Chiara Inspires Other College StudentS

Big thanks to Grant W, a summer intern, for this inspiring story.

In the complex world that we live in, almost every action has environmental implications, and it can be easy to become overwhelmed trying to balance them with all the other aspects of your life. However, when you focus on changing habits on a smaller scale, sustainability becomes a more manageable goal.
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I interviewed Chiara, a junior at Dartmouth College, whose mom taught her how to build sustainable routines into their daily life growing up. Despite the hustle and bustle of living in a dorm, eating in the dining hall, and having a different class schedule each day, Chiara has used her mom’s inspiration to create sustainable habits at school. Here is her advice:

Use reusable water bottles One of the most well-known ways to be sustainable is to carry reusable water bottles. Almost 1.5 billion plastic water bottles are bought daily, making them a huge contributor to landfill waste and pollution. However, as reusable water bottles have gained popularity, Chiara has noticed a problem in the culture surrounding them: “People are always buying the newest trendy water bottle […] that is actually more wasteful.”  Constantly buying reusable bottles doesn’t yield additional sustainability benefits. Still, don’t be afraid to buy a few nice, high quality ones. In the long run, you will save both your money and our planet.

Shop with reusable bags Another small habit that Chiara builds into her routine is always bringing a reusable bag with her whenever she goes out. Whether it’s stopping by a convenience store, buying clothes, or picking up take-out, she never knows when she might need one. Chiara also notes that “Canvas tote bags take more energy to create than plastic bags, so you actually have to use them.” While you might think that buying a reusable bag at the grocery store is sustainable, if you purchase a new one each time, the harm to the environment outweighs that of using paper or plastic. If you store reusable bags near your keys or wallet, leaving your home with one will quickly become second nature.

Bring reusable containers for food and drink A third way that Chiara makes her daily routine more sustainable is by bringing reusable containers to cafes. While there is a small one-time cost of buying a tumbler or tupperware, many stores offer discounts or deals when you do so. For example, at Starbucks, when you bring a reusable cup, not only do you get a discount and double rewards points on the app, but you also get a free refill if you drink your order while you’re in the store. You can also find similar deals at numerous other places, like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Peet's Coffee, and Just Salad. While the majority of cafes will serve you drinks in a mug or tumbler that you bring, some venues won’t give you food directly in your own container because of stricter hygiene standards. However if you ask them, they will often be able to hand your order to you directly or place it on a small paper plate or napkin for you to transfer to your own container, thus minimizing waste. Although this may sound inconvenient initially, portable food containers are quite easy to carry with you in the car or on a walk, and are often more leak-proof than disposable ones.

Whether you elect to adopt one, two, or all three of these suggestions, you don’t have to completely overhaul your lifestyle. By integrating these simple habits into your routine, they will quickly become second nature, and in the long run, they will save you both time and money.