Brighten up your dorm.
Lamps can make a dorm room feel more like home. When you go to buy your bulbs, stick with light emitting diode (LED) bulbs.. They use 90% less energy, but still provide fresh and bright light. DC college students can find DCSEU-discounted LEDs at DC stores starting $0.95 at participating retailers. Remember to still turn them off when you leave!
Use curtains and blinds wisely.
Curtains and blinds aren't just great for blocking out sunlight so you can sleep in on the weeikends. On warm days, save energy by drawing the curtains and lowering blnds so that your air conditioner won't have to work as hard. On colder days, leave them open to let natural sunlight help your heater bring the temperature of your room up by a few degrees.
Give your electronics a rest.
Computers, TVs, game consoles, and other electronics can use electricity even when turned off! Plug them into an Advanced Power Strip (APS). These are designed to preventing electronics from drawing power when they are off or not being used. Also be sure to turn off your laptop every night instead of putting it in sleep mode - it's good for your battery and better for the environment!
Green your laundry routine.
Wash your clothes in cold water. Ninety percent of the energy it takes to operate a clothes washer goes toward heating the water, and washing clothes in cold water will do a great job of cleaning most stains, especially when paired with detergent made for use in cold cycles. Also, wait until you have a full load before you head to the laundry room. Doing so will help you save more on laundry costs, and also help the environment by saving water and electricity!
Stay comfortable.
Keep your dorm room at a comfortable and efficient temperature. If you have an in-room thermostat, try setting it to 78 degrees in the warmer months and 68 degrees in the winter to stay comfortable and still save energy. When you leave for classes each day, adjust the setting by 8 degrees cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer to save even more.