Entering my first year at university, I had one goal that I wanted to achieve - find ways to be able to live more sustainably. I currently attend Florida Gulf Coast University, a university rich in nature and promoting sustainability. FGCU is one of the nation's greenest campuses. It landed in 32nd place in The Princeton Review for Top 50 Green Colleges in the United States. I am glad to attend such a university because I have learned so much from peers and professors about living a more sustainable life at home and on campus. Within my interactions, I have been able to attain environmentally-friendly utensils which I now carry in my bag 24/7.

This goal was prompted when I acknowledged the climate change crisis we are currently facing in our world.

We all know the level of severity climate change has on our current planet and future lives. Yet why is it that most don't partake in trying to live cleaner lives? The truth is that it isn't something we'll master in days or weeks. I learned what I was doing that was contributing to this crisis and found ways to lessen my footprint. This acknowledgment has opened my eyes and let me teach others to live more sustainably, as well.

With these small changes I have made in my life, I feel better and more productive. It's important to start small and find ways to make our lives more sustainable. We may not be able to do everything that we set out to do when it comes to becoming more environmentally-friendly, but it doesn't hurt to try.

Here are some of my favorite sustainable clothing brands:

• SIMONETT
• Everlane
• Reformation
• Pact
• Girlfriend Collective