As the son of two journalists, I have had the good fortune of accompanying my parents on many of their travels for work, including to countries “off the beaten path.” I was nine years old when my parents began taking me along on these trips, and one of my most prized memories is of Guatemala, where my father was directing a documentary. Along our travels, I played a football match with local school kids and accompanied my father as he bought fish for lunch from a local fishmonger in a coastal town.
It is tempting to view the people I’ve met as people in need, waiting to be saved by frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals. I believe, however, that hosts actively contribute to the sustainability of travel, and that sustainable travel is an inherently reciprocal action in which hosts possess agency. When my father bought fish from the local monger in Spanish, the exchange went two ways. We supported a local business, and at the same time, the fishmonger taught us about local fishing practices and their place within the wider environment.
In my international placement, I want to apply these lessons to my everyday life. Starting in September, I will begin a year abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). I will hone in on certain UN Sustainable Development Goals that align with my upcoming time abroad. Perhaps the easiest step I can take is to use public transport daily to commute to and from school instead of calling a cab. By making daily use of public transport, I can reduce my individual carbon footprint and support essential public services that millions of other Londoners rely on. When I travel further, whether to Scotland or Europe, I will choose rail over flying where possible, favoring National Rail and Eurostar to keep my carbon footprint down. At LSE, I plan to join its sustainability society, engaging with fellow students and building the climate policy knowledge I will need as a future diplomat working in multilateral institutions tackling climate change.
I will also prioritize local vendors and small business owners who depend on business from people like me. I believe that one of the best ways to do this is as a football fan. For example, I support Crystal Palace Football Club. By going to watch my club on matchday in South London, I keep my travel local and engage with the pubs and shops around Selhurst Park, supporting the same neighborhood that has given me so much joy.
To me, local community engagement, the use of sustainable travel methods like rail, and the prioritization of small businesses and vendors align with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, including responsible consumption and production, supporting sustainable cities and communities, and taking climate action. My international placement will be a series of small steps, through which I engage fully with my hosts in work, leisure, and travel in the pursuit of a sustainable time abroad.
