The interview at Hydra Island presented a challenge as I learned through other students interview that sustainability was not an English term that they were familiar with. Instead I had to word my questions more directly. I asked about recycling and renewable energy as I felt like those were two big topics and I was pretty satisfied with the answer I got.

The Hydra excursion was one of my favorites. Getting to swim in a clear and deep sea was new experience and it was fun to explore the town with the free time that we were given. I think it helped that we went on a faster ferry so that we could get more time. I was not that interested in the donkey rides, but from what I saw and heard everyone that did enjoyed it.

Mytilineos is the company that I chose to do my sustainability report on. They are an industrial conglomerate that focuses on metallurgy. They had a long sustainability report with sections for the environmental and social CSR efforts. Their social work was mostly with their internal stakeholders, the employees. Their environmental section was more interesting as this company has potential for Industrial Symbiosis. While I didn’t find any mention of it occuring, they were making efforts to repair the environmental damage caused by their mines and plants. I feel that Mytilineos was a good choice.

When doing the readings, I liked the idea of Industrial Symbiosis. It seemed like the most efficent use of the inputs and a firms money as you are getting as much value out of the materials that is possible when you sell the waste. It was also interesting to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of Greece’s sustainability efforts. I did notice the large amount of solar panels placed on top of the roofs of Athens and I noticed wind turbines on our excursions. It seems like Greece is heading in the right direction, but has significant barriers still in their way.

The thing I liked the most about the tour was the beautiful coastline. The clear water and nice weather helped to create a very relaxing vibe. The Temple of Poseidon was ok, though after seeing the majesty of the Parthenon it seemed small and insignificant. The part of Sounios that we passed through on the way their seemed like it could potentially be a good vacation spot.

Hi, my name is Cannon Yarborough. I’m studying Marketing at College of Charleston. One thing that brought me out of my comfort zone on this trip was flying and traveling alone. Especially in a foreign country, I was worried that I would go to the wrong place or lose my luggage. While none of those things happened it was still out of my comfort zone. One thing I learned about Firestone and their ethical issues was that their negligence cost over 200 of their customers lives.