I am extremely impressed by the small amount of consumption here. There is a strong emphasis on energy conservation and recycling, both on campus and off. Every student is given a certain amount of energy for the semester, and if you exceed this limit, you are charged for your use. This translates to me frantically unplugging everything in my room and turning off the heater every time I leave. Also, the buildings are cold. I mean, the wear your coat and hat inside kind of cold. When I charged up my little cell phone, a message popped up that said, “Battery is full, unplug from wall to save energy.” That was four days ago and the battery is still showing all bars of charge. At the grocery store, don’t even think about getting bags for your purchases. On an interesting side note, I can successfully fit ten apples inside my purse. Obviously, the small cars and use of public transportation play a large role in their energy efficiency as well. I think most Americans like the idea of energy conservation, but when it comes to actually being more efficient, it’s an uncomfortable change (especially when you’re huddled in your bed at night, wearing layers of every set of pajamas you have). The most distressing change for me personally, is the small size of their soft drinks. No, I don’t care so much that the coke bottles are teeny-tiny. But, my BELOVED coffee is only served in minuscule amounts.
This is a large, and it cost me around $2.50 (I’m not quite sure about the conversion). Heartbreaking.
However, in the midst of all these environmentally friendly practices, I find a completely contradictory amount of trash laying everywhere. This is a typical roadside view:
Where are all the prisoners to clean this up?!
I’m hoping I’ll quickly adapt to this “greener” lifestyle and keep up the good habits when I return to the States.
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