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Environmental Nerding In Spain

September 28, 2023   ·   0 Comments

By Martina Rowley

While I was still recovering from jetlag from my return flight from Spain (six-hour time difference), the little trinkets I brought home for myself and was now unpacking reminded me not only of my many fun outings but also of numerous environmental practices that caught my attention on this holiday.

First off, on my Air Canada flight I enjoyed seeing the airline’s switch from plastic cutlery to bamboo. According to their online information, the wood is FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council, meaning it comes from sustainably grown and managed forests). In summer 2019, Air Canada started replacing their plastic hot drink stir sticks with wood on all flights, saving around 35 million plastic stir sticks per year and now in 2023, they also replaced their cutlery.

Air Canada’s overall environmental efforts in their air fleet, as well as in their offices, were also recognised by Air Transport World Magazine, who voted them Eco-Airline of the Year in 2018. I was less excited about their hot airline meal, which firstly was not as advertised and tasted rather unappetizing. Good thing I was prepared and had brought some of my own snacks too. I will say that their hot lunch offering on the return flight was overall good and even tasty, so they redeemed themselves a little.

During my two weeks in Spain, I marveled at several environmental programs, installations and habits, some I wish Canada would do better on. First was my transfer from the centrally located city of Madrid to the far north-west of the country via high-speed train. I am constantly bemoaning the poor state of Canada’s railway system; its shrinking rather than expanding rail network, generally due to the decline in passenger numbers. Spain, on the other hand, has the largest network of high-speed trains in Europe (around 3,762 km), connecting the major tourist destinations and many other cities. It is fast, efficient and environmentally preferable and cheaper than taking an inland flight. The almost 250 kmh speed of a high-speed train is comfortable and not noticeable at all, as the carriages and rails are designed to prevent and absorb that common side to side motion of standard trains. I will stay away from trying to explain that, let it be sufficient to say that the comfort of travelling on these sleek ‘bullet’ trains is far superior to the ever-shrinking seat size and lack of leg space in an airplane’s economy seating. Any land-based mass transit keeps thousands of cars off roads and highways for long-distance travel, cutting down on fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. In 2022, 23.7 million people travelled by high-speed trains in Spain.   

Personalised transportation was also a big thing in the seafront town I stayed in. There were multi-purpose trails galore for walking, running, cycling or e-scootering (the electric stand-on type). The city also has a bike-share program, BiciCoruña, with a mixed fleet of 172 E-FIT electric bikes, 342 FIT bikes, 55 smart stations and almost 1,000 docking stations. The e-scooter rules allow riders 15 years and older to ride a large scooter without a driver’s license. These options allow people to get to their destinations without having to take a bus or other vehicles, though there is an extensive bus system as well.  

One other thing I noticed after one week in the country and having visited numerous restaurants and interesting sites was that in almost every washroom the lights were set on a motion-sensor and were off until you walked into a room. Even an underground parking garage was set up that way, though I admit it startled me for a moment until all the lights came on and made me unsure of the safety of this in a parking garage. That small concern aside, motion-sensors or rather occupancy censors make so much sense for lighting spaces that are not occupied on an ongoing basis. They can reduce energy waste by as much as 68 per cent and increase energy savings by 30 to 60 per cent.

As I wandered about the city, I was also pleased to see organic waste bins in the public realm! That was a first for me, but my friends told me it was not (only) due to a forward-thinking city council but because organic waste is not collected directly from each home or building. Residential housing in Spanish cities is primarily in apartment buildings, therefore residents must drop off all their garbage, recyclables and organic waste themselves at their nearest containers on the street, which are then emptied by city waste trucks.

While most travellers probably focus more on the beauty, accessibility, facilities and vibe of their holiday destinations, I see all that AND how other countries handle environmental initiatives and sustainable options. Environmental nerd? You bet I am!

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