Student Sustainability Tips

Download sustainability tips for undergraduate students and graduate students!


UNH students started our annual dorm energy challenge!

Bike to and around campus

Visit UNH Transportation Services at the UNH Visitor's Center near A-lot, show your UNH ID, and borrow a blue Cat Cycle - for free! Then happily ride all over campus knowing that you are improving your health and our air quality.

Conserve water

Only wash full loads of clothes, and wash with lukewarm or cold water, not hot. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers, and turn the shower off while you scrub. (You can turn it back on to rinse.) When washing dishes by hand, use a sink full of water instead of running water. If you use a dishwasher, only run full loads and use any energy or water efficiency settings available. Report any leaks and drips in sinks, showers, and toilets to your Hall Director or to UNH Facilities Maintenance at 862-1437.

Deck out your dorm efficiently

Check out our virtual energy efficient residence hall room for how to easily deck your dorm or apartment out with energy saving electronics and lighting. Don't bring a fridge or car to campus. And buy previously owned items from UNH Trash-2-Treasure


Don't Dump Down the Drain

Don't dump anything down sewer drains or kitchen and bathroom sinks. What you dump reaches our watershed, including local rivers like College Brook and Oyster River and ultimately Great Bay!

Eat local and organic

It's easy to do at any of our dining halls. From July to October, shop at the UNH Organic Garden Club Farm Stand and Durham Farmer's Market. And don't forget the annual Local Harvest Feast each fall!

 

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Flip the switch

Turn off lights when you leave the room. Use natural lighting - read or work near windows or outside when you can. 

 

Get involved in sustainability-related groups

Get involved in the work of student organizations on campus like Students Without Borders, the UNH Organic Garden Club, the Student Environmental Action Council, the UNH Energy Club, the Student Senate, the UNH Slow Food group, volunteer efforts of your fraternity or sorority, and various student performing arts groups. Join, pitch in, and share in the fun!

Hydrate properly

Refill a reusable water bottle in water fountains and "Hydration Stations" across campus. And bring a reusable mug to get your Fair Trade coffee.


Learn new things

UNH has many sustainability academic programs and courses from which to choose.

 

Light up your life efficiently

When choosing a light bulb for any personal floor and desk lamps, choose efficient lighting like compact fluorescent or LED.

Moveout sustainbly

Donate furniture, electronics, clothing, non-perishable food, and more, through Trash-2-Treasure.

Print (if you even need to!) sustainably

If you need to print, print on 100% recycled paperUNH Printing has options. Print double-sided. Use single-sided paper for scrap. Purchase 100% recycled paper for your office.


Recycle

You know the drill. Don't use your blue UNH recycling bin for trash. Recycle paper, cans, plastic, and more. When you can, please speak to other students about the importance of recycling, and if you see someone throwing away recyclables or putting trash in recycling bins, please speak up. 

Ride share

Join UNH Wildcat Rides on Facebook to ride share with others!


Scan instead of photocopying

Dimond Library offers a free scanning service. Faculty, staff, and students can use a KIC II scanning station -- located next to the photocopier outside the Addison Reading Room -- to scan paper documents. Questions about the scanner can be directed to the Dimond IT Support Center staff.

 

Take transit

Instead of driving solo to campus, take WildCAT Transit to save time, hassle, money, and emissions. 

 

Unplug each fall! 

Get involved in UNH Unpluggedan energy use reduction competition held on the UNH Durham campus each year. The major goal is to engage students living on campus in activities that reduce their ecological footprints - in particular, energy use. Compete for prizes and recognition while saving energy and emissions!

Use computer power management

Turn off and then unplug all electronics and appliances when not in use. Or, plug these items into a power strip or surge protector that you can turn off. And make sure your power management settings are turned on so your monitors and hard drives go to "sleep" or shut off when not in use.