Color Yourself Fascinated

Here comes the final installment of my year-end series on the Ten Most Fascinating Aspects of Life in Austria!

7. Austrians' Commitment to the Environment - Recycling

Generally, Austrians are conscious of how their actions affect the environment.

Case in point: their recycling system -

First, they recycle paper.  

Then, they recycle organic waste.  In our kitchen, we have a "bio bin" under the sink for food scraps.  No food is thrown away here; it all goes into the Biotonne. 

Finally, we have bins for plastic bottles and other plastic products, glass, and Restmüll, for the rest of it. 

Recycling continues on the train, as seen here, in malls, and other public places.

8.  Austrians' Commitment to the Environment - Others

Many Austrians bike and take public transportation in lieu of owning cars.  Outdoor markets and grocery stores are filled with local produce, cutting down on pollution caused by transporting food far distances.  For home heating and energy, solar panels are common, as well as the use of recycled wood pellets (made from leftover scraps of wood).  Austrians are concerned with being efficient in how they use their resources, and I think that this is an element of their culture that will continue to resound with us when we move to the US.

9. There's History Here.

And that history goes far back.

A castle sits atop a hill as our train rides by.  

Salzburg's Cathedral looms large in any lighting.  The first cathedral on this site was built in 767.  Let that date sink in. 

 Tarnished copper and gold decorate the top of a building in Salzburg's Altstadt. 

Hiking up Kapuzinerberg where monks have lived for centuries, dining at the Augustiner Bräu where beer has been brewed for centuries, visiting Festung Hohensalzburg which has defended the city for centuries -  the past is palpable.  That is not to say that Austria isn't modern; it's to say that here there is a lovely harmony between the past and the present that will continue into the foreseeable future. 

10.   It's Really Very Similar.

For Americans, it is very easy to feel comfortable here in Austria. There are many, many things that are similar, and spoken English or English written on signs about town is common. The supermarkets are similar, as are the malls, the type of work available and its demands, and even the people. Once you get to befriend a few Austrians (not as easy as befriending Americans), you can find yourself wanting of few things else, American or otherwise.