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New York University Abu Dhabi Home

Best Practices

How to Reduce Your Impact

Follow NYU Abu Dhabi's top tips for reducing your environmental impact while living on campus.

Wellness

  • Move around: Explore NYUAD’s outdoor spaces and consider taking the stairs if you can to avoid using the elevator.
  • Eat well: By signing the Cool Food Pledge, NYUAD will reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2030, which means you get healthier, more plant-based meals from dining facilities in the Abu Dhabi campus.
  • Take the stairs: Taking the stairs can have numerous health benefits including improved cardiovascular health, increased muscular strength, and lead to significant calorie burn. Stair use can also contribute to a reduction in building energy consumption.

Reduce Waste

  • Donate: Donate any unwanted items you might have. Find out how to donate in the UAE.
  • Reuse: Invest in a reusable bottle and bag from the Bookstore. Opt for a reusable container to take away.
  • Go paperless: Avoid print-outs for classes and in-person meetings as much as possible. 
  • Recycle: Make sure to recycle, and recycle properly, consulting bin signage.
  • Buy used: Shop second-hand at thrift stores 
  • Surplus: Contact NYUAD Facilities Helpdesk to effectively redistribute or dispose of surplus property.

Save Energy

  • Power down: Switch off lights and power down electronics when they are not in use.
  • Be efficient: Configure your personal computer/laptop to enter low-power sleep mode after 15 minutes of inactivity.
  • Reduce equipment: Use only one laptop and one monitor and print on a shared device only when it is absolutely necessary.
  • Wash cold: As per Energy Star, water heating consumes about 90 percent of the energy it takes to operate a clothes washer. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut energy use in half. Using the cold cycle reduces energy use even more.
  • Air dry: Consider air-drying clothes on clothes lines or drying racks outdoors.

Policies and Standards

  • Discontinuation of 500ml Bottled Water: In February 2017, small 500ml plastic water bottles were removed from campus and are no longer be available for purchase. In addition, in March 2020 water dispensers and 5 gallon plastic water jugs were removed from campus.
  • Green Events Standard: Make your events more sustainable as stipulated by the Business Expense Policy.
  • Green Workplace Certification: Be recognized for efforts to improve the sustainability of your workplace.

Travel and Conferences

  • Travel less: Reduce travel by prioritizing cost-effective and low-carbon alternatives such as video conferencing or carpooling, and taking the bus.
  • Green your commute: Choose the lowest-carbon option when possible (walk, bike, bus).