By Richard Park
21 August 2009

Did you know that going green can actually save you money? Here is a list of just a few things you can do to green your dorm room.

CFL light bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs are better for the environment and your electricity bill.  According to the Energy Star website, if every home in America replaced just one bulb with a CFL bulb, “we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.” CFL bulbs last between 8 and 15 years. The initial cost is higher but the extended lifetime and lower energy use more than compensate for this. Using CFL light bulbs cuts down 12% (on average) of a typical American’s electricity bill.

Bedding. Buy natural materials rather than synthetic pillows and blankets. Look for all natural cotton or wool blankets.  Visit www.EcoChoices.com for a variety of all natural bedding products.

Energy Star. When it comes to buying that mini fridge, television or anything electronic, make sure you buy an Energy Star certified product.  It consumes less electricity which saves you more. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information.

Keep a plant. To keep your dorm rooms looking lively try keeping plants (not the plastic kind).  Plants are not only for aesthetics, they also help fight toxins and pollutants.  A good choice is the Peace Lilly. They are very easy to look after, flower all year long, and can absorb potentially harmful chemicals from the air, including toxins from cleaning fluids and cigarette smoke. Look for a Peace Lily in your local nursery or even your closest Wal-Mart.

Stop phantom power waste. Did you know when you turn off many electronics they go into stand-by and continue to consume electricity? According to the U.S. Department of Energy this stand-by power can account for as much as 20% of home energy use. This not only costs you money but wastes energy—energy that is often generated by air polluting coal or nuclear power plants that generate radioactive waste. The Monster GreenPower™ MDP 900 PowerCenter™ protects your computer from common power surges and spikes. Better yet, it helps you conserve energy by automatically shutting down outlets (eliminating stand-by, or “phantom power”) to stop energy waste. It’s also color coordinated for easy cord organization and has surge protection for phone and Ethernet connections. Price: $129. Visit www. Monsterpower.com

Richard Park is a regular contributor to Young Money.