The Learning Abroad Center (LAC) is keenly aware of the climate crisis at hand and the impact of travel on our planet. Our goal is to promote studying abroad in an environmentally conscious way. We are committed to taking the steps necessary to reduce our collective carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable world. Individual actions are not enough, which is why we've created a pledge as a department, as individuals, and for our students.
The LAC’s initiative aligns with the University of Minnesota's Climate Action Plan (PDF), which was adopted by the Board of Regents on May 9, 2023. The LAC is seeking ongoing guidance from the Office of Sustainability to carefully craft the details of our plan and utilize the expertise of staff to support the direction of our work.
Our pledge as a group
As a department, we pledge to challenge each other to continually learn about and utilize best sustainability practices. Some of our initiatives include:
- Leadership involvement in campus wide Air Travel Committee which contributed to the MPact 2025 Climate Action Plan, presented to the Board of Regents on May 11, 2023.
- Participating in the Carbon Literacy Project workshop to learn about the impact and costs of carbon emissions (35 staff received a completion certificate in June, 2023.)
- Adopting a flexible work schedule to reduce carbon impact of commuting in to work every day.
- Encouraging use of public transit, biking, and ride sharing by allowing flexible work schedules.
- Re-evaluating our programming guidelines to include UN's Sustainable Development Goals in our curricula across all sites abroad.
- Promoting low-waste practices with a goal of zero-waste events.
- Collaborating with campus, national, and international groups to share sustainable initiatives and goals.
- Creating local travel weekend options for multiple LAC program locations.
Our pledge as individuals
We pledge as individual staff members to drastically change how we live our lives to better fit the needs of the planet. These changes include:
- Using public transportation and bike riding in lieu of driving whenever possible
- Reducing the consumption of meat
- Investing in electric technology such as electric cars and solar panels
Our pledge to our partners
We pledge to work with our partners to find innovative solutions for sustainability that both align with our values as well as the values of our partner institutions. This includes:
- Allowing program provider representatives to provide in-service training for LAC staff via zoom to minimize travel.
- Exploring slower methods of transportation, such as traveling by train, when in-person events and training are required.
- Learning about the sustainability initiatives of our partner institutions.
Our pledge to our students
The Learning Abroad Center pledges to educate and empower you, our students, to make the most sustainable choices during your learning abroad experiences. Our plans include:
- Helping you choose the best program based on your personal sustainability goals
- Incorporating carbon emission education into your orientation
- Providing resources and guides on how to travel sustainably
- Creating “Local Travel Abroad” weekends with optional activities to support climate action
- Highlighting ‘reuse’ or "sustainable shops" where students can purchase reusable things from the previous co-hort of students
Future plans include:
- Adding social media campaigns about being a carbon-literate traveler when you’re studying abroad.
- Creating a pledge for students and instructors to adopt for traveling sustainably.
- Embedding arrival activity for students to assess their carbon footprints
- Analyzing and documenting consumption savings in our programs (electricity, gas, travel, food, etc.)
- Familiarizing ourselves with the work of our industry through continued training and practices to lessen the impact of our operations.
- Helping students consider program location, length, and design when thinking about carbon footprint impact when studying abroad.
- Collaborating with the Office of Sustainability to implement a carbon offset/onset program.
Sustainable Programs
The programs below have sustainability programs, certification, and initiatives that students can participate in:
- University Study in New Zealand: University of Auckland
- University Study in Ireland: University of Limerick
Resources
| Sustainability at the UofM | University of Minnesota's Climate Action Plan |
| Sustainable Travel with the LAC | Tips and suggestions on how to make your study abroad experience more sustainable |
| Carbon Literacy Project | A project that aims to highlight the impact of everyday carbon emissions on our planet |
| CANiE Climate Action Network | Climate action network for international education |
| UN's Sustainable Development Goals | 17 goals for peace and prosperity of all people and the planet, created by the United Nations |