Traveling, not only for interest but also for education, is a very important experience in the life of any student. It is a way to discover something new about the world and about oneself. For me, this will be my first experience where I will take responsibility for my actions and decisions. However, travel also has an impact on the environment. Although it is a valuable experience, it can also be a problem, because people do not always follow rules that protect nature and, ultimately, ourselves. Many people use a large amount of plastic while traveling, over consume food and resources, make campfires, and do not always properly extinguish them afterwards. I believe it is important to travel more responsibly and take small steps that may seem insignificant for individuals but are meaningful for the environment. If not us now, then who will do it later? The more people do this, the more positive impact we can create. For example, the United Nations has Sustainable Development Goals. For example SDG 12 focuses on responsible consumption and production, and SDG 13 focuses on climate action (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ru/sustainable-development-goals/). As someone who wants to contribute to environmental protection, during my exchange program at the University of Exeter, I plan to walk or cycle more often, reduce non-recyclable waste, and use reusable bottles and containers instead of plastic ones. I also plan to live in a shared apartment with other exchange students and try to encourage them to act in the same way, because together we can achieve more. Overall, for me this is not only an opportunity to broaden my horizons, but also a chance to change my lifestyle and replace harmful habits with more eco-friendly ones.
