College is a time of transition, with dozens of ready excuses for not conserving energy. Maybe energy conservation doesn't seem like an issue, since you don't have to pay utility bills in your dorm. Or maybe you're so busy holding down a full-time job and going to school that making any extra effort seems impossible. But small changes add up to save not just energy but money, too--something most college students would be thrilled to have more of.
Transportation
Mass transit is the most energy-efficient way of traveling long distances. But, failing that, you can cut fuel costs by driving sensibly. The U.S. Department of Energy advises avoiding aggressive driving behaviors, such as speeding, rapid acceleration and braking, that waste gas.
Plan ahead for running errands, so that you make as many in one trip as possible. This saves both gas money and time--another thing most college students desperately need more of. This sort of planning saves time and money if you're getting around by mass transit, too.
Washing
Do laundry only when you have a full load; this saves on both water and electricity. Remember that water requires energy to pump, process and heat; if you wash your clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot water, you'll reduce your energy use even further.
Recruit a laundry buddy to share the costs of detergent and fees for running the machines. This works especially well if you do your washing in a laundromat, where high-capacity, front-loading machines take bigger loads and are easier on your clothes than top-loading machines.
You may not have access to a clothesline if you're living in a dorm or small apartment, but you can still purchase a secondhand drying rack. You'll save on the energy used for drying--up to 5600 watts an hour, according to Wilson College--and the quarters you would otherwise have fed into the clothes dryer. Your clothes will last longer when line-dried, too.
Electronics
Enable power-saving features on your computers. Put your computer to sleep or, better yet, turn it off when not in use. Combat the "phantom load" phenomenon, in which appliances still draw current, even when switched off, by unplugging them. If you don't want to crawl around unplugging and re-plugging in appliances, connect them to a power strip and switch the power strip off when the appliances or electronics are off.
Lights
Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights. According to Energy Star, a CFL uses 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and lasts about 10 times longer. Your college may already have installed CFLs in your dorm, or your landlord may have them in your apartment when you move in. Even though CFLs don't use much energy, train yourself to turn them off whenever you leave the room. There's no sense, or cents, in wasting energy--even a little bit at a time.
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