Green Room Program

Interns in the Office for Sustainability developed a Green Room Program that provides a framework for adopting sustainable living habits in residence halls and apartments.

There are two checklists—one for students who live in residence hall rooms and another for those who live in a suite or apartment. Scroll down to whichever checklist matches your living situation and check off the sustainable habits you practice.

Whether you are in a room, suite, or apartment, all roommates should participate in filling out a checklist.

You must answer "yes" to at least 27 checklist items to become a certified green room. A member of the Office for Sustainability will contact you via email to provide your "Green Room Certified" sticker along with information on next steps and upcoming sustainability events.

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  • Room Certification

    Take the certification survey!

     

    1. Do residents consistently turn off lights when the space is unoccupied?

    2. Do residents use natural light (from windows) as much as possible to avoid turning on lights?

    3. Do you (and your roommates) "power down" before going on breaks?

    4. Do residents keep windows shut while heat is on?

    5. Do you (and your roommates) use power strips?

    6. Do you (and your roommates) use cold water settings to wash laundry as much as possible?

    7. Are power-saving modes enabled on laptops, TVs, etc?
    8. Do you (and your roommates) keep your shades drawn when you’re gone for a day or longer?

    9. Do you (and your roommates) residents turn off water while brushing teeth? 

    10. Do you (and roommates) keep showers to under 10 minutes?

    11. Do you (and your roommates) conserve water while shaving? If not applicable, select "yes". 

    12. Do residents wait to do laundry until they have a full load?

    13. Do residents conserve water while washing dishes?

    14. Have you (and your roommates) visited the James River? Huguenot Flatwater and Pony Pastures are two great parks close to campus.

    15. Do you (and your roommates) recycle?

    16. Do residents have a designated recycling bin?

    17. When on campus, do you and your roommates compost?

    18. Do you (and your roommates) use reusable bottles instead of bottled water?

    19. Do you (and your roommates) use reusable shopping bags?

    20. Do residents properly dispose of electronic waste (e-waste)?

    21. Do you (and your roommates) print double-sided?

    22. Have you (and your roommates) visited the Spider Exchange?

    23. Do residents use reusable dishware?

    24. Do you (and your roommates) use a reusable container to take out food from the dining hall?

    25. Do you (and your roommates) opt to walk or bike to class 80% of the week?

    26. Do you (and your roommates) use environmentally friendly personal care and cleaning products? Check out the Environmental Working Group’s product guides (https://www.ewg.org/).

    27. Have you (and your roommates) taken the bus off-campus to explore Richmond?

    28. Do residents refer to the Spiders Guide for Sustainability as a resource for sustainable living?
  • Suite and Apartment Certification
    Take the certification survey!

    1. Do residents consistently turn off lights when the space is unoccupied?

    2. Do residents use natural light (from windows) as much as possible to avoid turning on lights?

    3. Do you (and your roommates) "power down" before going on breaks?

    4. Do residents hang clothes or use drying racks instead of the dryer?

    5. Do residents keep windows shut while heat is on?

    6. Do you (and your roommates) use power strips?

    7. Do you (and your roommates) use cold water settings to wash laundry as much as possible?

    8. Are power-saving modes enabled on laptops, TVs, etc?
    9. Do you (and your roommates) keep your shades drawn when you’re gone for a day or longer?

    10. Do you (and your roommates) residents turn off water while brushing teeth? 

    11. Do you (and roommates) keep showers to under 10 minutes?

    12. Do you (and your roommates) conserve water while shaving? If not applicable, select "yes". 

    13. Do residents wait to do laundry until they have a full load?

    14. Do residents conserve water while washing dishes?

    15. Have you (and your roommates) visited the James River? Huguenot Flatwater and Pony Pastures are two great parks close to campus.

    16. Do you (and your roommates) recycle?

    17. Do residents have a designated recycling bin?

    18. When on campus, do you and your roommates compost?

    19. Do you (and your roommates) use reusable bottles instead of bottled water?

    20. Do you (and your roommates) use reusable shopping bags?

    21. Do residents properly dispose of electronic waste (e-waste)?

    22. Do you (and your roommates) print double-sided?

    23. Have you (and your roommates) visited the Spider Exchange?

    24. Do residents use reusable dishware?

    25. Do you (and your roommates) use a reusable container to take out food from the dining hall?

    26. Do you (and your roommates) opt to walk or bike to class 80% of the week?

    27. Do you (and your roommates) use environmentally friendly personal care and cleaning products? Check out the Environmental Working Group’s product guides (https://www.ewg.org/).

    28. Have you (and your roommates) taken the bus off-campus to explore Richmond?

    29. Do residents refer to the Spiders Guide for Sustainability as a resource for sustainable living?