London excels in many categories as a city, especially through its sustainability practices. And while studying abroad, I had the opportunity to take a class called “Sustainable Cities: London in the Era of Climate Change”. This class, in addition to many of my own observations has further proven London’s strong focus on environmental protections and justice. 

One of the most interesting climate polices I have learned about is the Low Emission Zone/Ultra-Low Emission Zone or the LEZ and ULEZ. The low emission zones were created to combat congestion and pollution contributions to London after it was found that the smoggy air of London was poorly affecting the health of children living in the city. The LEZ and ULEZ are a set of boundaries, that cover most of London’s boroughs which apply a fee/charge to any high-polluting vehicle that enter the zone, in order to better the air quality of the city. This practice has proven to be successful, and shows how far London has developed from its polluted past. 

On a more personal level, I have observed many other practices, such as food composting. I never really composted in the United States, but the flats come with a small compost bin, so whenever I have a banana peel or eggshells, I just toss them in! These bins have been a very easy way to make a difference for the environment, and something I will continue to do when I return to the US!

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