I hope you all enjoyed the winter break, and are as excited as I am to be back for the spring semester. Now that we are living in dorms again, we must continue to think about what we can do to protect the environment, and follow the ideals which resulted in a successful EcoMadness month in the fall.

Every single dorm is equipped with recycling bins situated on either all floors or the ground floor for convenience. It is important not only to recycle items such as cans, bottles, and paper, but to aim to reduce your total waste production. Just by switching from disposable water bottles to a reusable bottle, you can eliminate a significant amount of plastic waste. Not to mention, this can save you money in the long run. On the subject of recycling, UConn also provides bins to recycle electronic waste, such as ink cartridges and cell phones. These can be found in the Student Union, Co-op, and Homer Babbidge Library.

There are also efforts that can be made in order to conserve water while living in dorms. By taking faster showers and washing clothes in one large load rather than multiple smaller ones, we can all save an incredible amount of water and energy. It is especially important to report all leaks and dripping faucets to Residential Life in order to “Stop the Drop.” This is a simple act that can prevent unnecessary water loss.

There are so many effortless ways to conserve energy and water, and save the environment. Make it a goal to turn off lights when you leave the room and unplug electronics when not in use. Now that we are back at UConn for the spring semester, it is of even greater importance that we contribute in any way that we can. Because we attend a university that puts the utmost effort into protecting the environment, we have no excuse not to.

-Christen Bellucci

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