Sustainability is a practice that tries to uphold our planet’s well-being by being conscious of the resources we consume and what we do after our first consumption of a product. We factor study abroad into sustainability with the overall flight emissions produced by students traveling to their programs, which fall under scope 3 carbon emissions.

It is our mission to encourage mindfulness and awareness about how much of the international community lives more sustainably than the average American. When you go abroad, you can live like the locals around you and hopefully return to Lafayette with new intercultural sustainable habits.

Sustainability Resources

Climate Vulnerability

Climate vulnerability is a key consideration for students studying abroad, as it highlights how climate change can impact both them and their host environments. This includes exposure to extreme weather, health risks, and disruptions to infrastructure and academics. Some destinations, like coastal or low-resilience areas, face higher risks. Understanding these factors helps students choose safer, more adaptable study locations and prepare for challenges in a changing climate. Students should be mindful of which climate issues are prevalent in their host countries and prepare for the local community’s sustainability standards.

Sustainable Habits

  • Limit waste and transportation-related carbon emissions.
    • Prioritize slow travel. Stay longer in one place to fully experience the local culture and connect with the community instead of rushing through multiple places.
    • Buy used or secondhand goods instead of new products.
    • Sell or donate items that you no longer need before coming back home. If you’re staying with a host family, ask if they’d like to keep your things for the next student they host.
  • Seek out non-exploitative tourism and try to remain local.
    • Purchase from local businesses.
    • Be mindful of your plastic consumption and local recycling practices.
    • Participate in excursions that protect and respect the natural ecosystem.
  • Adapt your consumption rates to your host country’s standards.
    • Be mindful of your water consumption, such as taking shorter showers.
    • Minimize the consumption of single-use products.

Sustainability Programs

Featured sustainability-oriented semester abroad programs:

Program offerings and details may change. Use our program search tool for the full and most current list.

Study Abroad

Global Green Cultures

Sustainability at Lafayette

Our campus is a living laboratory for environmental sustainability with LEED-certified buildings, water bottle refill stations, wind turbines, and a community garden that facilitates a robust food loop. We’re working to cut global warming emissions, integrate sustainability into the curriculum, and cultivate solutions to ensure a healthier environmental future. Exploring sustainable living on campus prepares students for a life of environmental citizenship. Learn more or visit us in Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center, room 203.