So fresh and so clean clean

I’d like to welcome those interested to the granola lifestyle: 

For Perugians, “environmentally conscious” is an understatement. At least one country is making Jerry proud. Energy, waste, water, food - all are daily concerns and responsibilities to an Italian.

The allotment of seven hours of heat a day is only the beginning. Energy conservation is instilled into every building as well. Most lights are on timers, providing enough light to get up the stairs and into the next room before shutting off again. In our apartment, no electricity will turn on unless our key card is inserted into the wall of that room (this is especially frustrating when trying to charge anything for more than a few hours). The light sensors in the bathroom are also pretty interesting once we realized that in a shower you don’t move that much. Hilarious the first two times the lights shut off. Not so much the other times.

As for garbage, there isn’t really an option besides recycling. Across the street are a bundle of color-coded bins - each with a designated purpose: plastic, paper, glass, compost, cardboard, etc. After the mini road trips required of us back at Elon, this is a dream come true.

As for my favorite part? I still haven’t seen a Starbucks. There are a few markets, like the Coop, but I’ve become obsessed with the covered market. Every morning, before the pausa, there’s a fresh market where local farmers are invited to sell their goods. Just as around the city, the stands are divided by type of food: meat, fish, produce or a larger variety of goods. It’s all the most amazing food I’ve ever tasted. No preservatives, wax or corn syrup. The breads and cakes are made from scratch, vegetables are covered in mud and all food is seasonal to avoid exports. Let’s just say, after trying to survive off of a little organic corner of the Harris Teeter, every bite is a little slice of heaven.

The best part? Talk to the vendor for a bit and they’ll usually knock the price down. The other day I got 3 kilos* of oranges for 2 euro. Nice.

*Note to self: know how much is in one kilo next time… My body’s currently pumping full of the freshest six pounds of vitamin C I’ve ever tasted. Though delicious, it might’ve been a little overkill.