Sustainable living tips for students

Always keep in mind that there is never an act too big or too small when it comes to reducing climate change. I have collated a small list of what I think are some of the less well known tips that might inspire you on our path towards living an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Hopefully they will help you to save money too. These are all tips that I have learnt to consider when questioning, what I can do for the environment as a student?

1. Switch to a clean energy provider

Now, this one might be obvious, but it’s certainly something to consider, as it might help to save your wallet, as well as the planet. Cleaner energy providers are on the rise and it’s easy to see why when they allow you to save your money, as well as your conscience. While I haven’t been able to do this myself yet, I’m certainly eager to find the cleanest provider for my flat next year to use. It's time to get researching!

2. Radiator keys

This one is a little more niche. These are small metal keys than can be purchased online or in hardware stores. Their purpose is to release trapped air in home radiators. When the air is released from the radiators, it makes more room for them to get hotter all the way through. This is a nice DIY tip to make your radiators more efficient and therefore, use less energy in the process. If you would like to try this though, it is worth checking with your landlord to see if they are happy to do it, to protect yourself from any possible damage claims in the future. It's also a good idea to make sure it's necessary to do this before you start, as not all radiators require this. To check, all you need to do is feel the radiator when it’s lost most of its heat and see if the top of the radiator is colder than the bottom. If it is, this would show that the top has trapped air in it and is not running efficiently. I found that this tip can be very pleasantly surprising to your bills!

3. Radiator Foils

While we’re on the subject of radiators, I love my radiator foils. I place them behind the radiator to help reflect the heat that would otherwise have been absorbed by the wall, back into the room. You can think of it like kitchen foil for a house. This means that there is less energy waste and smaller energy bills!

4. Draught excluders

These can be present on both letter boxes and on interior doors/house doors. Letter box draught excluders look like a brush inside of the letter box gap where the post goes through. Check yours and if you don’t have one, it could be worth contacting the landlord to see what they can do. The interior door draught excluders are slightly different, they look like those foam sticks from swimming pools and these slide under the bottom of the door. The foam is placed on each side of the gap to reduce cold air seeping throughout the house under the doors, which therefore reduces heat escaping and wasting energy. These are non-invasive and shouldn’t impede the use of the door, as they should be used on surfaces where the foam can freely slide along the floor with the swing of the door. You can also purchase a furry tape to stick around door frames, which works in a similar way.  

5. Too Good To Go

Some of you might have heard of this hidden gem already, but for those who have not, I am about to change your life… and you are most welcome. Too Good To Go is an app that focuses on reducing food waste. It allows you to rescue surprise bags filled with scrumptious unsold food from restaurants, shops and cafes near you. Every day, 1/3 of food is thrown away, but this hack will help fulfil your takeaway cravings, without damaging the environment, or your bank balance. Why not save yourself from cooking this evening, whilst also saving the planet? My personal favourites are Café Nero’s magic bags, because they’re always local and I love a bargain. In this bag from Café Nero I have a fruit pot, a tomato panini, a tuna cheese melt and a mac and cheese pot.

Bonus Tip

Why not see if you’re eligible for a LEAP sustainability pack? LEAP is a Local Energy Advice Partnership that can provide eligible people with free packs that can include a range of energy saving items. These packs can include energy saving bulbs, an energy saving extension lead, draught excluders, radiator reflector foils and of course instructions on how to correctly use all of these items to make your house more efficient and do your bit for the environment. 

The popular phrase, “every little helps” applies to climate change too! Not only that, but becoming more sustainable can also help you to save money when it comes to your own bills and our student budgets. I always find it motivating to remember that the more energy efficient your home is, the less impact we can have on our carbon footprint and the more the world will thank us.