Small changes in the halls making a big green impact

Living in student accommodation doesn't have to mean living unsustainably. LSE halls are stepping up their green game, and you might not have even noticed some of the changes happening right under your nose.

From the kitchens where you burn your midnight pasta to the showers where you belt out your best karaoke, sustainability is being baked into daily hall life. Here's how your residence is getting greener, and why it actually matters.

1. Recycling stations that actually make sense ♻️

Let's be honest: confusing recycling bins are the enemy of good intentions. We've all stood there, holding a yoghurt pot, wondering if it counts as plastic recycling or if that foil lid means it's contaminated, or maybe it should just go in general waste because who even knows anymore? 

LSE halls have rolled out clearer, colour-coded recycling points in communal areas with simple visual guides. No more playing "bin roulette" at 2 am when you're disposing of your Deliveroo containers.

2. Energy-efficient appliances in every kitchen 💡

All those communal fridges, ovens, and microwaves have been upgraded to energy-efficient models with high ratings. These aren't your gran's appliances, they sip electricity rather than guzzling it.

LED lighting has replaced old bulbs throughout corridors and kitchens, slashing electricity consumption by up to 80%. Plus, motion sensors in hallways mean lights only come on when someone's actually walking through, rather than illuminating empty corridors all night like some kind of budget horror film set. 👻

3. Bike storage and repair stations 🚲

Making sustainable transport easier is part of the equation, too. Halls have expanded secure bike storage facilities because nothing kills your eco-friendly cycling enthusiasm quite like having your bike nicked within the first fortnight of term.

 When cycling to campus is convenient, and your mechanical disasters aren't day-ruining catastrophes that force you into an expensive Uber, you're way more likely to ditch the emissions-heavy transport options.

4. Reusable initiatives and waste reduction schemes 🔄

Some halls have introduced reusable container schemes for events and communal spaces, ditching single-use plastics for parties and hall socials, for example at Carr-Saunders. 

There are also British Heart Foundation donation points for old clothes, bedding and towels you're done with. That jumper you bought in freshers' week that you've worn exactly once? It can go to someone who'll actually appreciate it, rather than sitting in the back of your wardrobe judging your life choices. 

The bottom line 🌍

LSE halls are proving that student living and sustainability aren't mutually exclusive. You don't have to live in a yurt or give up hot showers to reduce your environmental impact. 

And here's the thing: most of this happens automatically or with minimal effort on your part. The halls are doing the heavy lifting; you just have to not actively sabotage it by leaving your window wide open with the heating on full blast or throwing pizza boxes in the paper recycling (seriously, don't do that, the grease contaminates everything)!