On May 8, we started the day at around 9 a.m. with a lecture on wind energy led by a mechanical and aeronautical engineering professor at the University of Twente. I really enjoyed his lecture because he managed to explain complex topics in an easy, engaging, and interesting way. We were even introduced to some of the formulas used to generate wind energy, which was pretty cool. I learned that wind turbines must be designed in a specific shape to harness the maximum possible energy.

After the lecture, we went on a guided sustainability tour around the campus and learned about all of the university’s sustainability efforts. For example, the university strongly encourages recycling and has multiple trash cans to help separate regular waste from plastic and cardboard. They also use solar energy, have water stations all around campus to minimize plastic use, and maintain community gardens. We also learned that the Netherlands has a law stating that if you cut down a tree, you must plant a new one. I found this law really interesting because, if it were enforced in the U.S., it could help minimize deforestation.

Later, we took a 90-minute bus ride to Windpark Groen and stopped at Power Energie for a tour of their facilities. We got to experience the massive size of the wind turbines up close and learned more in depth about how they harness and distribute energy across the surrounding towns. I was very impressed by both the number of wind turbines surrounding us and their enormous size. They also explained how this energy source is highly sustainable because it does not rely on fossil fuels, and even the turbines that are no longer used are transported to other countries to continue being utilized.

We ended the day in a small town called Elburg, where we received a guided tour around the area. Overall, today was a very educational experience that taught us more about sustainability efforts at both the University of Twente and throughout the Netherlands.