Monday, August 16th, 2010
Before spending half a fortune on a new wardrobe for school why not buy ‘green’ inexpensive clothes? Did you know that almost half of the money spent on back to school shopping goes to buying clothes? Hand-me-downs are a great place to get started, and thrift stores and events like Swap-o-Rama-Rama can be a fun (and cheap!) way to send yourself back to school. Why not try calling a roommate meeting in your MSU apartment and swap clothes that you do not wear any more? It will save you a ton of money in the long run. Plus, its a great way to negotiate owning that one pair of jeans that your roommate wore only once that you would love to have.
Style-conscious students can find gently used (but still ultra-hip) clothes at stores like Buffalo Exchange. If these options are exhausted before your list is done, and you have to buy new, go for well-made, high-quality choices made from more sustainable fabrics like organic cotton or bamboo rather than disposable fashion that’ll wear out (and wear down the planet’s resources) before spring graduation.
So next time instead of spending half a day at the mall searching for green clothing take a seat on your couch at your Michigan State University apartment and use the Internet to find green clothes.
Want more green back to school tips? Check out Tree Hugger.
Joanna G
Tags: buying green, college green tips, earth friendly clothes, green clothing, Green Tips, MSU Green Tips
Posted in Green Living | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
It is officially summer and mother nature sure is letting us know. This week we have had some scorchers so far and we are supposed to get some more. Personally, I enjoy a crisp, cool living environment in my MSU apartment; however, it does come at a cost. The other day my air conditioning was running all day long and I could almost see the dollar signs floating out my door. Take my advice, don’t follow my lead, your wallet and our environment will both be hurting afterward. I have learned from my mistakes though and now I’m here with a few green tips for cooling your MSU apartment without running the air conditioning 24/7.
1. Close your blinds! Closing your blinds during the peak sun hours of the day will keep heat from getting and staying in your apartment. This alone can keep your East Lansing apartment cooler for when you get home.
2. This may seem obvious, but get a fan. Even 1 MPH internal air movement can make you feel 3 to 4 degrees cooler.
Summer Heat
3. Monitor your internal heat sources. Having heat generating appliances on for extended periods of time can trap heat from the inside out. Make sure to turn off all unnecessary lights, tv’s, gaming consoles, or kitchen appliances.
4. Having a humid apartment makes a temperature that may be bearable, unbearable. Avoid mid-day showers, laundry cycles and super steamy cooking sessions. These activities will make your apartment more humid and in turn, make it feel warmer.
5. Remember this one. When you use your air conditioner, do not set it at the absolute lowest temperature! Setting the thermostat at 35 will not make your apartment cooler any faster. In fact it will eventually lock up your system and force it to be inactive for 48 hours. The purpose of a thermostat is to set the temperature at a comfortable, desireable temperature and allow the system to cool your MSU apartment down to that temperature. Once it is at the desired temperature the thermostat will work to keep it there. Setting it at the lowest setting won’t make you feel better any faster!
6. And last but not least, if you do use your air conditioner for a portion of the day, remember, never set the temperature more than 20 degrees lower than the outside temp. This little rule of thumb will save you a bundle on your energy bill because the compressor won’t be working overtime.
I know some of these super hot days can be frustrating and uncomfortable. But if you follow the tips above, you and your wallet can remain comfortable this summer in your East Lansing apartment.
-Alex Shikany
Tags: Cooling MSU Apartment, Green Tips, MSU Apartments, MSU Green Tips
Posted in Apartment Tips, Green Living | 6 Comments »
