What does it mean to be “écolo” in France?

Do you care about the environment? Sustainability and environmental consciousness are on the rise all over the world, but especially in France. In French, a person with a particular interest in protecting the environment is called an écolo, short for écologiste.

In practice, French people do their part for the environment in many ways. France ranks eighth on the Sustainable Development Report, indicating that although there are still improvements to be made, the country is focused on a green way forward. Keep reading to learn what it means to be écolo on both an individual and a societal level in France.

---

Cutting Down on Waste

In 2020, an act of law against waste and for a circular economy was passed in France. Among other concerns, the legislation targets single-use plastics and food waste.

France aims to completely eradicate single-use plastics by 2040 by progressively replacing them with recyclable or reusable material. For individuals, this means that routine activities, like getting take-out food, no longer lead to throwing plastic packaging into a landfill.

Though France took aim at food waste in 2016, the 2020 law strengthens the sanctions for businesses who don’t comply with the standards. France’s anti-waste initiatives have also given birth to apps like Too Good To Go that allow consumers to buy discounted food that would otherwise be trashed.

---

Protecting Ecosystems

One way France preserves biodiversity is by classifying certain zones as aires protégées. These designated areas are subject to rules that seek to safeguard les espèces et les espaces, or species and spaces.

France’s biodiversity strategy intends to classify 30% of terrestrial and marine ecosystems as protected areas by 2022. Defending these natural spaces by limiting how individuals and entities can interact with them promotes ecological diversity, strengthening them against and helping us cope with the effects of climate change.

---

Eating Less Meat

It’s no secret that eating meat isn’t great for the environment. Though French cuisine is generally not vegetarian-friendly, a 2018 law gives young people the chance to eat less meat.

Once a week, school cafeterias must offer a vegetarian option to French students at mealtime. While providing just one vegetarian dish per week might seem trivial in the context of the meat-heavy French diet, even small acts like this one result in fewer carbon emissions overall.

Though vegetarianism is nowhere near the norm in France, vegetarian and vegan products are finding their way into more and more French homes.

---

Choosing the Train

Train travel is more than just an accessible way to get around in France. It’s also a relatively eco-friendly mode of transportation. In fact, trains represent just 0.4% of all transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions in France.

Recognizing the need to prioritize train travel over other transportation options, France is investing in improving the existing rail network and is even aiming to add more railway. Furthermore, in an effort to encourage more people to take the train, short-haul flights that could be replaced by train travel have been banned in France.

While cars remain popular in France, eco-conscious individuals choose the train when possible.

---

What do you think of France’s efforts to protect the environment? Do you consider yourself an écolo? Let us know in a comment!

• YouTube
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• WordPress
• TikTok