Help Make Orange Green!
Turn off lights when not in use.
UT students living in residence halls have kept 4.6 million pounds of pollution out of the air over the last two years by being smart about conserving electricity.
Trade in your old light bulbs for newer, more efficient ones—for free!—at the Light Bulb Exchange in your hall.
Compact fluorescent bulbs provide as much light as regular incandescent bulbs while using just one-fourth the energy—and they last 10 times longer!
Turn off your computer when not in use.
By turning off your computer monitor every night, you can eliminate 550 pounds of emissions each year.
Conserve paper by photocopying on each side.
Approximately 42 percent of waste in landfills is paper. Do your part by reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Take shorter showers and don't leave the water running while brushing teeth.
Conservation is key, but UT also is installing new bathroom fixtures across campus that use only a fraction of the water that older models used.
Jump on the bus, Gus!
Taking the bus is easy, affordable and less stressful than driving. It reduces congestion, pollution and the amount of land used for roads and parking. UT Students, Faculty and Staff can get a KAT, Knoxville Area Transit, bus pass for $50 per semester. Passes are available at the University Center's Central Ticket Office. Freshmen ride free fall semester on all KAT Bus Routes! (Passes are mailed to your home address before school starts.) www.katbus.com or 637-3000.
Recycle!
UT recycles paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard, leaves, light bulbs, scrap metal, rechargeable batteries, ink cartridges, pallets, hardback books, and shrinkwrap. Each year UT recycles over 600 tons of material.
Ride a bike to campus!
Faculty/staff can get a free locker and access to shower facilities in the HPER building. For more information, contact Emile Catignani (emile@utk.edu), who manages the HPER facility and regularly bikes to work.
BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug) to parties, events, and the coffee shop.
Keep cardboard and plastic cups out of landfills by not using them in the first place. Some coffee shops offer discounts if you BYOM.
Close the loop.
Read those labels. Buy recycled products whenever possible.
Everyone into the pool! The Carpool.
You've got those extra seats in your car just begging to be used. Sharing the ride cuts down on fuel, maintenance and repair bills. And on the days you don't drive, you can read the paper, catch a few extra ZZZs, discuss current events with your new carpool buddies, or drink your coffee - all without having to worry about rear-ending the car in front of you. Find a carpool partner.
Compete in the Make Orange Green POWER Challenge.
The challenge runs the month of February and the residence hall with the most participation in energy conservation, recycling, and educational activities will win a trophy! Other cool prizes are also available.
Buy Green!
Check out the Knoxville Green Enterprise Directory (pdf).
Try Alternative Transportation.
Register to be part of the Smart Trips program, which makes you eligible for Emergency Ride Home services. If you log your daily commute habits at least once a week, you will be eligible for monthly prize drawings based on the number of times you report using something other than driving alone to get to work.
Come up with your own idea!
Have an idea that we didn't mention? We'd love to hear from you about other ways to Make Orange Green.
