Simple Tips for Greening Your Dorm Room

The dorm room will be your home away from home for the next few years. Greening your dorm room is good for the environment and your health. A few simple tips create an environmentally friendly living space for your college dorm room.

Look for natural fibers for comforters, rugs, curtains, and bedding. The most commonly used natural fiber for bedding is cotton. Sheets will be an easy find, however finding cotton comforters might prove to be a bit more difficult. Check out organic bedding sites. If expense is an issue, find someone who can sew a cotton comforter or sheets for you. (www.potterybarn.com/shop/bedding/organic-bedding)

Replace light bulbs with LED lights. Changing the bulbs on your own lamps is easy, but check with dorm staff before changing any bulbs in their lighting fixtures. You will save energy for the college and have lighting that is easy on the eyes. Also check with college staff before replacing any overhead lights with LED bulbs. Some light fixtures are difficult to access.

Brighten up your room with plants. Bring a couple of plants for your dorm room. Remember that space is limited so keep the greenery to small plants. Buy plants that require little upkeep, as time to tend to them will be limited. Also consider allergies that any room mate might have. Be sure and check with college staff to ensure that plants are allowed in dorm rooms.

Purchase Energy Star appliances. An energy star rating guarantees an appliance saves energy . Dorm room appliances could include coffee pots, microwaves and mini fridges. These appliances run more effeciently and will save on electric bills for the college.

Purchase green school products. The next four years will be spent studying. Papers,pencils and other school supplies will decorate every corner of your dorm room. Search for natural paper and folders. Writing paper that is green will be marked as environment writing paper. This type of paper is created using green energy and is acid free. (www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php) Another option to have green school supplies is to rely on the laptop to take notes and write papers. This reduces the amount of paper that will be used and that will be junking up your dorm room.

Be sure to check with your college about greening your dorm room. There might be restrictions on what can be brought into a room. Also, remember you probably will have a room mate who needs to be considered when making decoration choices. However, most ways to green a dorm room will be simple and easy. Above all else, enjoy your living area. It will be your home for the next few years.