Reduce your footprint. Enjoy life.

Below you’ll find simple, practical tips to help you live a healthier, greener life.

Conserve Energy. 

• Turn off or unplug lights, appliances, TVs, and computers when not in use.
• Activate power management settings (sleep) on computers, monitors, and printers.
• Instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus light where you need it with task lighting.
• Use energy efficient bulbs, like compact fluorescent (CFLs) or LEDs.
• Take advantage of natural light by adjusting your blinds throughout the day.
• Energize yourself by taking the stairs when feasible.
• Wash clothes in cold water.

Conserve Water. 

• Turn off running water as often as possible while doing household chores such as cleaning or brushing your teeth.
• Run the washing machine only when it is full.
• Shorten your shower. Turn off shower water while shampooing/conditioning your hair.
• Be sure to report any plumbing malfunctions such as drips, leaks, or other repair needs to University Housing by contacting your Resident Assistant.

Share, borrow, reuse. 

• Use durables and reusables in your kitchen and for when you’re on the go. For drinking water, refill your bottles at the Hydration Locations around campus. Click here for locations.
• Purchase high post-consumer recycled content paper products, refillable pens and printer ink cartridges.
• Opt out of junk mail. Click here to make your request.
• Print double sided and reuse second chance paper.
• Share and store documents electronically whenever practicable.
• Check with PSU’s Reuse Room before making new school supply purchases.

Close the loop.

• Use your blue bin to recycle your paper, bottles and cans. Click here to find out how to recycle at PSU.
• Compost your food scraps at various locations around campus. Click here for locations.
• Recycle your electronics, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, Styrofoam, clamshell plastic containers, and plastic film. Click here to submit a work order through Housing.
• Participate in Chuck-it-for-Charity to donate any reusable items when you leave school.

Choose safer, environmentally-responsible cleaning products.

Look for non-toxic or least toxic laundry detergents and bathroom/kitchen cleaning products. Click here for Green Seal-certified products.

Contact the Campus Sustainability Office at greencampus@pdx.edu or 503-725-8951 to get a sticker for your light switch.