Energy & Water Conservation
Learn ways that you can practice energy and water conservation on campus and at home!
Sustainable Housing
Pitt’s been integrating sustainability into on-campus residence halls and off-campus apartments for decades! Through partnerships with the Office of Sustainability, Panther Central, Pitt Eats, Pitt Mobility, Residence Life, and University Housing, Pitt ensures that our student residents have access to the resources they need to live more sustainably on campus! Learn more.
Plug Loads
Did you know that electronics that stay plugged in can still use energy? Either unplug appliances that you don’t use often or consider power strips, which are great for keeping your room and apartment tidy and eliminating “standby power” (which can cost you $100 a year!)! If using a power strip, just turn it off to eliminate unnecessary energy consumption when your electronics are not in use.
The Power of the Sun
The sun is a versatile solution to reducing your energy usage. Keeping your blinds or curtains closed in the summer can keep your internal spaces cooler . Opening blinds or curtains in the winter introduces an alternative to artificial lighting and can warm your room or apartment up!
Cleaning Up
Conserve water by turning the faucet off while brushing your teeth, shortening your shower time, and/or turning the water off while scrubbing dishes. Leaving the sink running during your morning routine could easily waste enough water to fill a five-gallon fish tank.
Goldilocks Zone for Water & Heat
Heating water and space account for ~62% of home energy use. Washing your clothes in cold water and taking cold showers can be a game changer. Be thoughtful about how you treat your utilities by turning the heat off or down in your room or apartment when you’re away and air drying your clothes instead of using the dryer (which saves money too!).
Hydration Stations
Pitt makes it easy to stay hydrated and eliminate single-use plastics by providing bottle refilling stations in most campus buildings. These stations have saved millions of bottles from entering our waste stream and can help you stay hydrated and sustainable!
Wash Away
When doing laundry, it’s more efficient to wait until you have a full load of clothes to wash. Also, run cold water wash loads whenever you can, which preserves the integrity of most fabrics (helping your clothes last longer). Be sure to choose the appropriate size setting when you wash differently sized loads to conserve water, too!
You can check the status of your laundry, too, by using LaundryView!