Quiz: How eco-friendly are you as a student?

24 Jul 2019

You will have heard about the current climate change crisis, thanks to youth activists such as Greta Thunberg.

If you haven’t, climate change refers to global warming and other negative impacts on the environment caused by greenhouse gasses, carbon emissions, pollution, deforestation and the destruction of marine systems.

Unnecessary plastic use also falls under this umbrella, as landfills are filled to the brim today and plastic is even making its way into our water.

Many schools and universities today are striving to be more environment-friendly, not just in their day-to-day practices, such as using solar panelling and recycling, but also in educating students on how to be more eco-conscious.

Unfortunately, a significant portion of the population don’t feel it is their responsibility to do their part for the environment, or find it difficult to change their habits.

Truth is, it’s not difficult once you put your mind to it, taking mindful steps in your everyday habits to do your part for the environment.

As a student, you may not have thought much about being more eco-friendly, or you could be an eco-warrior.

Not sure which category you fall under? This quiz will help you determine where you stand and what you need to do to become more eco-friendly.

DISCLAIMER: This quiz is not meant to shame you, but rather have you take a look at your own habits and hopefully inspire you to make simple changes to your everyday routine.

So please be as honest as you can, as no one will be seeing your result except you. Remember – it’s never too late to change your ways!

Which of the following do you do regularly to conserve energy?

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Boil just enough water that I need instead of overfilling the kettle.

Use LED bulbs instead of regular bulbs.

Unplug appliances that are not in use.

None of the above.

All of the above.

How often do you recycle?

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I hardly ever do unless I see a recycle bin.

Any chance I get, whether at home or when I'm out.

As often as I can - sometimes I'm not able to or forget.

Do you often find yourself sharing eco-friendly tips with others?

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No, hardly ever.

Yes, all the time - I'm always looking for new ways to be environment-friendly.

Some of the time, but I'm keen to learn more.

What do you do with used glass jars and plastic containers?

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I reuse them in a number of ways - such as DIY crafts or use them to store things or food.

I just throw them away if I have no use for them or they are difficult to clean.

I recycle them.

Do you separate your trash according to wet waste, plastics, paper glass, etc?

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Never.

Yes, all the time.

Sometimes, if and when I remember.

Do you turn off the lights whenever you leave a room?

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Yes, I make it a point.

I strive to but sometimes I forget.

No, I'm afraid of the dark.

Do you leave the water running when you brush your teeth?

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You mean we're not supposed to?

No, never!

When you dine out, do you use a plastic straw for your drink?

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Never, I bring my own metal straws and refuse plastic straws.

If they have no other alternative, then yes. How else would I drink?

I'd rather not, but sometimes it can't be helped.

How do you dispose your trash?

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Bio-degradable bags

I reuse plastic bags that I get from the supermarket.

I compost and recycle to reduce the amount of trash I have to dispose, and the rest goes into biodegradable trash bags.

How often do you take reusable tote bags with you when you shop?

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Always, I keep them in my car or handbag.

Whenever I remember to bring them.

Hardly ever - they're a pain to carry around so I just use regular plastic bags.

Which of the following do you do to reduce single-use plastic?

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Bring my own reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles.

Bring my own containers for take-away.

Use reusable tupperware instead of plastic sandwich bags when packing my own lunch.