Eco-conscious college living: not just for off-campus hippies cooped up in co-ops anymore! At the University of California-Berkeley, sophomore Rachael Robertson lives in what’s being billed as America’s first green dorm room, replete with energy-saving devices and a free supply of natural toiletries.

It’s part of a larger movement to bring sustainability to daily campus life, which at Berkeley includes solar panels on the student union, waterless urinals, and cafeteria takeout containers made from biodegradable sugarcane. “A lot of people come to the room thinking … it’s going to have to be something revolutionary – for me to live sustainably, I’m going to have to change my entire life,” says green-room committee member and sophomore Desirae Early.

She counters that all it takes are a few small changes – like the right aluminum-free underarm deodorant, natch – to make a difference. Other colleges such as Harvard are also starting green campus initiatives. Syndicated from Grist.org.

Photo Credit: Paul Chinn for the San Francisco Chronicle