“Our goal is to show that even small daily actions can make a big difference. We have realized that often students who begin an academic experience in a foreign country are left to themselves and do not find concrete methods and techniques to respect the environment. " With these simple but effective words, five students of ESCP Business School (the first Business School in the world, active since 1819, based in Turin and in 5 other European cities) present their communication project, born during the marketing lessons and intended to give non-resident students concrete suggestions for adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. The project, summarized in an article published in the Buzzfeed newspaper, illustrates some of the most interesting solutions available in the major university cities (Turin, Madrid, Paris). Here are some examples.
Mobility: naturally the most sustainable means of getting around are, in order of priority, walking, cycling or using public transport. But, as the authors of the project suggest, it can be interesting (in case of special needs) to take advantage of the car sharing services of electric cars, such as E-VAI and Simpla in Italy, or Zity and Emov in Madrid and Paris, which are certainly less impactful than traditional fossil fuel cars.
Food: as often mentioned on these pages, the problem of food waste has long since assumed global dimensions, representing one of the most serious environmental impact factors. Even university students, who are often unwilling to cook, can do their part. In fact, the article suggests the use of the Too good to go app which, thanks to the virtuous connection between merchants and consumers, allows you to buy surplus food (fresh, healthy and well cooked) at discounted prices that would otherwise be disposed of. With all due respect for the environment and for the health of students.
Clothing: it is well known that the fashion sector is the second largest polluter and producer of greenhouse gases in the world, mainly due to the economic model of "fast fashion". Young people are aware of this fact and are therefore looking for alternative production and consumption models, which combine sustainability with comfort. Among the proposals of the ESCP Business School group is a small Italian start-up co-founded by a twenty-one year old student. Detailz, this is the name of the start-up born in August 2020, aims to provide products that combine quality and sustainability, also using materials obtained from waste products.
The article, which you can read in full (in English) on BuzzFeed, continues with other useful tips to put into practice in everyday life. Ultimately, as Vittoria Giusiana, representative of the working group and author of the article concludes, "We are confident that our project is an example of the commitment that young people are showing towards the environment, as well as supporting small eco-friendly brands and innovative e-commerce". We are convinced of it!