Sustainability In Different Countries

My Perspective and My Experiences:

Why This Topic?

I live in a little bubble and I sometimes forget that there is so much more to this world than I know. My family and I have traveled so much over the years. We have learned about various cultures, customs, and people. I believe it is crucial for people to learn and educate themselves on what is going in different countries.

Something that I have picked up while traveling, is seeing how different countries approach the issue of pollution and how they are working towards sustainability. There are several differences among these nations and how schools, restaurants, and other public places operate. So, I have decided to give me opinion on two places that I am familiar with.

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The United States

Schools:

When I talk to my friends and family members, it is obvious that there are so many things concerning sustainability that they are unaware of. I started to wonder, why don't many people know how to be more eco-friendly? Then, I thought about our education system and if they educate students on pollution and sustainability. In my experience, we learn about the basics of recycling and how pollution impacts the environment in certain classes and activities, and that's about it. Some schools might be different and there are classes and clubs that teach students about the environment. However, students can choose to take these classes, and there are a lot of students who choose not to learn about these issues. I find this concerning, but I feel better knowing that schools are doing a better job with educating students on this critical topic. With classes like AP Environmental Science and Green Clubs, students are learning more about our Earth everyday. I believe if students learn from a young age about how to be sustainable and reduce their waste, we can save our environment!

Restaurants and Public Spaces:

One way to drastically reduce waste is through restaurants and public spaces adapting to sustainable practices. It would be amazing if parks, strip malls, beaches and entertainment centers had several recycling/compost bins with instructions, people monitoring waste bins, and used renewable/green energy. If restaurants only used reusable utensils(wooden/paper/steel) and implemented composting, that would make a huge difference. However, I can't say that I have seen these practices in public areas often. Once in a while, I have come across amazing restaurants and public spaces that are sustainable and environmentally conscious. The fact that it is so rare to find places that are eco-friendly, is worrisome. However, I won't forget that there are establishments that are working hard to be sustainable and there are more eco-friendly restaurants that are rising. If the US can make it normal to recycle, use reusable utensils, and to be conscience of their waste, we can be a model for other countries to do the same.

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India

Restaurants and Public Places:

I have visited India several times and I have even lived there for one year. Throughout these many visits, I was able to make a few observations of how eco-friendly the country is. One thing that is very obvious as you drive around India, is the large amounts of trash found on roads. India, like many countries, tend to have a lot of trash and litter on the roads. This is due to the large population in India and the several restaurants, stores, and pop-up food establishments on the sides of the roads. It is also very possible that people are not educated from a young age about how littering is bad for the environment and that people should properly dispose waste. Another observation I made, was the lack of trash bins around highly populated areas and this obviously leads to littering.

However, India is changing and its for the better. In 2019, I went to India and I saw great developments in public places! Restaurants were offering paper straws, plates, and utensils! This is something that I don't see in the US that often, so I was pleasantly surprised. There are also great, sustainable companies that are arising, like Bare necessities, that are trying to make India sustainable through guiding people in how to reduce their waste and selling eco-friendly products!