LIGHTS OFF, SCENT ON: THE SUSTENABLE HOME PROJECT

Hi! I am Emilia and as a student living away from home I quickly learned to become self-reliant. Transitioning into that “adult” phase where no one cooks dinner or irons my clothes for me anymore, I became more mindful of my daily routines and expenses, especially when it came to energy usage (because unfortunately, bills don’t pay themselves). When I proposed a challenge to my roommates to reduce our energy consumption and, consequently, lower our utility bills, they were surprised but also excited. They saw the potential benefits of it, and the idea of adopting new habits seemed like a fun endeavor.

To start, since my roommates tend to be forgetful, I decided to place Post-It notes on the wall as reminders to turn off lights in unused rooms. Then, when I walked into my room to put away freshly laundered clothes, the first thing I noticed was my plugged-in air freshener on a shelf. I promptly unplugged it. However, because I enjoy having a fragrant room, I decided to visit Kasanova and purchase an inexpensive reed diffuser for just €2, allowing me to maintain a pleasant scent in my room without giving it up. This small action made me realize that to reduce consumption, not only in terms of energy but also in other aspects of life, it doesn’t always require making sacrifices; sometimes, you can find alternative solutions, just as I tried to do.

In the coming days, I will also try to change some of my other habits by considering electronic devices, my long evening showers, and my very frequent laundry sessions…

Emilia