Everybody is trying to save money these days, and college campuses are no exception. In some parts of the country, states’ education budgets have deteriorated to such a degree that furlough days and other corner-cutting have made school really tough on students and teachers alike. Hopefully, many universities and other educational institutions are doing more than just hiking fees to deal with the economic downturn. In fact, many universities have a great degree of options available to them in order to lessen their environmental impact. We’ll discuss some of the best ways college might be able to cut down on their energy consumption just a little bit.
1) Low-Flow or Waterless Toilets and Urinals
Many schools have realized the importance of these changes already, and their presences is starting to be more and more widely noticed across the country. Several manufacturers have developed waterless toilets, or toilets that use a fraction of the water per flush, and have been using them as a great way to cut down on both energy consumption and costs.
2) Reclaimed Water Irrigation
Developing a sustainable irrigation system that uses reclaimed water or some other type of easily renewed resource is a lot easier than it might seem upon initial consideration, and the long-term savings are heavy enough to warrant some serious thought. Steps like these are not only simply more sustainable, but would also save the school an entire grip of money on water expenses.
3) Energy-Efficient Light Fixtures
College campuses use a lot of electricity. Even without any kind of scientific numbers or facts, it’s easy to understand that a college campus is a massive hub of full-grown adults, a great many of which are carrying around a laptop or some other type of portable computer. That’s a lot of people who need to be able to see, and by adopting more energy-efficient, low-wattage bulbs, a campus would be able to save energy like never before.
4) Try Alternative Energy
Most college campuses are large enough to house a solar panel array — why not take advantage of the Sun’s natural light, that you might be able to harness an nearly unlimited supply of energy that would cost you nearly nothing. These solar powered batteries can power a campus through the night while recharging safely above during the day.
5) Go Paperless
While energy might be slightly different from the paper resources this piece of advice is a little more geared towards, it’s still a fact that going paperless can save you and your campus a ton of money while also cutting down on energy levels. Do as much of your correspondence online and us cloud services to store or simply back up your files.
With these strategies in mind, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a successful college career without some degree of financial stability. Whether you’re earning your online degree in social work or a Bachelor’s in English, you deserve the most support you can get.
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