Today started with a train ride to Rotterdam. There were some hiccups with the transportation but overall I enjoy the public transportation a lot. Since it is provided as part of our trip, I am not really sure how the price compares to driving a car but I feel like the trains and trams are more relaxing than driving myself and it feels good to do something I know is more sustainable. Plus, walking around the city is very fun, especially with the lovely weather we had today. Our trip to Rotterdam revealed more flat and somewhat boring landscape, making me miss the mountains of Arizona or woods of New Jersey. Overall, though, I am loving this country and, each day that I spend here, I feel more like I would enjoy living here. While walking around Rotterdam I noticed lovely parks and green space with some pretty fountains. In addition, I found the architecture to be gorgeous, especially the modern building design that is abundant with glass. I think I may like Rotterdam even better than Amsterdam.
Our first stop in Rotterdam was a floating farm where they raised cows to produce milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products. They were also working on vertical farms inside of their current structure and in a new structure they are planning to build. The fact that the farm is floating means it does not take up valuable city land. This both allows the land to be used for other purposes and enables the farm to be located closer to the city, reducing transportation costs and inefficiencies. In addition, during storm surges the farm would remain above water and hypothetically be able to continue providing food to people who otherwise would have no access to food. In addition, the farm uses solar panels for most of its electricity and food waste from restaurants in the city for the cow’s feed. In this way, they maximize their efficiency and sustainability.
To me, the most interesting aspect about this farm is that they place priority on doing what is right for the earth over making the most money they can. The person we spoke to admitted that some of the sustainability measures they take cost them more than the less earth-friendly alternative would. She said that they accept these higher costs because they see it as their responsibility to the earth to take these measures. I think that this is an admirable decision for a company to make and wish more companies would take these measures. Unfortunately, I do not think this culture of helping the earth and doing what is best for future generations is shared in many other countries, especially not in America. This makes me sad but also makes me realize that it is therefore necessary for the government to intervene and incentivize sustainability or tax a company’s lack thereof. In addition, the fact that multiple companies here in the Netherlands continue to succeed while spending this extra money on sustainability proves that laws that force companies to take these measures would not ruin their business.
Our next activity was a boat ride through the harbor that made me realize how big of a trading center Rotterdam was, the largest port in Europe. I did not realize how important The Netherlands was to the world economy until I saw the immense number of cranes and cargo ship containers on the banks of the harbor. The port reminds me how complex the supply chain is in our global economy, with parts moving all around the world before being sold to the consumer.
Finally, we had an incredible Mediterranean/Turkish dinner. The food comprised of chicken, other meat, rice, mushrooms, a chickpea stew, and a cilantro salad, all which where incredible. None of these dishes were like food I had ever had before but I really enjoyed them and were glad I tried them. In addition, the fries were served with mayonnaise, something I found odd but really enjoyed. They seem to really enjoy mayonnaise here.
The word of the day today is hanes because Kasie thought that the bathroom at the restaurant was labeled hanes for men. In reality, hanes means rooster and the bathroom was actually labeled dames for ladies. If it was a mens room, it would have been labeled heren.
