Sustainability Abroad
Studying abroad is the perfect opportunity to discover new countries—but how can you do so in an environmentally friendly way? From train travel and conscious consumption to sustainable accommodation, following a few simple tips will help you enjoy your adventure abroad while taking care of the environment.
Traveling to and within foreign countries
- Choose sustainable modes of transportation, such as trains, bicycles, buses, or carpooling. Even when traveling to more distant destinations, you can often make at least part of the journey by train.
- Take advantage of the financial support for green travel and the Interrail Pass available to Erasmus students
- Pack only what you really need and try to avoid unnecessary purchases while abroad. You can find tips on how to pack more sustainably on the Green Erasmus website. If necessary, SendMyBag can be a useful option for shipping your luggage.
- Back on Track provides an overview of night train connections across Europe.
- Chronotrains and Seat61 are useful resources for planning train travel..
- If your room or apartment will be vacant while you are abroad, consider listing it through the University of Mannheim’s online private accommodation service. This can help incoming students find accommodation and make more sustainable use of existing housing in Mannheim.
Sustainable living around the world
- Buy locally produced or second-hand products whenever possible.
- Reduce your consumption of animal products, such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy.
- Choose products with little or no packaging whenever possible.
- Use reusable water bottles, cups, cutlery, and napkins when you are on the go.
- Air-dry your laundry instead of using a dryer.
- Sort your household waste into the appropriate bins. Check with your local waste management authority to find out how to dispose of and recycle waste properly.
- Donate or give away items you no longer need.
- Keep your showers short.
- Use reusable shopping bags—even in countries where this is not common practice.
- Get involved in local initiatives, such as community cleanups.
Special information for students participating in the Erasmus program
In addition to fostering international exchange through in-person encounters, the Erasmus+ program also encourages participants to choose environmentally friendly modes of transportation. Therefore the use of sustainable transportation is particularly encouraged through additional financial support.
Erasmus students at the University of Mannheim will automatically receive detailed information on how to apply for the “Green Travel” grant together with their Erasmus scholarship agreement.
Further resources and tips are also available from the Green Erasmus project.
Interrail Pass for Erasmus students:
The Interrail Pass for Erasmus+ is a six-month pass for European trains, developed in cooperation between Eurail and the European Student Network (ESN) specifically for participants in the Erasmus+ program. Thanks to its six-month validity, most Erasmus students can use the pass for both their outward and return journeys. There are two types of passes available:
- Four travel days within six months of the start date
- Six travel days within six months of the start date
Participants can use the pass flexibly: to travel to and from their host country in an environmentally friendly way, but also to further explore their host country or visit neighboring countries during their trip or stay.
More resources
- On the Erasmus Goes Green website, you can check out your carbon footprint.
- On the website of the European university alliance ENGAGE.EU, you can find practical information about travel options and accommodation.
- Read The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World to find out how you can do your bit without much effort.
- Studieren weltweit experiential reports about sustainability abroad (in German)
- Also interesting: Imagine for 1 minute the world you want
- Sustainability certificate: Studium Oecologicum at the University of Mannheim
- Sustainability at the University of Mannheim
I traveled by train to Sheffield, England, for my semester abroad, and I haven't regretted it for a second. I took the ICE from Mannheim to Paris, the Eurostar to London, and then another train to Sheffield—all in just 10 hours. Despite the distance, traveling sustainably was surprisingly easy and comfortable, and the time flew by. Compared with flying, there wasn't much difference in either price or overall travel time. For me, that made the environmental benefits of traveling by train all the more compelling—especially given the many possibilities offered by Europe's extensive rail network.
For my semester abroad in Bergen, Norway, I deliberately chose a more sustainable way of getting there: traveling by train with an Interrail Pass. I turned the journey into my summer vacation and spent more than two weeks traveling through Hamburg, Copenhagen, Malmö, Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Oslo before finally arriving in Bergen. The journey itself turned out to be a wonderful experience. Instead of simply getting from A to B, I had the opportunity to explore several countries and cities along the way. Traveling by train was also surprisingly easy and enjoyable. And compared with flying, it made sense financially, too—especially thanks to the Erasmus green travel grant. Looking back, I would choose to travel this way again in a heartbeat and would definitely recommend it to others.