Can being sustainable help students save more?

Reusable items - water bottles and coffee cups

I am one of those people that likes to have a water bottle with them wherever they go- especially at university. But repurchasing plastic water bottles is damaging to the environment and our wallets. One way to make a substantial change is by investing in a reusable water bottle. There's varied sizes and colours which means you can find the perfect one for you.

But how does this help you save?

Being an LBU student means you have access to water fountains on campus where you can refill your water bottle for free before your next seminar or lecture. What about your days off? No problem, if you are out shopping, head up to Trinity Kitchen where they have a water fountain or if you are near a cafe with the blue drop symbol in the window, they will fill it up for free. 

It's also worth knowing that many cafes are becoming more conscious about their environmental impact and have deals and offers to reward you for bringing in a reusable cup. Starting with the Leeds Beckett cafes, if you bring your reusable cup, you can get 20p off your Skinny decaf latte (or whatever drink floats your reusable cup).  Venturing into the city centre, Costa Coffee offers a reward card scheme where they add up to a free drink. I spend a lot of time doing work in the Starbucks near my accommodation but by taking my reusable cup I save 25p on my drinks. It doesn't sound like a lot, but it all adds up, especially during assignment season.

Beauty and clothing

I love wearing makeup and I love skincare, so I used to go through and spend a lot on cotton wool. But during lockdown, being bored paired with my shopping addiction, brought me to purchasing reusable cotton pads. They come in one bag to put all your clean ones in and then a netted bag that you put the used ones in. Once the bag is full then you can just chuck them in the washing machine- I tend to put mine in with my towels. Then when they are dry you can just reuse them. I really like them, and I use them for make-up and skin care and because I wash my towels anyways it is convenient. It was an easy change for me to make and because I’m reusing, I no longer have to buy cotton wool pads, saving money and the planet.  

If fashion is more your thing, fear not because you can also do your part for the planet. As we move into spring/summer, I like to get rid of any clothes that I had from the previous year that don’t fit or just aren’t for me anymore. When I do this, I always have three piles: Keep, Donate and Recycle. My donation pile goes into charity bags and my recycle pile gets bagged up and taken to H&M because they do a scheme where you bring in a bag of unwanted clothes and they recycle the materials and in return you get a voucher so next time you shop you can get money off. They also have a sustainable selection in store and if you purchase items from that collection, you can earn membership points that in the future can save you money.  

Batch cooking and freezing

Another way to become a super savvy sustainable student is through conscious cooking. Food waste is a big problem and it's one that I have grown to be more aware of. My food waste problem started when I had late lectures and seminars. For me cooking at 7pm on a Monday was not on the cards. This resulted in an Uber Eats cycle and food and money was wasted.

How am I trying to change this?

Batch cooking and freezing. For this I just cook a batch of my favourite food and I use individual tin foil trays for portioning, like the ones you get at a takeaway. I like using these because they can be recycled and they make it easier for me to separate my batch into portions. I started cooking simple dishes I knew how to make like curry and chilli con carne. But now I have grown to make and freeze lasagnes, Italian casseroles, and even mini shepherd's pies- I found that these recipes make it easy for me to switch between vegetarian and meat, so this method is good for everyone. But doing this method is really convenient because I can just pop the tray in the oven and my tea is sorted and I can sleep easily knowing that I have not wasted my food or money. 

Extra tip on campus

If you do by chance happen to purchase a can or bottle, why not recycle it at the #LeedsByExample recycling point- which is located at the cafe in the Rose Bowl Building. You recycle your cans and bottles to get money off your next LBU cafe purchase. I recently tested it out and recycled a bottle and it's extremely easy to use. Simply insert your empty can or bottle, wait for the cycle to end and then grab your receipt where you can get a 20p off coupon. 

Thank you for reading and I hope you have found a new little tip or trick to help you save a little money and the planet.