Before I began packing for North Carolina, I made a list, not of what I’d bring, but of what I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t bring new clothes, plastic-packed conveniences, or the casual detachment I once allowed myself when I travelled. I would not carry the comfort of ignorance. Instead, I would travel with clear intentions, buying second-hand suits in NC, a slow route through Iceland, and a hope that every small decision could mean something.
Sustainability, for me, contrary to popular opinion, is not a lifestyle, it is a responsibility. It’s a responsibility that begins before departure and continues after my arrival. Studying law at UNC is a huge privilege, but at its core, I must ask myself: how can I use this journey to live the values I claim to believe in?
The choices I’ve made so far are not extraordinary, but they are deliberate. I booked a low-emission flight with the lowest available environmental impact. I’ve chosen to shop only at vintage and secondhand stores in Chapel Hill, where I plan to take part in the clothing exchange initiative, returning garments when I leave, so they don’t become souvenirs of overconsumption. I’m using, and have used for a while, ‘Too Good To Go’ to rescue waste food; and ‘JouleBug’ to track and gamify my sustainable habits.
Beyond apps and alternatives, sustainability is ingrained into how I intend to live. I’ll be walking or biking to lectures. For further travels, I will take public transport, to, for example, the Smoky Mountains, but not as a tourist – as someone seeking to remember why protection of the environment is a significant matter. When you feel the stillness of a forest older than your family tree, it becomes impossible not to care.
Through my legal studies at UNC, I’ll be working with the Center for Climate, Energy, Environment and Economics, a programme that directly connects the law with the urgent demands of UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 13 (climate action), Goal 12 (responsible consumption), and Goal 11 (sustainable cities and communities). My aim is to explore these issues more deeply and, interestingly, how environmental justice intersects with economic inequality. I’m eager to interrogate these questions, particularly as these aren’t simply issues in textbooks, but are in the lives of the people I will meet.
This placement is far more than an academic opportunity; it is a test of how deeply I’m prepared to live by the values I claim. With honest introspection, I know it will be challenging, but I welcome that challenge. I know I won’t be perfect, but I will be honest, and I will keep asking myself, again and again, how can I do better?
Sustainability isn’t just what I carry in my suitcase, it’s what I carry forward. It’s a promise I am making to the planet, and to myself: that my time abroad won’t come at the Earth’s expense. That my journey will matter for more than just me.
