Daily Evergreen, Washington State University

There’s no denying it: Everyone loves the Earth.

How can they not? The Earth is such a fascinating place. All the different climates, life forms and civilizations swirling and bleeding together to create a living masterpiece more complex and diverse than any human mind could ever come up with how could we not be awestruck by this drifting biosphere?

Despite our undying affections, we as a species love our planet like abusive alcoholics love their spouses. But instead of the Earth just packing up and leaving, it rebounds our abuse back at us with things like cancer and melting ice caps.

Fortunately, we are starting to understand the impact we have on the world around us and many people are starting to change their lifestyles to live with the Earth, as opposed to just on it.

Now you might be thinking, but I’m a poor college student, I can’t afford to stop figuratively beating my home planet. False!

Going Green doesn’t have to mean taping solar panels on top of everything you own. There are lots of great, affordable ways to go green, many of which can actually save you money in the long run. Here are seven cheap and simple ways to go green on a college budget:

While products like Lysol, Clorox and Windex may be decent cleaners, they are unhealthy for the environment and aren’t exactly bargain buys. Baking soda and vinegar make great green cleaning product alternatives. They re easy on the environment and your pocketbook, helping you clean your place without harsh chemicals that can be unhealthy to you as well. After several chemical burns, years of walking into freshly Lysol-ed rooms while wearing contacts and a startling chemistry lesson involving the creation of ammonia (DO NOT use bleach to clean up cat pee), I’ve reached the conclusion that if it s not good for the environment then it s more than likely not good for me.

Using compact fluorescent bulbs is another affordable way to go green. CFLs use less energy than regular light bulbs and last much longer. They save 2,000 times their own weight in greenhouse gases and over the course of their lifetime, can save you $30 per bulb in electric bills. Though CFLs are priced more expensively than regular light bulbs, the money and energy they save in the long run makes them the more affordable option.

The coolest thing about conserving electricity is that it doesn’t cost anything to do it. In fact, by cutting down on your electricity use, you will save money on your electric bill. The concept is simple: Don’t turn it on or up unless you need to. If you’re not in your bedroom, turn off the light, television and computer. If it feels a bit cold in your house, reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat. Grab a book instead of switching on the television. You get the idea.

Transportation Problem: Americans are obese and gas is really expensive.

Solution: Walk. Ride a bike. Take the bus if it’s cold. I’ve been without a car here for two years now and I have no trouble getting to wherever I need to go. My friends and I try to run group errands together so we can carpool, but for the most part I just kick on my chucks and hit the sidewalk. You see a lot when you walk or bike places, you get a chance to think and you re body benefits from the physical activity.

However, when Old Man Winter starts mashing his snowy gums, walking and biking become less appealing modes of travel.

Hit the thrift stores. This is my favorite method of going green. Not only do thrift store deals fit into my budget, but I know I m contributing to the environment by recycling. While there are some things you don t want to buy from a thrift store (underwear, food, medication, etc.), for the most part you can find a lot of nice wardrobe additions. I enjoy browsing the boy sections for dinosaur T-shirts and various jackets/button-ups. Thrift stores also often carry used furniture, which is helpful to poor college kids and their poor wallets.

Use water responsibly. Just because you look at a map and see lots of blue does not mean that the Earth has enough fresh water to sustain 6 billion people for centuries. Doing little things, like making sure the faucet doesn’t leak and turning the water off while brushing your teeth, can make a difference, as well as investing in a high-efficiency shower head.

However, the big issue is with bottled water. For those of you who are too good for the tap, buy a water filter instead of crate after crate of bottled water. All that plastic goes into the landfills, when there really wasn’t any need for it to have been created in the first place. Another way to conserve water and energy is to make sure you only run washing machines and dishwashers when they are completely full, to get the most out of your water.

By cutting down on paper products, you can save money and trees. For example, when you print things, try to make the most of the paper by printing double-sided with smaller margins and single-spaced if your teacher will allow it. Another way to cut down on your tree-destruction is to stop using paper towels. Not only will this help out the trees but it’ll be yet another item you don t have to spend money on. Take some old shirts instead and cut them up to be used as cleaning rags.