Reflection #3 Wade

       As our trip comes to its conclusion, I’ve reflected a lot on how different societies can shape natural resources and land. While in the Dolomites, we saw extremely beautiful places and small towns nestled between large mountain ranges. As we hiked, I noticed how clean a lot of these beautiful natural sites were. The mountain tops were free of litter or heavy graffiti and the crystal clear lakes seemed to have barely any trash floating around, even though they were right next to docks and beaches where people were swimming, fishing and eating. I am not sure if littering is less common in these areas or if cleaning protocol is different, but it was great to see such beautiful spaces so well preserved. 

       I also admire the energy conservation here as well. The way the hotel rooms function on a key system to start up certain electrical appliances such as air conditioning and outlets seems to be a very smart system. In the United States, some people barely remember to turn lights off when they leave a room. If people were to simply turn off their heavy air conditioning units before leaving for work, there would be such an extreme amount of energy saved. You start to realize how unnecessary some of our energy consumption is. 

       While visiting Italy has been such a pleasure, I am excited to get back to free water and fast food. The food here has been delicious, but meals seem to take a majority of the day. As much as I love eating, this could become a little boring at times. I don't think I enjoy being social enough to talk at a lunch or dinner table for 3-4 hours a day. However, I will really miss the freshness of all the ingredients.