England: Addison Peters (Sustainability in London)

Sustainability in London

While in London, I have observed, learned, and engaged with many different sustainability practices. First transportation, in London, my forms of transportation are either the bus, tube, or walking. Back home, I would only drive. The tube, the bus, and walking are all forms of transportation that are significantly more sustainable compared to driving. I have enjoyed using these forms of transportation. They are convenient and make me feel like part of the community. Next is recycling, recycling is a lot more strict here. All of the packages have specific recycling instructions, and you can get fined if you do not recycle properly or you don’t recycle. Back home, I feel as if recycling isn’t taken nearly as seriously. Finally, I have learned about low-emission zones. Low-emission zones are part of London where people driving vehicles that have high emissions are charged 12.50 pounds a day if entering a low-emission zone.

After learning and engaging in some of these practices, I’m ensured that I will implement them once home. The first practice I plan to start is using the bus. I have heard that our bus system in Madison has been upgraded. I am overjoyed to hear the news, and I plan on using it instead of driving a car. I also have learned to enjoy walking. Before coming to London, I would refuse to walk somewhere, even if it was a short walk. Now I think a 20-30 minute walk is no big deal. As a result of this, I plan to walk more frequently back home. Next, I plan to take more initiative with recycling. This initiative includes making sure something is recyclable, recycling it the correct way, and encouraging others to recycle when available. I have loved learning and participating in sustainable practices!

Addison Peters

Major: Psychology

Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin