Every day, I travel between my home in Vitoria-Gasteiz and my university campus in Bilbao. This constant commute has made me very aware of a simple reality: movement always leaves a footprint. As a Biomedical Engineering student, my professional goal is to “humanize engineering”. I firmly believe that technology must be designed with empathy to restore autonomy and dignity to people. However, I have realized that designing devices to improve lives is a total contradiction if our daily actions and the way we travel degrade the environment that keeps us healthy. My exchange at Newcastle University cannot be an exception, it must be a reflection of this ethics.
On a personal level, my grandmother has always been my greatest inspiration. Her resilience and her passion for teaching me new things every day have instilled in me the value of taking care of what we have. Therefore, I believe that a lack of initiative is an intolerable red line, especially when it comes to protecting our environment. Traveling abroad is one of the most enriching and transformative experiences we can have, but it undoubtedly consumes resources. My goal with this scholarship is to show that international exploration and environmentalism can go hand in hand, aligning my stay with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To ensure that my trip is as eco-friendly as possible and contributes to a cleaner environment, I have taken the initiative from the planning phase, directly aligning myself with SDG 13 (Climate Action). I am organizing a route that minimizes my carbon footprint, avoiding unnecessary layovers. Furthermore, I have committed to traveling with only the essential luggage, a small measure that drastically reduces weight and fuel consumption in transport.
But sustainability does not end upon landing. Once I am settled in Newcastle, my commitment to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) will be absolute: I will move around exclusively by walking or using the local public transport network.
Additionally, I will adopt a strict circular economy approach to fulfill SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Instead of buying new items for just one semester, I will use second-hand shops and international student exchange networks to get winter clothes or basic household items. Also, drawing on my experience programming in my degree, I will reduce my paper consumption to zero, prioritizing fully digital resources, notes, and manuals.
I want my time in the UK to leave a deep mark on my academic development, but an almost invisible environmental footprint. Taking the initiative to travel consciously is my way of ensuring that exploring the world remains a sustainable privilege for everyone.
