As climate change and environmental degradation make headlines, you may ask yourself "...but what can I do"? The resources list below seeks to provide tips and resources on individual actions that help reduce our carbon footprint and make a difference for the environment.
Sustainable Living: First Step, Let's Learn!
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- Watch the Story of Stuff video series, featuring animated shorts launching an honest conversation about our consumption-crazed culture and charting a path to a more just and sustainable future
- What YOU can do about climate change: a 12-min video by "Our Changing Climate" addressing the pressing need for systemic change to combat climate change.
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- See just how green (or not...) your lifestyle currently is by using the Ecological Footprint Calculator. The calculator estimates the natural resources it takes to satisfy our standard of living and suggests possible courses of action to reduce resource consumption and our environmental footprint.
- Take classes that have a focus on social, economic and/or environmental sustainability when available.
Vote for Climate
Since structural change is required to attain a just green economy and society, it is imperative that the leaders we elect are dedicated to actualizing this transition. This extends from local, county and state elections all the way to national elections. Your vote matters.
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- Visit https://www.usa.gov/voting to find more resources relating to voting and elections such as defining common terms, learning how to vote and who to vote for, the history of elections etc.
- Use a tool like My Reps to find your representatives and find out what your representatives are (or aren’t) doing about climate change.
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Food
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- Learn more about the environmental impacts of a carnivorous diet through this video.
- Watch this video about the positive effects of reducing meat consumption.
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- Consider a plant-based diet and eat meatless as often as possible. If everyone in the US replaced one meat meal with a plant-based meal once a week, the greenhouse gas emissions reductions would equate to taking 500,000 cars off the road! Visualize how the emissions of common foods compare by checking out this chart.
- Harvest from one of the many campus edible gardens! Download the Campus Edibles Map.
- Caffeinate sustainably and buy SU's MotMot coffee online or around campus. This Direct Trade product was made possible through the efforts of Seattle University and the University of Managua, Nicaragua, working towards improving the livelihood of Nicaraguan coffee farmers.events page!
Advocacy
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- Advocate for sustainable practices and initiatives at SeattleU, your workplace, and other organizations and businesses
- Participate in activities/events related to sustainability. See our events page!
- Prioritize working for an employer that demonstrates sustainable business practices
- Support sustainability and climate change organizations when possible, whether that be financially, by volunteering, etc.
Zero Waste
At SU, 50% of our waste is actually compostable and 13% is recyclable (2018 data). We can do better! Support SU's goal to divert 90% of its waste annd become a Zero Waste campus!
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- Watch this video to learn cheap and easy ways to reduce your waste and work towards a zero waste lifestyle.
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- How much plastic do you consume? Plastic is omnipresent in our lives- in the clothes we wear, the electronics we use, and our built environment. Use this tool by the Earth Day Network to calculate your personal plastic consumption, create your personal plastic plan, and track your progress.
- Seattle University is a plastic water bottle-FREE campus. Use your reusable water bottle at all times, both on and off campus.
- Use a resuable bag/tote when shopping
- Processing recyclables and compost takes large amounts of energy. A few easy ways to reduce even recyclable and compostable waste is to use reusable mugs (you get a discount at almost all coffee shops in Seattle!) and C-Street’s reusable plates and utensils instead of compostables.
- Donate rather than throw away: Have any electronics, furniture, or other items in your office or dorms you want to get rid off? Consider donating to local non-profits.
- Repair rather than replace: Instead of throwing out items after they break, have them repaired. Check out DIY tutorials on YouTube or get them professionally repaired.
Water
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- Do you know how much water you use on a daily basis? How much water goes into making the things you use each day such as clothing, food, and electronics? Calculate your footprint here.
- Take shorter showers to reduce water consumption and energy via hot heater heating!
Energy 
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- Learn about the benefits of going solar and how you can retrofit your own home: visit Solar Washington or Let’s Go Solar. It is easier than you think!
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- Substantially reduce your carbon footprint by not heating and not air-conditioning between 55°F to 85°F (13°C to 30°C). Put on a cozy sweater or take off a layer instead!
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator and make your heart race for sustainability!
- Turn off and unplug your computers, lights, and electronics when not in use. Appliances that are turned off but plugged in still suck energy!
- Read this article on "energy vampires"
- Quick Tip: Plug electronics into a smart power strip so you can flip 1 switch to turn everything off.
- Replace the lamps at your desk, in your office, or at home with LED lights and save up to 60% of energy. Due to their efficiency and longevity, LED’s can be more cost-effective than incandescent over time.
- Launder thoughtfully: Only wash full loads and use cold water, then hang dry!
Commuting
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- Take public transit, carpool, vanpool, a carbon neutral Lyft bike, or walk instead of driving your car, which on average emits 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year
- Need a car? Opt for an electric, hybrid, and/or fuel efficient vehicle when possible.
- SU students who live on or near campus can check out an ORCA pass for free from the Student Center front desk. Employees pay $12.54 per month for a university subsidized Transit Pass that includes bus and train travel across three counties and an emergency taxi ride home if needed. Student transit passes are subsidized by the university by 50%. Learn more here on how Seattle University incentivizes alternative means of commuting to campus.
- Opt for virtual events/conferences instead of in-person and eliminate unnecessary air travel.
Carbon Offsets
As we work towards reaching zero carbon emissions, it is predictable that we will still produce carbon along the way like traveling to see family, attending a conference, studying abroad, participating in an athletics game, etc. One way to compensate for the emissions from travel is by paying for carbon offsets that support projects such as tree planting, renewable energy installation, methane capture, or clean stoves. Offsets should never be seen as an excuse to emit more carbon or to avoid changing the more systematic issues that perpetuate the use of carbon, but they can counterbalance the emissions that are being emitted while we work towards long-term solutions.
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- Buy carbon offsets for your air travel or other emissions!
Investments
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- Use the CSR Hub to explore environmental ratings and sustainability behaviors of major companies in North America, Europe and Asia.
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- The Seattle University Employees Retirement Plan includes four Socially Responsible funds. View the List of Investments and switch over your plan!
Media/Textual Resources
Click here to see a suggested list of books, films, videos, and podcasts.
