One Week Down

After one week of the EcoChallenge not only am I beginning to learn simple ways to conserve electricity and water it has become quite clear how easy it is to be wasteful of these things. How am I being wasteful? Prior to this I have been one to take long showers, pushing 10 to 15 minutes, but really the goal is to get clean, and that can easily been done in about 5 minutes. Those gallons of water that aren't being used will really add up over a month, and just think of the total if and when I make this a regular practice. A second little change that will sum to quite a bit of savings is simply turning of f my computer when I am not using it and ensuring the lights are off when I am out of the house. I have also found myself spending more time in the library when I need to get some work done, the lights are already on and I have computer access. The other thing we have a focus on in this challenge is trash and recycling, and there is really no excuse not to recycle recyclables. The container for most recyclables is right next to the dumpster, its simply a matter of putting it in a different container. Also as my roommates have posted earlier, things not recycled here on campus can be recycled close by. It will pay off in the long run to take those few extra minutes to find a location to recycle if it ensures we will have a clean environment for the next generations to grow up in.
You've probably heard all these suggestions before, but if your like me you may not have considered them all that seriously. In a day like this however where its becoming more essential to live sustainably all it takes is a little effort to become more conscious of your habits, and make little changes. I have certainly not changed my lifestyle drastically, and already I know I am conserving a lot of water and electricity in my day to day routine.
Stay tuned for more ideas on how we can convert the campus community together to a more sustainable one from my roommates and myself.