively in use. If you don’t have a smart power strip, use a regular one but turn it off when your electronics are fully charged, when you’re not actually using your devices, and when you leave for the day.
  • Purchase Energy Star equipment. This applies to televisions, tablets, audio and video, laptops and printers. 
  • Use CFL or LED light bulbs. 
  • Unplug high energy items, such as your microwave and refrigerator, when leaving for extended periods of time. 

Use Reusable Items

  • Use a reusable water bottle instead of a single use bottle. There are water bottle filling stations in every building on campus. Use the interactive campus map to locate where they are. Pick up a Fill It Forward sticker for your water bottle at any dining center or café and download the app. Every scan of a sticker unlocks a donation and tracks the environmental impact of diverting another single-use item from our landfills and oceans. Learn more at: https://foodservices.syr.edu/aboutus/sustainability/
  • Buy reusable dishware (especially utensils and straws). Glass and stainless steel are great eco-conscience alternatives.
  • Purchase a book bag that will last four+ years during your time at Syracuse University.