The UGA Costa Rica campus is a beautiful environmentally friendly place. It has inspired me to share its knowledge of sustainability. Sustainability means that we do not use more than we produce. It’s all about balance. We give; we take. We do this in order to maintain a good relationship with our environment. UGACR accomplishes sustainability is several ways:
These are all reducing our impact on the environment.
How can I continue this when I get back to Athens? How can I be sustainable; I can’t afford $6,000 solar panels? Fret not for I have come up with some small ways in which a college student can become more sustainable. One of the easiest ways to start your environmentally friendly journey is to go to your local farmers’ market. This way you can get organic, natural foods without pesticides. Not only is this environmentally sustainable but it’s also economically sustainable. It’s even better if you bring empty jars or canvas bags so that you don’t use any wasteful packaging.
During our tour of the bio digester, Fabricio (UGACR director) offered something interesting; he said, “Ask yourself, ‘What would nature do?’ And that was a great way to look at sustainability. Next time you go for a snack, think “What would nature do?” Instead of reaching for a bag of chips (with no nutritional value and packaging that adds to your waste), grab an orange. The peel is nature’s packaging.
Lastly, this step has two parts: grow a garden and start a compost pile. The garden can grow fruits, veggies, and herbs to make you more self-sustaining and can save you money at the grocery store. The compost pile can be used to fertilize your new garden. A compost pile can consist of things like food scraps, paper towels, and coffee filters which reduces your amount of waste. Now, I’m not saying you have to do all of these things, but even doing one of these tips is a step towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
For more ideas, visit Sustainable UGA.
