Welcome to
Barcelona
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 in 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.
Living Green
Recycling
Living sustainably in Barcelona involves adopting eco-friendly practices that contribute to the city's environmental well-being. One can start by actively participating in the city's recycling programs, ensuring that plastics, glass, and paper products are separated and properly disposed of. To properly separate items, reference the color coded guide below.
Yellow: plastics, 'briks' (this is what your milk comes in here)
Green: Glass
Blue: cardboard
Brown: organic material/compost
Grey: everything else
Shopping
The city's inhabitants embrace reusable grocery bags as a simple but impactful way to reduce plastic waste and its negative impact on the environment. Although paper bags are available for purchase in each store, taking grocery totes is a cost effective way to aid the environment.
Another conscious sustainability choice is purchasing clothes secondhand. Exploring the city's numerous secondhand shops not only supports the local economy but also helps extend the lifecycle of clothing items, reducing the demand for fast fashion. Plus, you will find Spain's stylish brands for a discounted price.
Water Consumption
Taking shorter showers at home can help conserve water, an essential resource, without compromising personal hygiene. This is especially necessary in Barcelona given its history of drought. By integrating this sustainable habit into daily life, residents and visitors alike can play a vital role in preserving Barcelona's natural beauty and fostering a greener future for the city.
Public Transportation
Catalonia has taken major strides to cut down on the contamination and encourage residents and visitors to take public transportation. For this reason, they have lowered the price of public transportation, set up bike rentals around the city, and increased the frequency of trains.
Public Bikes
While the red 'Bicing' or 'Smou' bikes are reserved for permanent Barcelona residents, there are plenty of other options:
- Donkey Bikes (orange bikes) you can simply download the app and add your information. You will see a map pop up that shows you the location of various bikes.
- Bolt (green bikes) these are mostly electric bikes, you can download the app and pay per minute. Be careful as the vicinity for pick-ups and drop-offs with Bolt bikes are reserved for the center of Barcelona.
- Cooltra (blue bikes) these are also electric bikes and the sign-up process is a bit more complicated because Cooltra also has a moped service.
Electric Buses
TMB (the public transport company) has taken another step forward in the electrification of the bus network and this year will acquire 88 electric buses that will enable it to have a fleet of 232 electric vehicles by 2024. The V15 line that runs from the Tibidabo to Barceloneta is now a completely electric line.
Trains
Unlike other regions and areas in Spain, Catalunya has invested a lot of money into improving the local train lines, for example there was extensive work in summer of 2023 on the L4 Yellow line. In an attempt to encourage residents to take public transport the government has decided to temporarily cut metro ticket prices.
Local cities in the region can be easily accessed by train, as can major Spanish cities such as Zaragoza and Madrid. If you're looking to go to Southern France, it is also easy to take the train from Barcelona Sants.
Green Campus
Universitat de Barcelona
The UNI-ECO initiative is a collaboration between the Erasmus student network and the European Union and is a challenge issued to campus users to develop solutions that will improve sustainability at their University campus, working toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The objective of the “Green Challenges campaign” is to encourage campus users to get involved in the community by proposing projects as part of UNI-ECO that promote good practices within the institution, and the exchange of ideas between the partner universities.
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
The Healthy and Sustainable Campus (SIS Campus) is a project that encompasses two plans, the Healthy Campus and the Sustainable Campus. Both are aimed at all people who study and work at the University. They include 70 actions with a high degree of transversality, whose mission is to improve the health of the university community by promoting environments and habits for a healthy lifestyle, and to achieve a more sustainable and environmentally friendly University.
LCI
LCI's brand new campus has been designed completely with sustainability in mind. The new facilities will be BREEAM® New Construction certified (Excellent level), which certifies the sustainability of a building according to a series of criteria: management, health and well-being, energy, transport, materials, etc. Students are also encouraged to mirror LCI's sustainable campus when working on projects in architecture and fashion for example.
Local Organizations
ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEERING NETWORK OF CATALONIA
Ecoserveis was part of the Environmental Volunteering Network of Catalonia and when it merged as XCN It continued with the membership to promote energy volunteering.
Local Initiatives
In Spain, a rich tapestry of cultural traditions intertwines with a growing commitment to sustainable living. The country has seen a surge in local initiatives that seamlessly blend environmental consciousness with the vibrancy of its heritage.
Farmers' Markets and Local Produce
One prevalent aspect of sustainable living in Spain is the deeply ingrained tradition of farmers' markets. These markets, known as "mercados," not only showcase a colorful array of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and artisanal products but also promote sustainable farming practices.
Siestas and Energy Conservation
The siesta, a cultural tradition of taking a short afternoon nap, not only adds to the relaxed pace of Spanish life but also aligns with energy conservation principles. During the hottest part of the day, many businesses close, reducing energy consumption and encouraging a mindful use of resources.
Community Gardens
Community gardens are spaces where locals can collectively grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. These initiatives promote sustainable agriculture practices, foster a sense of community, and provide access to fresh, locally grown produce.
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