Green guide for exchange

Travelling

You don't have to travel around half the world to go on an exchange, there are many opportunities for exchange close to Norway. For example, you can go to Europe, which is a shorter journey and it is easier to travel green. If you travel green, you can get financial support through Erasmus+ and from HVL. Find more information here .

In addition to travelling green internationally, we recommend making green travel choices in your exchange town. You can use a bicycle to get around, or travel by bus and train if you are going further.

Living and consumption

When you travel abroad and away from the "everyday life" it is normal that one forget to make sustainable choices. You forget to switch off the lights straight away, take longer showers and shop more.

It is important to remember that the choices you make have just as much, if not more, importance when you live abroad. Therefore, we have attached some tips on how you can make conscious choices on exchange:

• Support local businesses; stores, café, restaurants etc. Avoid the big international chain stores.
• Reduce consumption. When you move abroad, everything feels new and you may want to update your wardrobe or buy some new equipment. But think carefully about whether you actually need something new. Perhaps it is better to buy the item used or a possibility to rent, borrow of switch.
• Avoid buying lots of plastic water bottles. Take a bottle with you that you can fill up. If you cannot drink water from the tap; you can find water dispensers, you can get a water purification filter or buy large bottle of water if you have to buy them first.
• Take your reusable bag/net with you everywhere. It is not only in Norway that plastic bags are expensive, in many other countries they are either high prices or taxes on plastic bags. Plastic bags are also banned in several countries.
• Continue recycling the garbage. It is very likely that how we recycle differ from the country you are going to. Therefore, take some time to research how they recycle.
• Do not throw trash on the streets. There may be fewer trash cans available abroad than there are in Norway. Rather take the trash with you home than throw it on the ground.
• Show respect for the tourist attractions you visit. Many of the biggest tourist attractions receive too many visitors, which is often at the expense of the nature and animals. Don't litter, stick to the path and see if you can find green tourist attractions or agencies.