I am a Vietnamese-born passport currently residing in the US. At my young age, I am already thick, slightly battered, and stamped across 40 countries on six continents. I’ve seen the sunrise over Angkor Wat and survived a blizzard in Massachusetts. Frankly, I’m a masterpiece.
But let’s be brutally honest: my carbon footprint is so massive it has its own zip code.
When my human was accepted to study at the London School of Economics (LSE) for the upcoming year, I was thrilled. I immediately began dreaming of transatlantic naps and cheap, carbon-heavy weekend flights to Ibiza. But then, my human looked at my ink-soaked pages, sighed, and said, “No more, old friend. It’s time we grounded ourselves.”
To reconcile my high-flying history with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we are transforming our UK study abroad from a continental safari into a masterclass in slow, hyper-local impact.
The reformation starts before we even clear Heathrow, directly aligning with SDG 13 (Climate Action). Using Atmosfair, the rigorous flight carbon calculator recommended by the Climate Action Network for International Educators (CANIE), my human calculated the exact, non-CO2-adjusted emissions of our US-to-London flight. To mitigate this inevitable climate spike, we are personally contributing to verified Gold Standard offsetting initiatives.
Once in London, I am going on a strict transit diet. No carbon-heavy rideshares or short-haul weekend hops to mainland Europe. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), we will commute entirely via walking, cycling, and Transport for London’s iconic red buses. To navigate, we will rely exclusively on the LSE Cities’ Sustainable Mobility Map to locate campus bike parking and safe active travel corridors.
Our daily routine will champion SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by fully diving into LSE’s Green Impact campaign, “IT ALL ADDS UP.” I will be tucked away in a backpack while my human carries a reusable KeepCup (expertly dodging LSE’s single-use cup levy), refuels at campus water fountains, and uses the LSE Sustainable Dining Map to hunt down plant-based, low-carbon meals. To tackle the student food waste epidemic, we will use the Too Good To Go app to rescue campus leftovers.
Furthermore, instead of feeding my luggage with fast-fashion souvenirs, we are adopting a circular lifestyle. Using LSE’s Recycling and Repairs Map, we will mend what we have and recycle correctly. By joining the LSESU Sustainable Futures Society, my human plans to advocate for sustainable student mobility, proving to peers that you don’t need to cross borders every single weekend to find a meaningful adventure.
I may not get ten new stamps in London, but as we align with the UN SDGs, I am immensely proud to be a passport to a sustainable future. After all, if we want to keep exploring this beautiful planet, we must ensure our collective choices add up to saving it—not warming it.
