less waste = more money

• Buy less stuff- consider whether your purchase is necessary
• Save change in a glass jar, for laundry or for a rainy day.
• Recycle everything you can. Click here for more information.
• Eat what you take in the dining rooms. Food left on your tray is money down the drain for dining services and for you.
• Choose reusables over disposables; for example, use washable plates, cups, coffee mugs and silverware instead of their paper or plastic counterparts.
  
• Use cloth towels and sponges instead of paper towels.
  
• Use a water filter and reusable bottles instead of buying bottled water.
  
• Use a travel coffee mug instead of paper cups.
  
• Use your own bags (preferably reusable cloth bags) at the store.
  
• Avoid excess packaging, especially plastic, and buy in bulk: laundry detergents, concentrated juices and household cleaners can be bought in bulk.
  
• Use hand driers instead of paper towels in restrooms.
  
• Use rechargeable batteries, and ask the Community Center where to properly dispose of them when they’re unusable/dead.
  
• Donate old clothes, food and household objects to charities. Many places in Ann Arbor accept donations. Saint Vincent de Paul Thrift (1001 Broadway, 761-1400) accepts clothing and other items. The Reuse Center (2420 S. Industrial Highway, 662-6288) accepts nearly everything except clothing. The Detroit Project, a student-run initiative, will accept old clothes and household items for donation. See their website for more information.