Travel has always been one of the most powerful ways to understand the world, but it is also one of the most environmentally significant. As global mobility increases, I believe the responsibility lies with students like myself to ensure that international exchange contributes positively to the places we visit. For me, sustainable travel is not about limiting experience, but about making more conscious, real-world choices that reduce environmental impact while deepening cultural understanding.
This perspective has been shaped by my involvement in the Warwick District Council People’s Climate Inquiry, where I volunteered between October 2020 and February 2021. The inquiry was centred around the guiding question: “What do we need to do in Warwick District to help address Climate Change by 2030?” I contributed to discussions on local climate strategy, particularly around sustainable transport, including electric vehicle infrastructure, integrated public transport, and active travel such as cycling and walking. These discussions highlighted how meaningful climate action often comes from practical, on-the-ground systems change rather than individual behaviour alone. This experience shifted my understanding of sustainability from abstract environmental targets to actionable local solutions and has directly inspired me to adopt and replicate similar sustainable practices during my exchange. This aligns closely with UN Sustainable Development Goals 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
During my exchange at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I intend to actively apply these principles in a new cultural and geographical context. UIUC’s Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) sets out ambitious goals around carbon neutrality, renewable energy, and low-carbon transport. I plan to engage with these initiatives by participating in student-led sustainability groups and campus environmental groups, using them as a platform to contribute while learning from a different approach to sustainability.
In practical terms, I will prioritise sustainable travel choices throughout my time in the United States. I will rely primarily on the MTD bus network and cycling infrastructure, both of which are well developed in the local area, alongside walking for shorter journeys. For longer distance journeys, I will avoid domestic flights where viable and instead prioritise rail or coach networks to reduce my carbon footprint. I also intend to live in shared accommodation, reducing per-capita energy and resource consumption through communal living.
Beyond transport, I aim to contribute to a cleaner local environment by adopting low waste habits, supporting recycling initiatives, and engaging in campus sustainability challenges. I am particularly interested in how US universities embed sustainability into everyday student life, and I intend to bring these insights back to the UK, applying them in future academic, professional, and community contexts to support wider behavioural and systems change.
Ultimately, my experience with the People’s Climate Inquiry has shown me that sustainability is most effective when it is collaborative and cross cultural. My exchange will therefore be an opportunity not only to study business in a global context, but to actively contribute to a more sustainable model of international education and travel.
