Traveling the world is not something that should be taken lightly when considering the environmental impacts. As beneficial as it can be to see the world and experience new cultures, there’s other people to keep in mind and how they’ll be affected by your choices. Traveling often in the last four months has shown me that there’s constantly people who are in the airport and other public transportation. This gets me thinking of all the ways this can be harmful to the environment, with the carbon emissions and litter they may leave behind. When I studied abroad in London this spring, I felt reassured by the ability of communities to come together to make eco-friendly travel decisions.
The many electric buses in London allow for less harmful emissions to be released and reduce the damage to the atmosphere. During my time abroad, I did my intracity traveling with these buses or other means of public transport. This meant I also took a break from using my gasoline-fueled car at home for a while. When I wasn’t using public transportation, I was walking between locations far more than normal; decreasing my carbon emissions while increasing my overall well-being. It’s a little more difficult to be environmentally conscious while traveling between countries, but one way I focused on this was by using trains instead of airplanes. In using this mode of transportation, there are less carbon emissions per passenger and more people can get to their destination with one ride. An especially popular train that I used was the Eurostar, when I traveled from London to Amsterdam. Along with the environmental benefits, this ride was enjoyable and helped me slow down and enjoy the scenery of all the new countries I got to see.
Another major way I was sustainable abroad was by recycling whenever possible. Thankfully, in my host city, there were many spots to recycle your trash instead of just throwing it away. Even when I didn’t have immediate access to a recycling bin, I would usually hold my empty bottle or can in my bag until I found one, since I knew the bins weren’t difficult to come across. This was a simple way to feel like I was doing my part in reducing waste even while trying to manage a new life abroad. Something simple that also made waste reduction easy was using tote bags to carry everything, including groceries. Since their use is more common in England than the US, I had no problem changing my habits and bringing one out – especially since there weren’t always plastic bags available in shops. The sustainability practices of the UK and all around Europe made it easier to do my small part in reducing harmful emissions and being environmentally conscious. Adaptability and flexibility in a new circumstance like this can prove beneficial for environmental and community wellbeing.
