Travel and sustainability, two of my most passionate topics merged into one. As a 19-year-old girl, I, like many others my age, love travelling. That is partially why I decided to do a semester placement in Milan. However, doing so while remaining conscious of the environment and the adverse effects it can have is crucial and has to remain a top priority, even when partying hard in a club you discovered from a 10-second TikTok clip (definitely a promotional trap) and getting swept up in the appeal of an unexplored country. My mission of being as eco-conscious as possible transpires across borders, which is why I implement certain ways of living that can hopefully benefit the environment, even minutely. I’ll now go into the details of how I plan to do so.
First and foremost, tote bags. Basic, I know, but useful. This secret eco weapon is vastly underappreciated. With plastic bags taking 300 years to photodegrade a good tote bag is a staple in my everyday wardrobe and is a small way to make an impactful change. This is particularly useful for Goal 14 (Life Below Water), as particles from plastic bags enter waterways, damaging marine and coastal ecosystems.
The next one is very simple: not littering. Shocking. Even a castaway plastic cup haphazardly thrown onto the floor without a second thought sets us further back from our mission of limiting the increase in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for climate change). Although I never litter, I’ll be sure to exercise extra caution when in Milan.
I admit I do love a good Uber ride now and then, however, it’s simply unsustainable. That’s why I mainly use public transportation and, when an Uber is necessary, I opt for Green Ubers. I have already looked into transportation links in Milan and have concluded that my means of transportation will consist of long walks and short train rides as everything is nearby. Thankfully this means my contribution towards greenhouse gas emissions will be minimal.
These are some of the things I already do, however, I would of course need to take additional measures specifically for this exchange.
In line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 11, my place of residence in Milan is as eco-friendly as they come. While looking for my apartment in Italy I made sure to do extensive checks on their EPC rating, immediately eliminating any apartments that had a rating below A1. I ended up finding one with a rating of A3! A perfect fit for my mission of making the world a cleaner place. Additionally, I’ll ensure to limit my electricity usage by always turning off the lights when not in use and to support local businesses by limiting my consumption at large franchises.
I hope this has shed some light on my current and future efforts to be as sustainable as possible during my exchange.
