When driving on the highway in Texas it is hard to miss the infamous “Don’t Mess with Texas” signs concerning littering on roadways. The campaign originated in the 80s and has remained a strong status symbol of Texas’ stance on littering. While abroad, I did not expect this motto to continue resonating with me.
The short amount of time that I have lived in Denmark has been filled with continuous reminders of the importance of being eco-friendly in Denmark. Denmark looks to continue minimizing their carbon footprint from garbage sorting to gardens on boats. Instead of one recycling and one garbage can there are SIX different types of trash cans in my living accommodations. AC is nonexistent which has little effect in the summer month where I am lucky if the high is in the 70s. Although the weather is optimal for walking and biking, I expect the shift to come.
While cars exist, they are few and far between. The most common form of transportation is biking. However, every Danish person has warned me that if my cycling skills are lacking, I will have to deal with the verbal frustrations of locals. During my orientation, we were shown this graphic with an “accurate” depiction of what we were in store for. In Copenhagen, the competition for parking does not lie in a parking lot like Lot 100 but rather in the bike racks.
Denmark has continued to challenge me in many ways in recognizing my footprint on the world. As classes begin, I am eager to expand my knowledge of the international business world. Copenhagen, Denmark has allowed me to adjust comfortably and I look forward to what the next four months have to offer!
