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Jakub, a project manager from Prague, Czech Republic, relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark, for a two-year assignment. Admittedly, he wasn’t the most eco-conscious person, but he would separate cardboard, glass, and plastic from his general waste. Other than that, sustainability wasn’t a major focus in his daily life. Upon settling in Copenhagen, Jakub quickly realized that the city has strict recycling regulations, requiring him to navigate a completely new waste separation system.
Jakub’s experience highlights a common challenge faced by both expats and travelers: what may seem like second nature in one place – like waste separation – may not be as intuitive for foreigners. Unfamiliarity with local rules can lead to fines, which can accumulate until the individual adopts to the new system. This article delves into Jakub’s process of adapting to his new life in Copenhagen, illustrating how integrating sustainability into Cultural Awareness Training not only benefits the environment but also helps assignees avoid unexpected financial burdens.
One of Jakub’s major challenges was getting familiar with Denmark’s highly organized waste separation system. Waste had to be sorted meticulously into several different categories, including paper, plastic, glass, bio waste, and general waste (1).
When Jakub arrived at his new apartment, he noticed a small green basket under the sink labeled for food waste. Thinking it was straightforward, he bought some small plastic bags to fit the basket. In his daily life, he sorted the trash into the categories he was used to from home, – cardboard, glass, and aluminum, – while also including the food waste basket. A few days later, when he went outside to dispose of the trash, he discovered a variety of bins labeled with specific categories: “plastic,” “food and beverage cartons,” “food waste,” “residual waste,” “metal,” “cardboard,” and “glass.” It became clear that there were many more categories than he had anticipated. He took photos of the labels and began sorting his waste into the correct bins. A few weeks later, Jakub received a note in his mailbox from the trash collection service reminding residents to sort their waste properly, warning that failing to do so could result in fees for the whole building. Jakub didn’t think further about it, until he received an invoice in his mailbox stating that all residents in the building would be fined 500 DKK (approximately 70 US $) for incorrect sorting of waste. Jakub became a bit nervous, wondering if he might be the one sorting incorrectly – after all he wasn’t a local. To find out, he watched an online video that gave a brief overview of Denmark’s waste system. He learned that food waste was supposed to be placed in a green trash bag, and decided to check the container downstairs. There, he saw that everyone was indeed using the green bags for their food waste. He realized he might be the culprit, and decided to figure out where to get the proper green bags for his own waste.
Having lived in Prague for most of his life, Jakub was familiar with using public transportation. Instead of driving his car to work everyday, he decided to take the metro. He got himself a “Rejsekort”, a travel card used for public transport in Denmark (2). The first day of using the card, he “beeped” the card in the morning, and the same when he returned home later that evening. He assumed that would cover the cost of his ride. However, when he checked the connected app on his phone, he was surprised to see that he had been charged twice—70 DKK for each trip, totaling 140 DKK (approximately 20 USD) for a “missing check-out.” Confused, Jakub turned to Google to figure out what had happened. He soon discovered that the ticketing system worked differently in Denmark compared to Prague. In Denmark passengers are required to both “tap in” at the start and “tap out” at the end of their journey, whereas in Prague the tickets are for a set period of time.
Jakub had a friend living in Sweden, Peter, who came to visit in Copenhagen for the weekend. Wanting the flexibility to explore places outside the city, Peter decided to drive his own car, an older diesel model to Copenhagen. However, neither Jakub nor Peter was familiar with Copenhagen’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) regulations. In these zones, certain vehicles were restricted from entering the city center due to their emissions. Peter drove into the heart of Copenhagen, unaware that his older diesel car did not meet the city’s environmental standards for entering the LEZ. A few days later, after Peter returned to Sweden, he received a hefty fine in the mail for driving in the LEZ with a non-compliant vehicle. The fine was a surprise, and he called Jakub to tell him about it. Neither Peter nor Jakub were aware that such restrictions were in place. Feeling guilty for not having informed his friend, Jakub offered to cover half of Peter’s fine to help ease the burden.
While sometimes receiving a fine might just be a part of life, the chances are bigger for those relocating, as they may not be aware of the local regulations. Having to research and navigate these unfamiliar rules on their own can lead to significant frustration for the assignee—and, as shown in this illustrative case, can also result in financial burdens. If Jakub had received Cultural Awareness Training, where Sustainability had been incorporated, he would have experienced a smoother transition and saved himself the frustration and money he received in fines.
Do you have an experience where sustainability and cultural awareness played a key role in relocation? Share your thoughts on sustainability@expatride.com, we’d love to hear your experiences!
Sources:
1 Københavns Kommune. (n.d.). Sådan sorterer du madaffald. Affald KBH. https://affald.kk.dk/affaldsfraktion/saadan-sorterer-du-madaffald
2 Rejsekort A/S. (n.d.). How to travel. Rejsekort. https://www.rejsekort.dk/en/hjaelp/saadan-rejser-du
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