Celebrating Earth Day with IES Abroad

Spring has officially sprung 🌼 and now it’s time to celebrate this beautiful planet that we call home. We couldn’t imagine only spending one day thinking about sustainability, environmentalism, and how it relates to travel and studying abroad—so we’re gonna celebrate Earth Day for an entire week. Obviously, we think you should join us. 😎

There are a lot of different ways that you can connect with Earth. Sure, going outside barefoot 👣 and walking in the grass is always an option (grass is way softer than you would expect!) Us? Well, we like to take a multidisciplinary approach, and weave together student and alumni voices, faculty and staff expertise, and initiatives for the future.

So, whether your ideal Earth Day is spent outside in the sunshine or inside watching a nature documentary (may we suggest the “Our Planet” series narrated by David Attenborough? Yes, it’s on Netflix) we hope that you feel a little bit more connected with each other and this beautiful planet. Hopefully we’ll be able to get back out there and explore it soon. 🌎

Here are a few ways to celebrate Earth Day with us!

Take a virtual visit to Ecuador

We only have one planet, and one lifetime to spend getting to know her. If being environmentally friendly is important to you, we have several engaging programs that cater specifically to that interest. In fact, we have hosted a really cool alumni event where you can learn all about our programs in Quito and the Galápagos Islands–Ecuador, here you come! 🐢

Ditch fast fashion, like Kathleen B.

Connecting with nature isn’t the only way you can make a positive impact on the planet. Check out the work of Kathleen Blehl (IES Abroad Milan | Villanova University), one of our Finalists for Global Citizen of the Year. Her commitment to going zero-waste after returning home from studying abroad and learning about the dangers of fast fashion 🛍️ is incredibly inspiring—and very actionable.

Go birding, like Brendan M.

Of course, documenting nature can be just as important as exploring it! We were lucky to have Brendan Murtha (IES Abroad Galápagos Islands | Bowdoin College), a birder 🐦 and an amateur photographer, capture so many incredible moments on his journey to observing his 1,000th species of bird.

Consider your carbon footprint, like Claire W.

It’s always important to note the complex—and sometimes contradictory—feelings about studying abroad. Claire Weeks (IES Abroad Berlin | Bryn Mawr College ) grapples with the reality of the CO2 emissions from a transatlantic flight ✈️ in her blog post, “Reconciling with My Environmental Guilt.” We love how open and honest our students are about every aspect of their journey abroad.