England: Andrea Chavez-Lazaro (Sustainability in London)

Sustainability in London

Living in a big city, a personal sustainable lifestyle can be easily followed. A few sustainable practices I have adapted have to do with walking habits, food waste, and laundry. For walking habits, I have learned that a 20 minute walk is really not that long. Before in Madison, if someone told me I would have to walk 20 minutes I would suggest driving. Here I have had to adapt to walking more often and because of it, I have learned to appreciate walking. Now when I go back home and hear a walk for 20 minutes, I will do it. In terms of food waste, I have learned how to manage portions for one person. Since I am only cooking for myself, I have become used to buying less quantity and keeping in mind just how much I cook at a time to avoid leftovers. Also because food does typically spoil faster here, I have learned that it is best to do more trips to the grocery store rather than buying huge quantities that go bad. For laundry, I have become more used to hand washing and air drying clothes. In Wisconsin, I would air dry some things but would rarely hand wash. Here, because I have less delicate clothes to wash at once, I have learned to hand wash and air dry the items. It is a more practical and sustainable lifestyle for me and one that I will apply once I go back to Wisconsin as well!

Andrea Chavez-Lazaro

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Verona, Wisconsin