One of the first things I noticed in Lisbon is how visible sustainability is in daily life. At home, my host has two bins: one for recycling and one for general waste. Bio-waste, like fruit peels, is separated, and larger cardboard boxes are kept aside. At first, this doesn’t seem very different from the U.S., where many homes have a recycling bin and a trash bin, and sometimes bigger bins outside for collection. As I’ve noticed, Lisbon’s system is integrated more seamlessly into public spaces, making sustainability a part of daily life for everyone.
Outside, public recycling is even more structured. Color-coded bins appear frequently for paper, plastic and metal, glass, and general waste. You run into them often enough that separating waste becomes second nature. I also had the opportunity to live in Valencia, Spain, last summer, and I noticed a similar approach to recycling and sustainability, which makes sense since it is another European Union country. Here in Lisbon, it feels straightforward, and I can see how the system works at a larger scale.
Energy and resources are treated thoughtfully here, too.
