Dear Mum and Dad,
Greetings from Brisbane! International exchange has been everything I hoped it would be, and I am having a brilliant time exploring this city and meeting people from all over the world.
Like many other young people, anxiety regarding the climate crisis plays a big factor in the decisions that I make in my day to day life. It was particularly important to me to continue adopting sustainable habits whilst living in Australia and to show the same respect to other people’s home that I show to my own.
Using public transport to get from one place to another offers both a greener alternative to driving and a more scenic exploration of the area. I often choose to take the CityCat ferry, which runs along the Brisbane river and offers a breathtaking view of the central business district. All single journeys are capped at 50 cents (only 25p!) and Brisbane’s extensive network of trains, buses and ferries means that public transport is often the cheaper and more straightforward option. I also found Brisbane City Council’s online blog on sustainable living highly informative and useful in helping me to exercise climate consciousness throughout my semester abroad.
Buying second-hand clothes in op-shops rather than at high street retailers also made me feel more at ease about my consumption habits. The fast fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions, a staggering statistic which makes us all think twice about our individual habits and responsibility to stop the escalation of the climate crisis.
I’ve also found that shopping locally for fresh produce rather than big corporations has many benefits. Buying fruit and vegetables at the weekend markets allows me to support local businesses and to ensure the carbon footprint of the food I consume is as low as possible. Food miles are a particularly significant environmental issue in Australia due to its isolated location, with research showing that the average Australian’s groceries have travelled around 70,000km.
My worries surrounding food and its environmental impact have encouraged me to make decisions which will minimise my carbon footprint as much as possible. I decided to limit my red meat consumption after realising the industry’s role in causing deforestation and its threat to biodiversity on a global scale. I also make a conscious effort to reduce waste in all its forms, making a detailed meal plan and opting for products with recycled and recyclable packaging.
Living and studying in Brisbane has been an eye-opening experience in understanding the importance of exercising climate consciousness. Environmental sustainability has always been important to me and I know that it will continue to be after I return to the UK. However, learning about First Nations peoples and their unique relationship with the land has reiterated my understanding of the need to look after the earth as our collective home, a principle which starts with our individual lifestyle choices.
See you both soon,
Abigel
Sources used:
https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/your-brisbane/environment-and-sustainability/sustainable-living/simple-travel-changes-that-lower-your-carbon-footprint#:~:text=Simple%20travel%20changes%20that%20lower%20your%20carbon%20footprint,…%204%20Use%20biofuels%20instead%20of%20petrol%20
https://outbackharvest.com.au/blogs/what-are-food-miles-and-why-should-you-care#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20the%20average%20Australian%20shopping%20basket,food%20travels%20has%20increased%20by%20140%25%20since%201992.
