Setting yourself up in a college or university dormitory is a perfect opportunity to make eco-conscious purchases and commit to a green lifestyle.  As a consumer, you'll become more and more aware of the impact your choices have on the environment.  Here are some tips to help you get started on the green path.

1.    Green Econ

  You may be surprised by the multitude of STUFF you'll need to get set up in the dorm.  It's relatively easy to go green nowadays, if you know what to look for.  1) Shop locally - this saves on u transportation costs and supports local businesses. When purchasing food, see if you can find a local co-op or farmers' market.  These purchases help support small farmers, have less impact on the eco-friendly environment and will provide you with fresher food than what you'll find in a chain grocery store.  2) Check the labels.  Look for the terms "recycled", "organic", "natural", and "sustainable" to find the greenest options.   3) Look beyond the sticker price.  Remember that every choice and purchase you make has an impact somewhere, somehow on the eco-friendly environment - it may be in terms of energy usage, destruction of resources used to make, package or transport the product or its ability to be recycled.  Make conscious decisions and choices and going green will become second nature.

2.    Save Money, Save the Green Planet.

What college student doesn't struggle with having enough money?  Save some of your hard-earned cash and check out used items before you purchase new.   Local thrift shops such as Goodwill, or online sites such as Craigslist are treasure troves of unique, cheap, used goods.  Even better, get it for free.  Yes, FREE!  Craigslist and Freecyle are two great websites that offer things for free.  You'll be surprised what people are giving away - beds, desks, dressers, even computers can all be had if you're willing to give it a try.  It's a great way to go green.  You get stuff you need, the person you get it from gets it out of their house and none of it winds up in the environment landfill!

3.    Lighter, Brighter, Greener. 

One area where you can go green is with your lighting choices.  Purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) whenever possible.  They use a fraction of the eco-friendly electricity of regular bulbs and you'll probably never have to replace them.  This is one purchase worth spending a little bit extra on - you'll more than make up the free cost of the bulbs in energy savings.  By leaving them behind when you move out, you'll be "greening" the world a little at a time.  Won't that feel good?

4.    Check the Green Fridge.

A truly green student will think twice about investing in a microfridge.  The fridge is one of the biggest energy-suckers in the dorm, even the small ones.  Check and see if there is a larger, shared fridge in the environment dormitory that you can use.  If you must have your own fridge, make sure it's Energy-Star rated to save on energy eco-friendly usage.

5.    Just Say No - to Green A/C.

One of the greenest things you can do as a student (and as a green consumer) is to give up air conditioning.  It might be easier than you think to live without it.  Opening windows, using fans, taking cool showers before bed or getting outside are some easy, green ways to stay cool.  If you MUST have air-conditioning, be sure to get an Energy-Star rated model.  Once you're used to living with fresh air, you'll find it hard to go back to canned green A/C - even moreso if you're the one footing the electric bill!

6.    Green Sleep. 

You'll need sheets, towels, and other linens.  When you shop for these items, look for organic green cotton.  It's grown without the pesticides found in more traditional crops.  And when you wash your new linens, use cold water to save energy and skip the bleach.  Sweet Green Dreams!

7.    Green Decorating.

Just because your stuff is used, doesn't mean it has to LOOK used. This is college! Go wild (you're already going GREEN!)!  Experiment with textures and color.  Find some scrap fabric (old clothes might even work) and make cushion covers, throw pillows, even a quilt.  A coat of paint does wonders (anything that cleans up with water is greenest) for older furniture.  Finally, consider using green paper products to enhance your décor.  There are plenty of options out there and the eco-friendly best part is it can all be recycled when you're done with it!  You can find paper window treatments, wall tiles and self-stick wallpaper online and in local stores.  Some of it may be "green" already, depending on how it's made and what it's made of.  Look for the eco-friendly terms "recycled", "sustainable" or "organic" on the label.