As a geography student and sustainability champion for the University of Manchester I have spent a good proportion of my educational career promoting sustainable travel and understanding how carbon emissions reshape the environment, ecosystems and entire communities, then I booked a 17,000 km flight to Sydney, ironic right? Long haul aviation has a uniquely detrimental environmental impact, due to its high CO2 emissions and contribution to trapping outgoing long wave radiation, worsening global warming. This negative environmental impact is specifically relevant to Australia as it is a country which is visibly experiencing climate consequences like bushfires, coral bleaching and drought. With this in mind I aim to make my travel and lifestyle in Sydney as sustainable as possible. To achieve this umbrella term of ‘Sustainability’ I have approached it as a series of deliberate choices all manageable for a student and with the aim of achieving the UN’s sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Whilst in Sydney I will exclusively use public transport and walk where possible, making use of the extensive transport network within the city. Using apps like Rome2Rio will enable me to find the most sustainable travel options whilst exploring Australia. This action aligns with SDG 11, limiting car use where possible will improve the environmental and social health of the community. Focusing on SDG 4 and 17, which promote education and partnerships, I will be joining UNSW sustainability society and engaging with research carried out by the university through the academic modules I will undertake whilst there. UNSW’s climate change research centre is an institutional anchor and initiatives like eReuse where students learn to recycle electronics and donate them lay the foundations for sustainability to grow within the university community. Additionally, to work towards SDG 12 and exercise responsible consumption I will aim to buy local and seasonal food to reduce the air miles over which the goods I consume have to travel, this will both reduce my carbon footprint of travel and daily life. I do not see sustainable travel and living as something to do quietly and upon my return to Manchester I will be sharing my experiences within the geography department and among the sustainability champions to bridge initiatives across the globe. Ultimately, this placement is not simply a year abroad but an opportunity to live out the geographical principles I study, ensuring that my pursuit of knowledge does not come at an unjustifiable cost to the planet.
