My journey from Oles Honchar Dnipro National University in Ukraine to the University of Sussex Summer School in Brighton is more than just an academic step; it is a transition that carries a deep personal responsibility toward our shared global future. Supported by the emergency Ukrainian Students Sussex Fund Appeal, this opportunity has inspired me to reflect on how simple, individual eco-habits can bridge different cultures, directly supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals: Responsible Consumption (SDG 12) and Climate Action (SDG 13).
During my recent educational travels across Prague, Strasbourg, Geneva, and Vienna, I observed a profound difference in environmental infrastructure compared to Ukraine. In Europe, green systems are highly integrated. Strasbourg’s seamless electric trams and Geneva’s public transit showed me how cities can reduce emissions. My visit to the UN Office in Geneva made me realize that global sustainability relies heavily on practical, daily choices.
In Ukraine, structured state recycling is still developing, but this has taught us to be resourceful. In Dnipro, I actively minimize my carbon footprint by choosing our local electric transport network—trams and trolleybuses—over fossil-fuel minibuses. This habit of prioritizing electric public transit, alongside carrying reusable tote bags and a refillable water bottle, forms my personal green blueprint.
Brighton is a leading UK eco-city, aiming to be carbon-neutral by 2030, with excellent tap water and an advanced low-emission transport network. During my stay at the East Slope campus in Sussex, I will easily implement my core habits using simple digital tools.
First, I will track and offset the carbon emissions of my transit route to the UK using the MyClimate calculator. Once in Brighton, I will shop with my own bags and use the Too Good To Go app to buy surplus food from local shops, preventing waste. I will refill my bottle with tap water by locating public refilling points through the Refill app. To commute, I will avoid taxis entirely, navigating Brighton’s electric buses and the electric train line to Falmer campus using the local Breeze transit app. Finally, I will document and share Brighton’s unique coastal biodiversity on my social media using the iNaturalist citizen science app.
My goal is to use this summer school experience as a bilateral exchange of environmental culture. I want to study how Brighton manages its electric transit and “Zero Waste” initiatives, and bring that inspiration back to Dnipro. Even with limited infrastructure, adopting a mindset of conscious consumption and prioritizing electric transit can inspire my peers at home.
This placement is a unique chance to prove that study abroad can be both transformative for the student and protective of the planet. By keeping my environmental commitments simple, practical, and highly consistent, I am determined to show that individual action is the most powerful tool we have for a cleaner, sustainable world.
