Columbia University Housing

It's great to take advantage of the residence hall kitchens for your cooking experiments – just remember that kitchens are also where we dump most of our trash and use up a lot of energy with cooking appliances.Here's how to make your kitchen as green as possible:

• The gas stovetops and ovens can be tricky to learn, and you might be letting the gas run unnoticed.Follow the gas oven use guide posted in your kitchen, and if you still are unsure, contact the Hartley Hospitality Desk.
  
  
• Crock pots and microwaves are extremely energy-efficient, besides being fast.Next time you need hot water for coffee, tea, or soup, consider using a crock pot or just nuking a ceramic cup of water instead of boiling too much on the stove.
  
  
• Plastic grocery bags add up to a huge bulk of trash; in fact, plastic bags make up 5% of NYC’s total solid waste, and take up 14% of its landfill volume. And paper grocery bags are even worse for the environment: manufacturing paper bags creates about 70% more air pollution than plastic bag production.Instead of paper or plastic, try bringing a stylish reusable canvas bag the next time you go to buy groceries. If every New Yorker used just one less plastic bag this year, it would save the city $250,000 dollars in landfill and disposal costs. If you don't have a canvas bag handy, use your backpack, your arms, or pretty much anything other than a plastic bag!
  

Read more about the paper v. plastic debate at Tree Hugger.

•  Remember to buy local and organic options when you grocery shop, if possible. Fun-fact: produce is more  environmentally-friendly than meat, fish, and dairy products.