Green Initiatives

Sustainability Statement

CIS Abroad is dedicated to promoting and enacting sustainability initiatives. We believe that by doing our part in educating our participants and employees on green measures we can help keep the Earth around us clean. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that CIS Abroad has formed a sustainability committee known as “Green Flags.” We are joining many other organizations in the education abroad field who are working to prioritize sustainability and climate action in our operations and programming abroad. Learn more about it here!

Sustainability Built Into Local Life

Local life activities have been carefully selected so that students are not only learning about local culture, but supporting local, sustainable businesses. With any activity that requires transportation, local staff think of the best way to transport students with the local environment in mind. Please keep reading below to see how we, as participants and as an organization, can contribute to building a sustainable local life.

Waste & Recycling

Upon arrival to Italy you might be shocked and overwhelmed by the intricacies of waste and recycling. You will find in most places that you need to sort everything into the following categories, each with its own bin:

Organic garbage

Paper
Plastic
Metal
Glass
General trash (non-recyclable) 

 

Photo: Pakwesi/Wikimedia Commons

Italy has an excellent public recycling system: in 2020, Italy recycled 72% of all of its trash, compared to the EU average of 53%. This is because recycling is mandatory in Italy: if you do not sort your recycling, there are associated fines. Luckily, recycling is very easy and convenient. 

Most municipalities separate recyclables into plastics, metals, glass, paper, and compostable organic material, as well as a sixth category for garbage.

Despite Italy being one of the leaders in recycling, Rome struggles to keep up with the amount of waste produced and the city center doesn't have room to place many bins on the streets. Consequently, Rome has been scrutinized for politics surrounding waste management. When you visit, make sure to try to keep as clean as possible in order to keep the city clean. 

Resources for recycling in Italy

• Overview of the system by Expatica
  
• Junker app -- provides exact guidance on recycling individual products

Water Consumption and Electricity

Energy and water are very expensive in Italy, and overall in Europe. It is also worth noting that Italian infrastructure is very different than in the US and therefore Italians think about energy and water usage very differently than Americans, with significant emphasis on conserving. 

Taking shorter showers at home can help conserve water, an essential resource, without compromising personal hygiene. This is especially necessary in Italy given its history of drought. By integrating this sustainable habit into daily life, residents and visitors alike can play a vital role in preserving Italy's natural beauty and fostering a greener future for the city.

It's important to be mindful of the following:

• Hanging your clothes to dry saves A LOT of energy and also reduces pollution
• Turn off lights whenever you’re not home
• Turn off the A/C when you’re not home
• The average A/C temperature in the peak of summer is a minimum of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  
• The length of time you take a shower
• Use a reusable bag when shopping! Saves on plastic
• Carry a reusable water bottle with you. Tap water is drinkable all over Europe and you can refill your water bottle around the ancient water fountains that surround Italy
• Avoid plastic packaging
• Ask for no straw in your drink
• Eat in instead of take away to avoid containers
• Of course, don’t litter

Food & Shopping

Groceries

Italians love to buy groceries at the markets, where you can find the best quality and many times you have the possibility to buy directly from the producer. This is a sustainable practice and an incentive to help the local producers. To respect the Italian cuisine heritage, locals know that the best way to buy good and fresh products is to buy groceries several times throughout the week (instead of going once a week and buying a lot of food all together).

Made Green in Italy

If you want to focus on supporting environmentally friendly products while in Italy, look for the Made Green in Italy certification in supermarkets and clothing stores. Products marked with the symbol have been proven to meet the standards of environmental sustainability as set by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security.

Organic Food

While many people might not have ingredients for gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, vegetarian, or other dietary restrictions, Rome has stores in which these ingredients and products are sold. Together with that, convenience stores might not carry products that are readily available for some dietary restrictions, though you can check the pharmacies as they have a special aisle for these kinds of products. 

Some stores that offer organic food:

• Naturasì
• Biopolis
• Bio Dop / Bio & Co

Mindful Souvenir Shopping

Be mindful when purchasing souvenirs, since oftentimes these small and cute things are mass produced in another area or even another country. Look for locally-made authentically Italian products to support the local economy and to have fabulous Italian-made gifts to give!   

Public Transportation

Rome is a very walkable city, with most of the main attractions being close together and in a no-car zone. Overall, Rome has taken major strides to cut down on the contamination and encourage residents and visitors to take public transportation. For this reason, there are many options for public transportation, such as trams, electric buses, trains and bike rentals. 

For example, Rome has many options for renting a bicycle or electric bike for a day, making it easy to get around without the help of a taxi or a car. You would be charged between 0.50 Euros and 1 Euro for unlocking a bike and a very small fee for using the bike for every minute after that. 

Some of the rental bicycle companies include:

• Lime
• Uber
• TopBike Rental

Bus and train travel is the method of transportation around Italy. You will find the train system around the whole of Europe is comfortable, efficient, and kind to the environment since the majority of the system is electric. Go trains! 

For an abundance of more information on public transportation options in Sorrento and around Italy, visit our "How To Move Around" page. 

Initiatives & Organizations Working Towards Sustainability in Sorrento & Italy

• • Slow Food Movement
  • UN Organizations:
    
    • • United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
      • The World Food Programme (WFP)
      • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

• Legambiente - It’s the most prominent and widespread environmental association in Italy with two headquarters in Rome and Milan, 20 regional coordination offices and more than 600 local groups of volunteers. Legambiente is a pacifist and independent movement and is not related to any Italian party or institution.