Turn of unused devices:

It is a common experience: the old Blue-ray player moved into the new living room, but it is rarely used in these times of Netflix and Co. The solution is: unplug the device or use a power strip with a switch. This works for other electronic devices in your home, for example, in the kitchen (toaster, kettle, coffee machine, microwave, etc.). By using a power strip with a switch these devices can be completely disconnected from the electrical supply when they’re not in use and no longer consume any power.

The oven:

A small, but good tip is to refrain from pre-heating the oven. Since a frozen pizza has to go into the oven anyway, you can use the heat generated during the heating process for baking. In most instances, the food is ready in less time than it would usually take if you follow the directions exactly. This is true for par-baked rolls and generally for many things that can be made using the oven. The fan oven function is the most energy efficient setting, if you have it.

Electricity provider:

Changing your electricity provider, to an eco-electricity provider for example, can be worth it. All you have to do is know your own electricity use per year and compare the offers. Unfortunately, there are no student rates, but a little research and using comparison portals can save you a few euros. 

Washing machine:

Purchasing a new energy-efficient washing machine, in a shared apartment or on your own, may be expensive at first, but it can make a significant difference in water and electricity consumption. Of course, you do not have to buy a new machine immediately to save water. It is definitely more sustainable and saves resources to make sure you run your machine only with full loads and/or use the eco-program. So remember: Instead of doing the washing with just a few pieces of clothing, wait until you have a full load. This is true for dishwashers as well!

The tap:

To behave more sustainably with the water tap, it is enough to not let it run unnecessarily, for example, when brushing teeth, shaving, showering, etc. A water flow restrictor or water-saving showerhead, both of which can be purchased for just a few euros each, will also help you reduce water consumption and make another contribution to a more sustainable student life.

If you want to live more sustainably and save money at the same time, you should refrain from tilting windows while the heating is on. If windows are tilted, the room continuously loses heat and the heating system has to work harder to maintain the room temperature. Instead, simply turn the heat down for a few minutes and ventilate the room fully by opening the windows wide.

Products: Toilet tissue, writing paper

This app is especially practical because its easy to use. While you save money, food is saved from the bin. The app displays shops and restaurants that sell leftover food or dishes for less money shortly before they close. From rolls to pizza, there is something there for every taste and every meal.

If you know Weight Watchers, you know how this app works. Except you are not counting calories but CO2-eq points. What you eat or consume, how you live and heat your home, your use of electricity and your mode of mobility creates greenhouse gases, directly or indirectly. All of these activities are translated into points in this app. Currently, we are emitting too much CO2. If everyone would limit themselves to 100 points per day, we can positively affect our world and our climate. Just one day of counting points can give you a good sense of how more climate-friendly behaviour feels.

A good shopping assistant to have with you could be the CodeCheck app. The app allows you to scan the barcodes of foods and cosmetic products. The app then shows you the ingredients of that item, listed according to their level of concern. Materials that are harmful for the environment or those that are unhealthy for bodies can be avoided by using the CodeCheck app.

Second hand goods are not only trendy; they save you money and material, too. Items like clothes, furniture, electronics, etc., that are no longer useful or valuable for an individual would usually end up in the rubbish, but using a second-hand cycle allows them to continue being useful to someone new. This allows you to save a lot of money and live your life more sustainably. Flea markets / tag sales in Nuremberg also offer this opportunity and are useful options for students, like you.

You think everything that is broken must be replaced? No, there is a much more sustainable option. Many products can be easily repaired. These web pages can show you where you can have your items screwed back together. This saves a lot of materials in addition to being gentle on your wallet.

Often it is complicated and time-intensive to find sustainable products among the many offers online. This site shows you eco-fashion, sustainable housewares, rucksacks, and other sustainable alternatives without unnecessary searching. Nonetheless, you should generally pay attention to your consumption behaviour and adjust it focused on need.

Especially as a student you are often cooking for just one person, which means there are often leftover ingredients. This is often inevitable. You can enter all of the ingredients that you have left over into this website. It provides you a suggested recipe for a dish that incorporates your leftover ingredients. This can save food from being thrown away and you discover new inspiration for your cooking.

Foods are often unnecessarily packaged. Unpackaged shops offer the opportunity to purchase food without packaging waste when possible. Besides, you can weigh the exact amount of the items that you need. If you live alone, for example, foods that are packaged are often in amounts that are more than one person needs. There is often much too much left over that end up in the rubbish bin. These shops allow you to prevent making packaging waste, but also minimise food waste.

New smartphone, laptop, or speakers? No problem. These providers have made it their task to offer secondhand technology. The devices are checked with regard to performance and overhauled if necessary. By grades from, for example, “excellent” to “good”, these used products are made available for purchase, depending on the requirements of the customer. Of course, it is no longer brand new, 100% efficient, or may show slight scratches on the casing, but that is what covers are for. In addition, refurbished items are considerably cheaper. When you realise how high the consumption of resources and rare earths of our current technology really is, these providers are definitely an environmentally friendly alternative.