Lucas DuMez, Hokies Abroad Marketing Intern from Virginia Tech, talks about how his study abroad experience influenced his way of living on his return to Blacksburg.  He writes:

Hi!  My name is Lucas DuMez, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. This blog will go in depth about how my trip abroad to Australia and New Zealand inspired me to live more sustainably.

As a freshman back in 2017, I travelled to Virginia Tech to study Biology in hopes to receive my Bachelor of Science Degree. I have since added a second major of Sustainable Packaging and a minor of Green Engineering. Neither of those would have been of interest before my trip but now allow me to continuously learn about the world we live in and how to keep it balanced for future generations.

While traveling in New Zealand with Hokies Abroad, I experienced a society that helps protect the native endemic species and environment. I saw that most restaurants will only allow you to use reusable plates and utensils, and most fast food places have compostable products and packaging. Our group helped local school students plant dune grasses to help prevent erosion. Starting these environmental practices in the younger generations allows them to be more passionate about nature. We can only hope that they will continue to care just as much when they are older. I was also told how there was a huge oil spill off the coast and the locals worked together to help clean the coastline without the help of the government. Such involvement and activism is not seen in the United States, but could and should be.

We got to meet the Maori people and the Aborigines from Australia. Both groups have such great connections to nature and help to develop their mentality into community development and European settler’s mindsets. Many New Zealand people have come to respect the land as the Maori do, thinking of it as a lifeform. This engrained environmental culture left me feeling some cognitive dissonance, as I had always grown up using single use products and never realizing the environmental impact and outcome of how I lived.

I also saw environmental practices of sustainability in Australia, although it was nothing like in New Zealand. Australia reminded me of the way we live in the United States, but they were more aware of their impact because of the Great Barrier Reef. The main reason I believe New Zealand is so much more environmentally friendly than Australia and the United States is because the New Zealanders have always been in communication and in contact with their native Maori people who live by the land. Cultural environmental practices can be seen all over New Zealand.

This trip and all the experiences along with it have helped me to change my daily lifestyle to become more sustainable. I stopped eating meat and by not supporting the meat packing industry, I help to preserve water. I have invested in a crop share and have started going to local farmers markets to support local businesses and reduce plastic waste. And I have convinced my parents to install solar panels onto their house. I have been trying to and have successfully lowered my carbon footprint and environmental impact. I travel on local transportation and have been studying more about sustainability in my second major and my minor at Virginia Tech. I now help educate the student population about certain products and what can and cannot be recycled.

Encouraging others to start reducing their consumerism brings me joy and it would be great if you could try to lower yours as well. All I am asking is that you investigate sustainable programs in your area and start living a less wasteful lifestyle, unlike most Americans. Also, if you are a Virginia Tech college student and would like to have a similar study abroad experience that covers sustainability, you should look into the Hokies Abroad opportunities. For more information about the program and sustainable living, follow our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts: Hokies Abroad in Antarctica, Australia and NZ / @HokiesAbroadANZ and visit our website, www.hokiesabroad.org.