Today was our last day in The Netherlands, and it was action-packed and a great conclusion to Plus3.

We started off the day by visiting the Floating Farm, a small dairy and microgreen farm located on a floating platform in Rotterdam. The owners founded this farm in 2012 after seeing the devastation that Hurricane Sandy brought upon the farming industry and its effect on the availability of fresh food in cities. They also have a strong sustainability focus, intending to combat climate change and food waste. I learned that around 900,000 kilograms of food is wasted annually just in The Netherlands. The Floating Farm takes a cyclical approach to food production, utilizing all waste products. For example, cow urine is filtered to an almost pure liquid, fed back to the cows, and used for watering crops. In a world where waste is so normalized and common, taking steps like these to prevent it takes us in the right direction to meeting our sustainability goals.

While I thought this farm was very interesting and creative, I was curious about the practicality of its wide-scale applications and if it would be able to make a sizeable effect on the dairy industry. The Floating Farm houses about 30 cows, and its products are sold around the Rotterdam area. However, it seems like expanding this business would be very challenging, especially if it were to be done in a way that would be humane to the cows. Also, we are not yet sure how the farm would withstand natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes. Either way, I still appreciate the Floating Farm’s creative approach to finding sustainable ways to farm dairy.

After a brief break in the day, we visited RDM, a facility that started off as a place for ship repairs but now houses some of Rotterdam’s most innovative technology projects. Our tour guide, an engineer who works at RDM, gave us a short history of RDM. It was and still is remote from most other places in Rotterdam, which was a struggle for workers. A neighborhood was built in the surrounding areas, which housed (and still somewhat houses) employees. Now, it is a location used by several industries and academic institutions for research and development. We viewed a lab used by Rotterdam Technical University students with 3D printers and other tools, like the Makerspace at Pitt. One of RDM’s goals is to allow students to make beautiful things and money with the skills they learn in school. Our tour guide also mentioned that gaining experience there inspires students to form an entrepreneurial mindset. During the tour, I also viewed some of the projects that are being worked on in the warehouse. They were all very unique in their own way, but I noticed that many of them had a focus on sustainability and reimagining naturally occurring things. One project that stood out to me was a project called “Urban Reef,” which is a habitat that can exist in an urban setting to inspire biodiversity in cities. Overall, visiting RDM inspired me to want to get involved in creative startups and maximize how I utilize every skill I learn in my classes.

Finally, we concluded the day by having a bittersweet farewell dinner. There, we said our final thank you’s and goodbyes to Raha, our tour guide and program coordinator for this trip, and we celebrated the coolest and craziest two weeks most of us have probably ever had. I am so glad that I got the opportunity to participate in the Plus3 program, as it is truly unlike anything I have ever done before. Through industry and cultural visits, I got to view the culture of The Netherlands through an immersive, diverse lens. Besides all of the academic and professional skills I gained on this trip, I also got to experience pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and practicing resilience, patience, and responsibility. After it all, my favorite moments were still the late nights, early mornings, public transit arguments, scenic bus ride views, questionable hostel bathrooms, and spontaneously bursting out into song to fill any silence.

Thank you for sticking around and joining me on my journey through The Netherlands!

Doei, Holland!