Detox Your Dorm: Top 10 Nontoxic Tips for College Freshmen

1 of 10

When it comes to college shopping, it’s good to make solid, non-toxic choices at the beginning so that you don’t have to invest money every year in replacing items. Toxic confession: I had the same plates all four years of school. They were plastic. Why didn’t I replace them? Spare cash was rare, and when it showed up, plates were the last thing on my mind. Why would I replace something I already had when I could pay for things like food and laundry?

Back to school shopping doesn’t end with backpacks and pencil cases: If your kids are on their way to college, there are plenty of goods they’ll need for their dorms and plenty of toxic chemicals they probably want to avoid. Here are the top 10 non-toxic tips for your college freshman:

Bedding: When buying sheets and pillowcases, be on the look out for these terms:

Polyester/cotton blend
Permanent press
Easy-care
No-iron

According to the Sierra Club, these terms are a red light to let you know that your bedding contains formalydehyde. Organic cotton is your best bet when it comes to environmentally friendly bedding options, though you can also avoid formaldehyde by choosing a cotton flannel or cotton jersey fabric. Remember:

Only buy new bedding if you need it. Commercials and catalogs may insist that college kids need brand new everything, but brand new everything can mean lots of packaging and unnecessary waste.

Top photo: sweetapathy/flickr; second photo: Thinkstock