To print double-sided and eliminate header page for a single job, type
into the Athena command line:
lpr -Pprintername2 -h filetoprint.ps
To cancel a print job:
lprm -Pprintername -
Use water conscientiously
Don't drink bottled water:
It's not healthier; it's often worse than tap.
It's not regulated as strictly as tap water.
The packaging and shipping waste fossil fuels.
Fix leaky faucets.
Don't leave faucet running:
Use bowl to hold water for washing produce.
Use cup to hold water for rinsing when brushing teeth.
Take short showers. Turn off water when lathering.
Flush toilet only when absolutely necessary.
Conserve energy
Use natural light when possible.
Wear more/less clothing instead of using heat/AC.
Turn off lights, heat/AC, and appliances when not in use, including common areas if you happen to notice as you pass by.
Turn off computer at night. Your computer might have a feature that allows it to start itself before you need it in the morning.
Turn off monitor instead of using a screen saver.
Use revolving doors.
Reduce trash generation
Shop with reusable bags, or at least reuse plastic bags as often as
possible.
Bring your own container for leftovers when eating out.
Bring your own eating-ware to coffee hour, brunch, and other events.
Carry around a reusable water bottle.
Use the back of unwanted paper for problem sets or as scratch paper.
Sign up for paperless bank and credit card statements. Pay bills online.
Leave old magazines in lobby or gym for others to read.
Reuse and recycle what you can.
Check out reusable bags from the front desk
Reusable shopping bags are now available at the front desk. MIT doesn't
recycle plastic bags because they take more resources to recycle than to
discard. Only 1% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide. They harm
wildlife, pollute the environment, persist for centuries, and require
fossil fuels to manufacture.
Offset your carbon footprint
By donating money to offset your carbon footprint, you can
support renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects.
Carbonfund.org is one way to do it.
Recycle technotrash
TechnoCycle bins are now available in the game room near the pool
table. You can recycle rechargeable batteries (no alkaline batteries,
which go in the regular trash), portable devices (cell phones, PDAs,
pagers, etc.), media storage (CDs, DVDs, video tapes, etc), and computer
periphery (mice, wires, external drives, etc.). Large electronics
(monitors, CPUs, etc.) should be placed on the SP loading dock for
recycling.
Post items to reuse@mit.edu
Instead of discarding unwanted items in the trash, post them to
reuse@mit.edu. For more info, visit http://web.mit.edu/reuse/.
Use efficient lighting
Use fluorescent, halogen, or LED lighting instead of incandescent.
Of course, sunlight is best!
Reuse plastic bags
There is now a basket by the front desk for storing and reusing plastic
bags. Of course, it's best to check out reusable bags from the front desk.
MIT doesn't recycle plastic bags because they take more resources to
recycle than to discard. Only 1% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide.
They harm wildlife, pollute the environment, persist for centuries, and
require fossil fuels to manufacture.
Compost food waste
SP now has a compost bin: it's the yellow, cylindrical bin behind SP by the loading dock. To prevent it from getting smelly and attracting rats, please don't put meat or dairy products in it. Fruits, vegetables, grains, food-soiled paper (tea bags, coffee filters, napkins, etc.) are fine. Please don't spill food outside the bin.
Use eco-friendly cleaning products
Green Works by Clorox is a line of affordable, eco-friendly cleaning products, which include dish liquid and kitchen and bathroom cleaners and are as effective as typical cleaners. The ingredients come from renewable resources, are biodegradable, and are free of petrochemicals, so they are better for the environment and for you! Seventh Generation is another great line of environmentally-friendly cleaning products, and both are available at the local supermarkets!
Get enough sleep
If you get enough sleep (which usually means sleeping more), you will
consume less energy, both in terms of electricity usage and food intake.
And of course, the benefits to your health are invaluable!
Eat less meat
Meat takes more resources to produce than other sources of protein. Meat production accounts for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and often destroys habitats. Even having one vegetarian day a week would help.
Find creative uses for scratch paper
Do problems sets, take notes, and print documents on the back of unwanted
paper. Our publicity chairs have been printing posters on scratch paper,
and you probably didn't even notice! The computer cluster on the first
floor of SP and the clusters around campus are sources of scratch paper.
Save energy when doing laundry by using the "Bright Colors" setting on the
washer. Also, remove clothes from the dryer right when they dry (~30 minutes)
instead of leaving them in for the full hour. These actions will help your
clothes last longer, too!
Cut down on new wrapping paper
Reuse gift bags or wrap gifts in reused material like newspaper. Doing this for 6 gifts reduces carbon emissions by 2 lbs (and saves money!).
Bring your own coffee cup
If coffee shops are part of your daily routine, you can reduce carbon emissions
by 1.25 lbs each week by bringing your own reusable cup. Bring it to coffee
hour, too!
Reuse packing peanuts
Donate packing peanuts in clean and usable condition to Mail Services for reuse in their packing service program. Send the peanuts to Mail Services in sealed bags (reuse plastic bags from the basket in the lobby!) via interdepartmental mail, addressed to: Packing Peanuts Reuse Program, WW15. This program is for packing peanuts only; try to reuse other packing materials.
Reduce phantom load
Many electronic devices, such as computers and televisions, consume electricity even if they are switched off. Unplug them to kill the phantom load, or use a power strip. Similarly, unplug battery chargers (for cell phones, electric toothbrushes, etc.) when not in use.
Buy local foods
By supporting local agriculture, you get fresher produce, reduce transportation-related energy use and emissions, and advocate for reform of U.S. agricultural policies.
Optimize fridge and stove use
Refrigerators and stoves typically consume the most electricity in a household. By keeping your fridge stocked, you reduce the amount of air exchanged each time you open it. Cooking a large amount of food at once and reheating leftovers in the microwave is another way to save energy (and time!).
Check out a laundry rack from the front desk
Save money, humidify your room, and reduce pollution by drying your clothes on a laundry rack. Laundry
racks can be checked out from the front desk for a 48 hour period. Save additional energy by using the "Bright Colors" setting to wash your clothes in cold water.
