Waste Prevention Tips
Quick Tips
Conserve Energy
- Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
- Keep heat at an efficient setting.
- Keep shades open during sunny days, closed at night.
- Wear more clothes.
- Use less hot water.
- Wash clothes in cold water as much as possible.
- Keep refrigerator at 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conserve Water
- Take quick 5-minute showers.
- Avoid wasting beverages in the cafeteria.
- Don't let the water run while brushing your teeth.
Reduce Waste
- Avoid products with unnecessary packaging.
- Use reusable containers.
- Bring your own bag or backpack when shopping.
- Buy recycled products.
- Avoid disposable plates, cups, bowls, utensils; carry your own.
- Proofread and spellcheck before printing.
- Reuse: bags, glass and plastic containers.
- Donate unwanted materials.
- Recycle!
At the Store
Practicing waste prevention as you shop can also save you money.
Here are some simple tips to follow:
- Don't take a bag at stores if you don't need to. Bring your own bags to the grocery store or put purchases directly into your book bag or backpack. Many grocery stores give you a small credit for each bag you bring with you.
- Buy durable items that won't need to be replaced as often (e.g., a cloth or mesh coffee filter instead of paper filters will pay for itself, and you will never run out of coffee filters). Reusable razors are another example of a durable product that will save you money in the long run.
- Buy less toxic cleaners. If you must use chemical cleaners, use them carefully and sparingly. Many recipes are available for making cleaners from inexpensive household products, such as lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda.
- Look for products that use less packaging. Many local shops now sell items in bulk. A few refillable containers (glass jars, oatmeal canisters, Tupperware containers, etc.) are perfect for storing bulk foods. Bring bulk snacks and other foods to campus in reusable containers or bags. This method is much cheaper than pre-packaged single-serve foods.
At Home
Whether you live in a residence hall, co-op, apartment or house, there are many things you can do to reduce waste.
- Post a chalkboard or wipe board for phone messages instead of using paper in your house or in your hall.
- Reuse containers and bags from purchased items for carrying your lunch.
- Share items and appliances with housemates or roommates (e.g., hair dryers, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, etc.) instead of buying a new one of your own. This will reduce the amount of packaging discarded when you buy the item, and reduce the number of consumer goods that eventually get discarded.
- If you have a computer and printer at home, print drafts on the back of used paper for editing. Be sure to edit and check spelling on the screen before printing.
In Dining Halls
- In the dining halls, take only what you plan to use and eat. This includes food, paper napkins, condiment packets, straws, plastic drink tops, and other disposable items. Some of these items may not be necessary at all.
- Many of the food service establishments on or near campus, as well as the dining halls, offer choices for utensils, plates and cups. If you are eating in, use the real silverware, cups and plates. If you are taking food out, bring your own silverware to use, and buy beverages in recyclable containers instead of paper or plastic cups (or carry your own mug.)
- Carry your own cloth bandanna or napkin instead of using paper napkins (or use your jeans!)
- Take only the silverware, cups and glasses that you plan to use. Why take a fork, knife AND spoon when you only really need a fork? Silverware needs to be washed (using water, cleaning agents and energy) whether you've used it or not.
On Campus
In your travels around campus, going to classes, going to the library, stopping for coffee, or taking a lunch break, keep in mind these simple ways to reduce the amount of waste you generate along the way.
- Bring a reusable or thermal plastic mug with you on campus for those trips to the coffee shops. (Paper or polystyrene foam cups can really add up during a semester.)
- Copy articles double-sided when possible and request double-sided printing at copy centers.
- In libraries, only make copies of materials that you really need, and use machines properly to avoid misprints (this saves you money too).
- Think about whether you need to make copies at all. Can you check out the book or journal instead of copying the article or section you want? Do you need to make so many flyers to hang around campus? Post your information on a Web Page or e-mail it instead.
In Computing Sites
You are not likely to be thinking about waste prevention when you are rushing to finish a term paper, but these suggestions are quick and easy to do and can save you time in the long run.
- Use the Print Preview function to look at documents before printing, use the spell check and edit on the screen.
- Print single-spaced for drafts and save the required double spaced copies for the final version only (Print Preview can tell you if you are within the page limits).
- Take some of the printing paper that's been printed on one side, and re-use it for taking notes or as scrap paper instead of using new paper.
- If you print it, pick it up! People often send printed documents to the network printers, and fail to pick them up. A real waste of paper.
- Save files and e-mail messages electronically, and don't print out a hard copy of everything.
At the Office
A major waste item in offices is paper. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to reduce the amount of paper used. Using less paper also saves your department money. Here are some tips:
- Store information on disks rather than on hard copy. (This saves space in your filing cabinets too!)
- Route items around the office or post them on a bulletin board for everyone to see, instead of making separate copies for each person.
- Use both sides of the paper before recycling it. Set printers and copiers to default to double sided-printing or copying. Fill an extra paper tray with paper that has already been printed on one side to use in printing draft documents. Use scrap paper for taking messages or writing notes before recycling it.
- If you MUST use paper, choose paper that can be recycled in the University's program, and paper that is made from recycled content.
- Before discarding any office supplies, check around and see if anyone else could use them. Establish a mini waste exchange in your office using a storage closet or cabinet. Let others know that they should check the waste exchange for office supplies before buying new supplies.
- Use e-mail instead of paper for sending messages. Organize directories in your computing file space so that saved messages and files can be easily retrieved by topic. Resist the temptation to print out hard copies of e-mail messages.
- Reuse Campus Mail envelopes if you need to distribute information on campus. (For large mailings, obtain envelopes from nearby offices rather than buying brand new ones from M-Store).
- Provide re-usable coffee mugs for visitors. Use mugs and silverware instead of disposable cups and plastic/wood stirrers. Purchase sugar and creamer in bulk, rather than individually wrapped portions.
- Toner cartridges from laser printers and print cartridges from fax machines can be refilled and reconditioned. There are several vendors that offer this service to University departments. Check with M-Stores for details.
- Avoid "Junk Mail" by notifying companies that send you unwanted mail. Ask companies that you do business with to NOT sell or trade your name. (Waste Management Services has ready to use postcards for this purpose. Call 763-5539 to request a stack.)
- To stop receiving junk mail, simply download this postcard, which is in Adobe Acrobat Reader format. Then, print it on card-stock (a heavier weight) paper and send it to be removed from a mailing list.
In Maintenance Areas
- Mechanically clean parts whenever possible; avoid the use of toxic cleaning agents. Also, look for less toxic solvents (one commercially available degreaser is made from citrus rinds.)
- If you do use cleaning solvents which evaporate quickly, keep containers closed and covered whenever possible.
- Use cloth rags for small spills and clean-up rather than using disposable paper towels.
- Repair, rebuild, and reuse parts whenever possible. Sort, store and label parts clearly for future use.
- Antifreeze can be reprocessed or reconditioned on site by special equipment that removes contaminants and rebalances the antifreeze chemical composition.
- Used motor oil and oil filters should be handled in a safe manner for recycling.
- Choose long lasting durable tools, and rent or lease larger tools and machinery that you do not use that often.
Links to more information:
- Energy Management
- UM Guide to Green Computing
- UM Guide to Conservation
- UM Guide to Energy Efficient Lighting
Quick Tips | At the Store | At Home | Dining Halls | On Campus [ Computing Sites | At the Office | Maintenance Areas ]
Content modified: October 2004
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