England: Taylor DuVarney (Sustainability in London)

Sustainability in London

Living in London has had a huge impact on how I view sustainability for both myself and society. While London is not perfect, the strides they have made to promote a more sustainable way of life for its inhabitants have made me reflect a lot on my own sustainability. There are a few examples of sustainability in London that come to mind. Although they seem small, they can have a large impact on the community and individuals.

The first sustainability tactic in London is the usage of different trash bags to promote recycling. In London, there are blue bags for recycling, and white bags for regular trash. This makes a clear distinction of what goes where in the different bins. In my home in the US, we use the same white bags for both trash and recycling, which can make it hard to differentiate one from the other. By using this simple tactic of bag colors, people are much more likely to be conscious of where they put their trash.

The second thing I have noticed regarding sustainability is in the same vein as the bag colors. In London, bags are almost always an extra charge, which means people are much more likely to bring their own reusable bag for grocery shopping or picking up goods. Personally, I have a small collection of different reusable bags I bring with me on shopping trips to avoid the extra charge of a plastic or paper bag. I am using way less plastic bags here than I ever do at home.

The final piece of sustainability I have noticed while living in London is the sustainability rating system. Many places, including FIE, have sustainability ratings. These ratings measure energy usage, water usage, and recycling efforts. Ratings are on display for all to see, which can incentivise the users of the building to be more environmentally conscious in order to raise the rating.

Overall, these sustainability tactics have had a huge impact on me. I am going back to the US with a broader concept of sustainability at play, and I am sure to use these tactics on my own. I plan on shopping with my own bags to reduce plastic waste, become more conscious of what I throw away, and work to reduce the energy consumption of my living and work spaces.

 

Taylor DuVarney

Major: International Studies and Spanish

Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin