Since childhood, my parents have integrated eco-friendly habits in my daily life. Now that I’m going away for a semester, I want to integrate these everyday values into my lifestyle abroad.
Travelling is undeniably polluting, and exchange semesters can be even more impactful. In 2024, a French management school reported that 65% of its carbon emissions came from international exchanges (1). Even if we can believe that problems disappear abroad, we must remember that we still have an environmental responsibility. According to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, environmental issues are global and concern everyone. Realizing this is a key step toward more responsible behavior. For instance, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris featured an exhibit titled “100 Works That Tell the Story of the Climate” (2) in 2025. Many administrations and artists are highlighting environmental issues : administrations are showing facts and artists are searching to provide hope.
This brings us to the seventeen UN goals address global issues like poverty, access to education, or ecology, encouraging eco-friendly behaviors (3). Actions can also be taken at a smaller scale. That’s why, as a future exchange student, I particularly think about daily actions, highlighted in the 13th goal (4), like taking the train instead of the plane, sorting my waste, or consuming less. Furthermore, I have the chance to do my exchange in a country where environmental issues, including recycling, are very important. This reminds me of the COP25, which took place in Madrid, in 2019. During this conference, the subject of travelling, climate change and the ways to combine both was discussed. This COP 25 has been a pivotal point in the democratization of those correlate topics.
One of my biggest challenges will be to apply my eco-friendly routine on a daily basis during my exchange, especially since habits can differ from one country to another. My actions will also be related to transportation once there. The city where I will be has no underground transport system. I have already planned to take the bus or use the shared bicycle services. In addition, I have the opportunity to come by train and not by plane due to my city location. Moreover, as a geography student, I’m well aware of the issues linked to environmental changes. Later in life, my goal is to be an urban planner specialized in “green” urbanization which would be more concerned with environmental and ecological issues.
To conclude, my future exchange isn’t just a simple geographical move or a trip. It is an undertaking and a commitment to live in coherence with environmental challenges and with the hope that every small gesture can be part of a global transformation. According to me, travelling is a choice, but being eco-friendly is an obligation and that’s why I will do my best to have the greenest exchange possible.
(1) : https://www.leparisien.fr/etudiant/orientation/etranger/mobilite-et-ecologie-le-grand-dilemme-des-sejours-detudes-a-letranger-O3WDK43SJBE7BGBXSLYSG6VCAA.php
(2) : https://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr/magazine/2025-01-17/100-oeuvres-qui-racontent-le-climat-presentation-de-loperation-nationale
(3) : https://sdgs.un.org/fr/goals
(4) : https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13#overview
