Just because your college living space is unsuitable for a federal inmate, (much less two), doesn’t mean you can’t make it green. As summer comes to an end don’t join your college-bound peers in the annual Bed Bath and Beyond scavenger hunt. Do you really need 25 yaffa blocks, or those terry-cloth throw pillows? Avoid useless junk. It will only block the rearview of mom’s station wagon and overcrowd your cell . . . ahem, dorm room.

For small living spaces—and the environment—less is always more. Of course there are a few essentials you’ll need to survive. Sheets, towels, and a desk lamp are necessary, but a mini fridge is indispensable.

Stay tuned! Over the next week I’ll walk you through a comprehensive guide to getting ready for college . . . eco-geek style.

1. Bedding
Whether or not you want to admit (frat boys I’m talking to you) you need sheets. As lazy as you may be, sleeping on a bare mattress is uncomfortable and down right unsanitary. Please buy sheets, but why buy regular sheets when you can buy “interesting sheets” made from eco-conscious fibers such as bamboo and organic cotton.

2. Computer
You can probably get by without one, but don’t count on it. A growing and already quite large number of colleges require students have a personal computer. If you have to get one anyway, why buy anything but Energy Star?

As said in my recent series Back to School Energy Efficient Computers Parts I, II, and III, I’m a big Mac fan. Apple is trumping the computer industry in style, design, and consumer satisfaction—and now environmental initiatives. Designing to minimize environmental impact at all life cycle stages—from materials used, packaging, design and manufacturing to how the product will recycle once you trade it in for a newer model, they certainly get my green thumbs-up.

All Apple computers and displays earn the original (2000) ENERGY STAR® stamp, but just recently Apple Mac and the Apple MacBook Pro have garnered the impressive Energy Star 4.0 certification—the highest possible Energy Star certification. If you’re willing to spend the money on a new computer I highly recommend these two options for your eco-dorm room.

3. TV
aquos.jpgOf course, I’m not going to even consider buying any electronics unless they’re wearing the bright blue ENERGY STAR label. No problem! There are over 100 awesome plasma and LCD ENERGY STAR options and the prices are exactly the same if not better than regular plasmas and LCDs. Best of all, I save money in the long run. By conserving energy, ENERGY STAR appliances can lower my utility bill by 30%.

Depending on what type of set you buy, a television can consume as little as 45 watts or as much as 500 watts, and cost anywhere from $13 to $145 per year to run.
LCD TVs, and the biggest energy consumers are the 50+ inch plasma sets. The most efficient LCD televisions are generally those in the Sharp Aquos line. Last year, CNET tested the energy efficiency of 20 television sets, and the Sharp Aquos 20 inch set was found to be the least power hungry — it costs just $13 a year to run.
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4. Lighting
Whether you like it or not, College will require some studying. You’re going to have to hit the books and probably pull a few all-nighters too. Large quantities of red bull, lack of sleep, and poor vending machine nutrition will make you feel pretty down in the dumps. To add insult to injury, you’ll be working under dizzying fluorescent lights—most college dorm rooms are outfitted with the same tube lights as a 24-hour gas station. Ditch a depressing glow, brighten your room, and avoid straining your eyes with a good desk lamp.

There are many energy star desk lamps to choose from. For college, I like the Lite Source Corsica II Fluorescent Energy Star Desk Lamp Silver. It’s perfectly adjustable to suit any project you tackle and it’s slim enough to fit the proportions of your Lilliputian desk.

Posted on August 29th, 2007 by Olivia Zaleski