The United Nations has seventeen goals for sustainability. Each result is world changing, such as ending hunger, poverty, and stable lives for land and sea animals. I did not know about these goals until writing about them for this scholarship. I will not be ending poverty or climate change like the goals I found on the UN website. Furthermore, it is difficult to keep the environment in mind while travelling. There is certainly an irony as I write this essay about environmental sustainability while knowing I will be taking three different planes to the UK. Having said that, as I researched the difference I could make while studying abroad based on the seventeen goals, I found that I can take steps towards combating climate change and waste through certain methods of transportation and eating habits. There are also multiple ways I can engage in responsible consumption and production. These habits help both the environment and a student on a budget!
By travelling, I will harm the environment further from aviation transportation. Transport Environment explains that planes release different gas emissions into the air as a pollutant. Greenhouse gases are being created, trapping heat and causing global warming over time. On the topic of transportation, there is an advantage to the environment: I, a student studying abroad, cannot bring my vehicle to the UK. This means I have no other choice but to walk, take the bus, or get a bicycle. This action is related to the UN’s thirteenth goal: climate action. I will use the EURail for tourism which can make a major impact over the five months I will be abroad. This will reduce emissions and slow down the process of climate change.
The twelfth goal of the UN is responsible consumption and production. In simpler words, this goal is anti waste. I will buy and reuse grocery store bags to avoid the use of plastic. Additionally, I will be prepping and freezing my meals for later dates to preserve them. I know I am a forgetful person when it comes to anything in the fridge, so freezing it will prolong food life. Finally, a blog conveniently called ‘12 Ways to Make Your Study Abroad Trip More Sustainable’ advises that I focus on eating more vegetables and less meat. While I am not a vegetarian, meat is expensive and I am on a budget after all! One person cannot change the world, but one person can make a positive choice.
References
United Nations. “The 17 Sustainable Development Goals.” United Nations, 2015,
https://sdgs.un.org/goals.
T&E. “Airplane Pollution.” Www.Transportenvironment.Org, 19 Apr. 2024, https://www.transportenvironment.org/topics/planes/airplane-pollution.
Brisdion, Emma . “12 Ways to Make Your Study Abroad Trip More Sustainable ‹ GO Blog | EF Blog Canada.” GO Blog | EF Blog Canada, 2026, https://www.ef.com/ca/blog/language/study-abroad-more-sustainable/
United Nations. “Actions for a Healthy Planet.” United Nations, United Nations, https://www.un.org/en/actnow/ten-actions.
