Make a bed with shipping crates
Just because you’re moving into a dorm doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your eco-friendly values for the sake of convenience. Instead, you can get all of your dorm essentials as sustainable options. Eco-friendly solutions for utensils, notebooks, cleaning supplies, and furniture are widely available online so that you can live a green-friendly four years at your university.
Before you move in for orientation, here are eight planet-friendly dorm essentials to help you become a lean, green college machine.
An organic mattress topper
Tell your dorm mates you are “upcycling” an old mattress into a luxury organic mattress, one made with sustainably harvested hevea milk.
An organic memory foam mattress topper can help with sleep because the organic materials in the design keep your body cool at night. Organic mattress toppers also don’t harbor bacteria or other allergens, making them easier to clean and less harsh on your lungs.
Because they’re organic, these mattress toppers are also less stressful on the environment. Organic mattresses and toppers are a no-brainer for a sleep solution that heals the planet in a way that you don’t need to buy a completely new mattress, and thereby it melts away that finals week stress.
Plants
Plants spruce up your dorm and clean the air
Plants are a great way to add personality and color to your dorm room. Plus, they can act as natural air purifiers. Just make sure that you choose plants meant for indoors and that you can take care of within your schedule. A few excellent low-light options include pothos, peace lilies, and monsteras.
Bamboo utensils
A bamboo and basket serving tray looks nice, feels nice, and goes easy on our planet. Glow up your coffee in the dorm.
Bamboo utensils are a great way to reduce your day-to-day waste because they are reusable. These utensils are also made from eco-friendly bamboo rather than silver or metal, making them better for the environment. So, you can feel good about what you eat and how you eat.
Reusable coffee mugs
For students who can’t go without their daily coffee but want to stay on top of environmental duties, you can’t forget about reusable coffee mugs when picking out your dorm essentials. Reusable coffee mugs, especially those made by a local potter are cute, support your local, and can help cut down on your daily waste. You can take your environmental efforts further and choose a reusable thermos for those last-minute mornings. We love these ones by Kedma.
Biodegradable notebooks
Notebooks might not cross your mind as the place to reduce your carbon footprint, but biodegradable notebooks can be an excellent way to cut back on emissions. These notebooks come in different fun patterns and designs and offer a more sustainable option to the alternative, which often ends up in landfills.
All-natural cleaning supplies
Sustainable soaps. You can teach your dorm mates how to make your own.
Your dorm room is bound to accumulate dirt and what better way to clean it than with all-natural cleaning products. These products can whip your room into tip-top shape without the harmful chemicals that ordinary cleaning supplies use. Plus, all-natural cleaners often don’t have the same overpowering chemical smell, making for a relaxing afternoon in your freshly cleaned room.
Reusable paper towels
Reusable paper towels have begun gaining traction in more recent years. These towels act like a sponge but are made from thinner material to resemble a cloth napkin. Reusable towels can clean up spills and messes just as easily as a standard paper towel, minus the waste. If you are taking food from the cafeteria on the run, consider wrapping food in beeswax cloth that you can reuse time and time again.
Deodorant
Humble deodorant
Don’t wear this with your favorite eco-silk blouse because it stains from the coconut oil and it leaves a white residue, but for every day use, this Humble deodorant is a fine way to make it through the stress of exams and late night assignments. If you buy the product, all the ingredients inside it are listed. If you are entrepreneurial you can deconstruct it and make your own.
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
