Dear Younger Self,
You have finally reached your dream to not only be able to travel to Australia but now live there for a whole year!?
Although Australia is very far from East Sussex and uses approximately 3,153 kg CO2 per passenger (yikes). While this is significant, I want to do my best to reduce my carbon footprint throughout my duration abroad. In return I plan to align my lifestyle in Perth with UN sustainable development goals.
Instead of purchasing and throwing away £5 worth plastic water bottles at Duty Free. I will purchase a reusable metal water bottle that I can use at the airport and reuse throughout. This measure aligns:
• Goal 6: Clean Water and sanitations.
• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.
As a marketing student my course delves into sustainability on the daily, as it is embedded in our fast-paced lifestyle. My group and I did a presentation on Patagonia an outdoor clothing brand that is known for its ethical and sustainable practices. Patagonia’s ethos purpose is to get people outside and create products that are made sustainably and can last for years to reduce consumerism. I have purchased Patagonia fleece and hiking trousers- that I can wear the whole year. I love being outside and hate mass buying clothes due to the impact it has on our planet. These supports:
• Goal: 12 of responsible consumption and production
• Goal 13: Climate action
As mentioned previously I love the outdoors- it helps me feel grounded and less homesick. Here are a few places that are on my bucket list in Perth to go to: (perfect for my outdoor kit)
• Wadjemup Bidi
• Island Poole Walk Trail
• Heathlands Trail
• Kinoull Hill
This aligns naturally with:
• Goal 3: Good health and well-being.
• Goal 15: Life on Land.
Lastly, Perth’s public transport surprisingly has environmental highlights such as electric trains having regenerative braking recover energy and return it to the grid (saving around 27 million kWh), the busses are in the process of being upgraded to battery electric busses. I would love to minimise using public transport as much as I can. And buy a second-hand bike from Facebook marketplace to use as my main source of transport. However, due to the size of Perth It is impossible to cut out public transport completely.
Best Wishes,
Auguste
References used:
“Public Transport Authority of Western Australia > Home.” Www.pta.wa.gov.au, www.pta.wa.gov.au/.
“UK: Return Flight Carbon Footprint.” Statista, www.statista.com/statistics/1029998/worldwide-return-flight-carbon-footprint-uk/.
United Nations. “The 17 Sustainable Development Goals.” United Nations, 2015, sdgs.un.org/goals.
