Walk, bike, take the TARC bus (free with UofL ID), carpool, or vanpool whenever possible. You'll stay fit, make friends, save thousands of dollars per year, and drastically reduce your energy use and planetary impact.
Keep tires properly inflated (efficiency is reduced 1% for every 3 PSI that tires are under-inflated).
Don't let engines idle longer than about 30 seconds. Idling longer wastes fuel and an idling engine produces more pollution than a moving vehicle.
Set computers to "sleep" or “hibernate” when idle (under Control Panel > Power Options). Especially important for desktop models.
Turn off lights, computers and equipment off when vacating a room.
Unplug
chargers, TVs, computers, and other equipment when not in use (many
consume electricity even when the unit is turned off!). An easy solution
is to put everything on one power strip and click it all off when
you're done.
Set thermostats moderately (<70°F winter / >75°F summer) & adjust 10°F when vacating a room.
Replace incandescent light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).
Donate unwanted items to charities (like the Gaia Movement's
light green bins around campus), thrift stores, or non-profit
organizations; or have a yard sale! UofL employees can give these items
new life through UofL Surplus or our online Property Exchange listings.
At the checkout, refuse new plastic or paper bags and bring your own reusable shopping bags (available for purchase on campus for under $2 at The Nest, Simply To Go, and Quick Zone).
At mealtimes, use reusable mugs, cups, utensils, cloth napkins and towels rather than disposables. Save 50 cents with a reusable mug every time you fill up on coffee, tea, or fountain drinks at any UofL dining facility.
Switch to rechargeable batteries rather than toxic disposables.
Avoid excess packaging by bringing your own bags and buying in
bulk whenever possible. UofL employees can reuse packing materials like
boxes and bubble wrap through our online Property Exchange listings.
Buy pre-owned items whenever possible or new items with post-consumer recycled content.
Recycling is a breeze at UofL!
Recycle all kinds of paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, and glass - all in the same bin at UofL!
Recycle computers, TVs, E-waste: 636 Meriwether Ave. MetroCall: 311. Home Depot recycles CFLs. UofL employees can recycle departmental e-waste through our E-scrap program and our Toner/Ink Cartridge recycling program.
Take hazardous materials (paints, solvents, chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, etc.) to Haz Bin 7501 Grade Lane. UofL employees should work with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety to handle these materials responsibly.
Recycle waste cooking oil: Get a FREE 1-gallon recycling bin to turn waste cooking oil from your kitchen into renewable biodiesel (just as UofL Dining is doing!).
Compost your food scraps and
organic wastes in one of the Garden Commons composting bins behind the Cultural
Center, or start composting at home!
Eat locally grown produce, dairy, and meats; and locally made foods. Eating locally saves the resources needed to ship and preserve food while supporting local jobs, farms and businesses. Find local delights through our Food page, including: → Gray Street Farmers' Market – Thursdays 10:30-2:00
(May-Oct), 400 block E. Gray St. (HSC) → Find the market closest to you: Louisville Farmers Market Directory → Get 100% locally-sourced food year-round just blocks from Belknap campus at The Root Cellar (3rd & Hill) → Subscribe to UofL's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program → Grow your own in one of UofL's Campus Gardens → Ask for local at stores, restaurants and UofL Dining venues → Request local food when ordering catering for events. Local food caterers listed here.
Eat less meat and animal products,
substituting with plant protein (beans, nuts, soy products, etc.) to improve your health, eliminate cruelty from your diet, and reduce your environmental impact as much as ten times. → Get started by trying Meatless Mondays or Meatless Mornings → UofL Dining: A Vegetarian’s Guide
Eat organic, fair trade, grass-fed or plant-based products to minimize abuse to the environment, people & animals.
Conserve WATER!
Don't run water unnecessarily while brushing you teeth, shaving, or washing dishes.
Report leaks in faucets,
valves, fixtures, or toilets to Physical Plant immediately for repair: Repair request form here. Call 852-6241.
Replace water fixtures with low-flow shower heads, faucets and/or toilets.
UofL Sustainability
Donate unwanted items to charities (like the Gaia Movement's
light green bins around campus), thrift stores, or non-profit
organizations; or have a yard sale! UofL employees can give these items
new life through 