Our day today began by an aerospace engineering talk from Karel Bockstael, the former vice president of sustainability at KLM airlines. Interestingly enough, he started the sustainability conversation and department at KLM after many years of previous work for the airline. He gave us an in depth talk about sustainability in the airline industry. On the business side, he advised that we invest in direct air capture, which I plan to look into when I get home. Another thing he mentioned was the marketing campaigns of flying sustainably. He mentioned that the campaigns should be directed to the conscious consumers. This is similar to the target marketing strategy that I have learned about in my Intro to Marketing class. On the engineering side, he spoke about his ideas to achieving sustainable flying. One solution is using batteries instead of gasoline to limit emissions. He also suggested having shorter flights and more layovers, so you don’t have to carry as much gasoline. This allows you to fly more efficiently. He also told us how he tries to live sustainably. He said that he buys second hand items and tries not to fly often. Even though I am not an engineering major, I found the lecture interesting to hear about.
Our next activity was a Fault in Out Stars scavenger hunt. We got to see some of the different sites the movie was filmed. We went to the American Hotel, the famous bench, and the Rijksmuseum. This allowed us to explore Amsterdam and see more of the wonders there are. We hadn’t been able to walk around much prior, so the opportunity to learn a little more about the culture was fabulous.
Our final sanctioned activity of the day was going to the Anne Frank House. This was a tremendously eye opening experience. Having read her diary a few years ago, it was very interesting and insightful to see where she actually lived. It brings upon a sense of empathy. The fact 3 families lived in just a few small rooms. I’m addition, there were a lot of original items from the house in there, such as the attic steps and the kitchen counter. Overall, it was a very intense and somber experience that I am very grateful to have participated in it, and I am inspired by her and her family’s determination and strength. It is also very cool to see some of the details of an event that has shaped the Netherlands.
-Kali Burke