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College students across the country are busy moving back to school this week (believe me, I’m in Boston and it’s a madhouse), and regardless of their major, everyone is thinking more seriously about the environment.  So, to compliment Giulia’s helpful list of Top 10 Green Back-To-School Items, I want to help you show off your cool, eco-friendly style with the Top 10 Ways to Green Your Dorm.  I may be a few years out of school (cue Old Man River), but I still know the importance of having a stylin’ pad, and you never know who you’re going to impress with your green credentials.

10.  Green Desk Lamp

Regardless of who’s paying to keep the lights on in your room, or what you’re doing with them on, LED lamps save ridiculous amounts of energy compared to incandescent bulbs, and don’t contain the nasty mercury vapors of  fluorescent bulbs.  This one not only looks sleekly futuristic, but also doesn’t consume any additional power when it’s turned off and still plugged in.

9. Green Stereo System

No dorm room would be complete without a killer sound system, and these eco-friendly options make the most of energy efficiency and sustainable materials to deliver a mean, green college soundtrack.  They’re designed to last awhile, but when it comes time for your electronics to graduate to the great sound system in the sky, be sure to find out how to properly recycle your gear.

8. Eco-friendly Cleaning Supplies

Nobody likes to admit it, but college life can get pretty dirty and smelly, so in case an unexpected guest (or parent) stops by, be sure to keep some non-toxic, fresh-smelling cleaning supplies handy.  I dig the Method line.

7.  Organic Sheets and Towels

You can enjoy your much-deserved beauty rest after a long night of studying, and sleep comfortably knowing that your sheets, mattress, and towels are organic.

6. Earth-friendly Furniture

There are lots of great furniture companies out there who are using sustainable woods and other green materials to make their desks and chairs, but most of them probably don’t fit inside a student budget.  So seek out some used furniture, often left for trash by graduating students, and keep the discarded items out of the landfills while saving yourself some cash.  You’d be amazed what you can do with cinder-blocks.

5. Ditch Your Ride

College campuses are some of the best places to ride a bike, not to mention a great way to make it to class on time.  But if you  need to get somewhere by car, you can still keep a relatively low carbon footprint by utilizing a new campus carpool program created by Zipcar’s partnership with Zimmride.

4.  Eco-friendly Laundry Hamper

Laundry piles tend to take on a life of their own while you’re busy running around campus, but this laundry bin made from recycled materials will help keep the monster under control.  When you do gather enough quarters and make it to the laundry room, be sure to bring along some Ecover detergent.

3. Dorm Room Gardening

My freshman year roommate had a strong interest in growing certain plants in our room, but I’d advise steering clear of any illicit plantings and find some space to grow a few vegetables or herbs.  Sure, space is tight, but if you’ve got a decent-sized window, balcony or (better yet) roof access, you can sprout a few tasty greens to balance out your late-night pizza feasts.  Your college may even have a space available for students to garden and if they don’t, ask for one!

2.  Rent a Book

I held on to a lot of my college books, thinking I would one day peruse them to remind me of all the useful knowledge I gained, but with a few exceptions, that never really happened.  Which is why renting your books is a smart way to save money, cut down on the environmental impact of ordering new books, and keep your shelves clutter-free.

1.  Use Renewable Energy

You may not be able to install solar panels on the dorm roof, but there are a variety of ways you can utilize renewable energy in your room and also off-set your carbon footprint created by all of your dorm gadgets.

Bonus: Check out Treehugger’s list of college town breweries that are producing tasty, green beer.  College!