we are part of a community and a much bigger nation that is responsible for this energy crisis, but we have done very little to change our individual behaviors or make others aware about the improvements we can make to save energy.

my plan to combat this habit is to host an energy savings & awareness week, starting in 2020. the goal will be to promote reusable energy resources, implement smart technology to measure and monitor energy usage and raise awareness about energy waste and potential savings. the event, nicknamed e-saw, will begin march 21, leading up to earth hour on saturday, march 28. the message of environmental protection and energy savings will be given through various activities, themes, and campaigns.

week activity plan

sunday: selfie sunday

take a selfie while doing something that will help save the environment. it can be of you cleaning up garbage on the sides of roads, changing your incandescent light bulbs or air drying your clothes. participants should upload the picture onto social media using the #esawselfie. my hope is that they do it for the picture initially, but continue doing the action to help the environment.

monday: monitor monday

take a picture of your energy meter readings located outside your house. at the end of the week go back and compare the numbers. that will be the amount of energy your household used in a week. also, take some time to glance at your energy, water and gas bills. many people will be shocked to see how much they pay for utilities. smartphone applications like meter readings and watt’s plus can be leveraged to make people aware of energy saving applications and usages. this empowers consumers to measure, monitor, and save energy anytime, anywhere.

tuesday: tech tuesday

invest in a piece of smart technology for your home. my top recommendations are:

• a smart thermostat
• energy-efficient appliances
• smart power strips
• wi-fi controlled light bulbs
• smart utilities

upgrading to newer technology can help consumers save a lot of energy. the initial investment will pay itself back in the form of reduced energy bills thanks to energy savings.

wednesday: work wednesday

look at all the ways you can save energy at your workplace or school. start with walking, running, bicycling or sharing a ride to get to your destination. if possible, take public transportation like the bus or train. participants should take part in easy actions like turning off their lights and powering down their computers while leaving work at the end of the day.

thursday: turn off thursday

in preparation for the big event on saturday go through your house and unplug everything that you will not need to use for the remainder of the week. it can be an iron, laptop charger, etc. make sure to fully unplug them from their outlets for maximum energy saving potential. many people do not know this but even if you are not using the item, if it is still plugged in it is still using energy.

friday: fix it friday

go through your house and fix anything that can be wasting energy. check the sinks and showers for any leaks. also check around the doors and windows for any spots that are leaking air. these small cracks can have a huge effect on your energy bills. consider participating in an energy audit for your home. they will replace your light bulbs and fix all small leaks for a small charge.

saturday: showdown at sundown saturday

this is the final event of this extravaganza. in correlation with earth hour’s initiative to turn off your lights for an hour, the community will switch off all major landmarks’ lights off. all residents are encouraged to participate as well. it will wake people up to the realities of energy consumption and show them how dependent they are on electricity. residents need to go through their house and turn off all lights and unplug all non essential items like tvs, microwaves, phone chargers, etc.

as government and private sectors continue to work on alternate energy resources, electric cars, newer technologies to extract fuels, smart appliances, and other technologies, it’s important that we, as citizens, continue to adapt to newer energy resources and do our part by saving energy as much as we can. our energy savings & awareness week will instill some necessary environmental habits, create awareness that will help make the planet a cleaner and greener home.

make a pumpkin planter

a hollowed out pumpkin is a great gardening opportunity. just fill your jack-o’-lantern with soil, add your plant of choice, and place the pumpkin in a hole in the ground.

the pumpkin will serve as a great fertilizing alternative for your plant and you will be composting at the same time. for more detailed advice on making a pumpkin planter of your own, look here.

diy face mask

pumpkins are rich in vitamins, so why let them go to waste? pumpkin face masks are simple to make and are great for your skin’s health.

to make your face mask all you need is just two tablespoons of pumpkin puree, half a tablespoon of milk, and half a tablespoon of honey. this mask is best suited for whole, uncarved pumpkins.

there are two options when making your puree. you can make a restaurant-ready puree and use the leftovers to make yourself a treat by following these directions. if you don’t have that kind of time, just scrape out the insides of your pumpkin (sans seeds) and beat it into a pulp.

mix your three ingredients and then you are ready to enjoy all of the vitamins and antioxidants your mask has to offer.

make a snack

if gardening or diy cosmetics are not your thing, there are hundreds of pumpkin recipes available for every skill level. these recipes should be used with pumpkins that have been left whole.

consider making some pumpkin pancakes. all it takes is your average pancake recipe, just add some pumpkin puree — you can even use leftovers from your face mask. a recipe can be found here.

if you are looking for a more savory snack, roasted pumpkin seeds are a simple option as well. just add some salt, butter, and cinnamon to your pumpkin seeds and put them in the oven for about an hour. real simple’s recipe goes into more detail here.

according to the epa, an american produces a daily average of 4.5 pounds of solid trash each day, pushing us to the top of the list for greatest annual per capita trash generation. these statistics mean more than needing extra muscle to take out trash in the u.s. compared to other countries. it means that we are suffocating our earth and are far from living as sustainably as we should. we’ve all heard the words “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” but what exactly can we as college students do to lighten our trip to the trash chute and give mother earth a breather?

as college students, we have the power to change the world for the better. with a few minor change-ups in your weekly routine, you can help start this change and prove that living sustainably is achievable for even those stuck in a dorm. 

here are a few tips and tricks for college students to reduce their waste (and save some money)!

1. ditch the paper towels. we all need these to clean up the spilled easy mac in our microwave and to wipe up the coffee spilled on our laptops. but, paper towels will fill up your trash cans fast and at around $1.50 a roll, they’ll empty your pockets even quicker. pick up some wash cloths or kitchen towels at a nearby store for $5 and throw them in your weekly wash once they’ve cleaned up all your spills. bonus points if you let them air dry instead of using the drier!
2. ask your bartender to hold the umbrella. going out to get drinks with friends or to happy hour with coworkers is something we’ve all done. your regular fruity drink might come with umbrellas, a straw, and a plastic sword plunging through a maraschino. ask your bartender to hold the decorations and i promise that your drink will still taste the same. bonus points if you’re using a cloth napkin instead of a paper one!
3. pass on the plastic. if you typically grab a dasani for $2 in between classes to stay hydrated, this is your wake up call! you’re not only wasting money on water that is extremely similar from what you would get from your tap, but you’re also contributing to the approximately 19 billion pounds of plastic that clog our landfills. if you switch to a reusable water bottle, you’re saving yourself a lot of money and doing the oceans a favor. if you’re one of those people who likes to keep their water cold, there are reusable water bottles that insulate your beverage and prevent condensation from occurring outside of your bottle. “you’re welcome” in advance for saving your textbook from water damage!
4. fill your own box. each time you go to the dining hall to fill up a disposable container with food, mother nature sheds a tear. try bringing your own tupperware to the dining hall for your next meal. since it’s airtight, you can bring extra food home and save it for some midnight snacking. additionally, speak to the manager if you’re planning on doing this – many stores and hot food bars offer discounts if you use your own containers!

by taking these little steps and working on reducing your waste every day, you are inspiring others to do the same and making a world of change. good luck!