Student Sustainability Tips: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at Hamilton

Reduce

Reducing consumption is the most effective way to cut down on waste — and Hamilton offers resources, and a few incentives, to help you build these habits.

• Turn off lights when you leave a room. Small habits like this cut down on unnecessary energy use across campus.
• Limit water usage. Take shorter showers, turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, and report leaks to Facilities.
• Skip single-use cups. Bring a reusable mug or water bottle instead, and get a discount at Fojo or Euphoria when you bring your own cup.
• Do laundry sustainably. Wash full loads in cold water, air-dry when possible, and swap dryer sheets for reusable dryer balls.
• Consolidate online orders. When buying multiple items, choose “everything in one box” shipping to cut down on packaging waste.
• Choose low-emission transportation. Walk, bike, or carpool when you can, and use the Hamilton Jitney to get around Clinton, New Hartford, and Utica.
• Go paperless. Switch to online billing and unsubscribe from unnecessary paper mail.

Reuse

Choosing reusable and secondhand goods keeps items out of landfills longer.

• Shop secondhand for everyday items. Look for clothing, furniture, and dorm essentials at the Hamilton Cram & Scram.

• Buy or rent used textbooks. Try sites like ThriftBooks or the campus Bookstore, and reuse school supplies like notebooks when possible.

• Repair instead of replace. Fix clothing using the on-campus sewing machine available at the Burke Library Maker Space.

• Shop secondhand off campus. Check out Oneida County stores such as Thriftish, Thrifty Shopper, and Plato’s Closet, or browse Facebook Marketplace.

Recycle

Recycling should be a last resort — reduce and reuse first. Here’s how to recycle correctly at Hamilton, and how buying recycled materials helps close the loop.

• Know what’s recyclable locally. Recycling rules in Oneida County may differ from your hometown’s, so check before you toss something in the bin.
• Use Hamilton’s special recycling programs. Plastic film, rechargeable batteries, textiles, and lightbulbs each have their own recycling process on campus.
• Donate at Cram & Scram. At the end of the school year, drop off unwanted items in the Cram & Scram bins so they can be reused.
• Buy recycled and fair trade. Choose school and dorm supplies made from recycled materials or produced under fair trade practices.
• When in doubt, check OHSWA’s website. Their acceptable materials guide has details on what can and can’t be recycled.