There are many ways you can make a difference in the environment, beginning by making a few, small changes to your lifestyle.

Emily Jensen, senior in political science and former president of the Government of the Student Body, said her experience as co-chairwoman on the Energy Task Force made her aware that even the smallest amounts of energy consumption can make a big impact.

“If you leave your light on or your computer on, you’re wasting so much money without even knowing it,” Jensen said. “Especially students who are living in apartments or on their own – they’re paying for those costs.”

Jensen suggests turning off lights and appliances when they’re not being used.

“If you keep your computer on for one full year without shutting if off, it uses one ton of coal,” Jensen said.

Jensen recommends purchasing switches for outlets, so the appliances can be turned off from the source – otherwise they use energy just by being plugged in.

Jensen hopes students can continue to make progress in consuming less energy.

“I think if every student can do their part, then we see more significant progress,” Jensen said.

Andrew Larson, graduate student in business administration and president of the Student Organic Farm organization, suggests buying local and organic foods.

“You’re reducing the amount of energy; generally it’s going to go through fewer manufacturing processes than conventional food,” Larson said.

From an environmental standpoint, Larson said less energy is used if you buy the ingredients to make a pizza, rather than buying a whole pizza.

Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance, suggests students turn off their computers to save money.

“There’s this false story that somehow it’s bad for computers to turn them off and on, and it isn’t true,” Madden said.

Madden recommends a few, simple tips to put into your daily routine.

“One of the easy things is to turn off everything when you’re leaving your apartment,” Madden said.

Madden said reducing water consumption is a major concern.

“Use water-reducing regulators and flow valves, so you can take a shower with a lot fewer gallons of water,” Madden said.

Madden said riding bikes can make a difference too.

“We’ve increased bike racks and locations,” Jensen said.

Pete Englin, director of the department of residence, said people’s impact on the environment boils down to individual choices.

“Every little bit that we do makes a difference,” Englin said.

He suggests purchasing containers that are recyclable and more economical, such as a big carton of juice, rather than individual ones.

Englin said it can be easy to forget about the high costs associated with such luxuries as air conditioning.

“If you don’t see the bill directly, train yourself to be aware that running your A/C 78 degrees or higher saves energy,” Englin said.

Jeff Hall, Parks Library assistant, is currently involved in the planning of an Abundance EcoVillage near Des Moines.

He suggested figuring out a way to get errands done by riding a bicycle or taking CyRide instead of driving.

“Think about when you’re using energy – is there a better way I can do the same thing with less of an impact on the environment?” Hall said.

Hall said students can ask their landlords if there is anything they can do, such as installing shades to keep cold air out or put in insulation.

Tips for green living

from the Smithsonian National Zoological Park

1) Conserve water

• Turn water off when washing hands, brushing teeth and washing dishes.
• Reduce showers to five minutes or less.
• Wash laundry and dishes with full loads.
• Wash clothes on the lowest setting &#8212 less water is used.
• Clean dishes on the short cycle on your dishwater.

2) Ride your bike instead of driving

• If you don’t use your car two days a week, this can help lower greenhouse gas emissions by about 1,600 pounds a year.

3) Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products

• Use vegetable-based cleaning products instead of cleaners that contain toxic ingredients that harm the Earth.

4) Buy 100 percent recycled paper towels or use dish towels

5) Fix dripping faucets

• Otherwise, it wastes water and it costs companies tons of money.

6) Turn off computers

• Screen savers with moving images use as much energy as when the screen is in use.
• The amount of energy used will decrease and your computer will last longer if it’s off.

7) Use compact fluorescent bulbs

• Last almost ten times more than standard incandescent bulbs.
• Use less energy than traditional bulbs.

Source: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/GreenTeam/